Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1875-05-15

-. amuSc tueulseifSS luuOOTs- lne WI
ng dows were open, and the bracing 0
rt tober breeze came ripping throug
he Among group atone end Of the roo
tn sat Ruth, Willis. and Horace Hay
r. They were discussing music-the
id favorite pieces. and instruments.
~ length, an elegant dandy remarke
[e Il have never heard you perform, Mi
IN Waters. Doyou understand music, an
e play?
s. Yes" she replied unhesitatingI
d An amused smile twinkled in th
% Doctors eye as he noticed her cui
3. tone. He knew her contempt fo
If these society exquisites, and smiled a
IS her droll attempt to conceal it.
e "Will you favor me with Kathlee
n Mavourneen. There is not singl
$ lady in the hotel who sings it, tn
s gent continued.
0 Certainly, if you wish to hear me,
/ she said.
| Following him to the instrument
! she ran her fingers skillfully over the
! keys. She commenced the song, and
, as the sweet, flexible voice rose high in
raptured melody, all eyes were turned
upon her. The song went up with
gush Of sweetness such as Shelly
sky lark carried up to the gate OF
Heaven from her dell Of dew. She
held her listeners spell bound A charm
was upon them wrought by The carols
of her sweet silvery voice. She felt
her power and appreciatedit. Song after
song of enhancing melody rose, and
when she left the piano there was un-
broken silence over the room. There
was to be massqu ball that night and
Willis, as usual preferred to remain in
her room. Ruth came in, in the even
ing, and said, What are you going
to wear tonight Willis ?"
II shall not go down" she answered.
"Oh! yes. Willis, you must go down
tonight. Uncle Horace is here, and
we mustall be together" pleaded Ruth.
Yes, Horace was there, and that was
strong argument in favor OF her
presence below tonight. When Ruth
left her an hour later she had prom
ised to attend. Ruth, fair and beauti-
full, was to personate an Italian flow
er girl" but what could she In her
mourning garments represent. True,
she might go as Might" but every
girl in the world | suppose, had at
tended masque as Night" 1t was
too common-she wanted something
odd. At last she concluded to disguise,
but to go in no costume. She wore
long, trailing skirts, looped back by
jet arrows, and founced with lace,
which displayed to an advantage her
elegant figure. Her waist was of the
thinnest black lace, and the ivory
shoulders cleaned Whitley beneath it.
The sleeves were shortened half way
the arm, showing the beautifullyround-
ed outlines. Her hair was looped back
with sprays of jet, and jet serpents
with eyes of glittering diamonds were
coiled around the white arms. She
was regal, bewitching. Could her
mother have seen her then, as she |
stood there in the rare perfection of
full womanhood, Heaven, if possible,
would have been sweeter. They were
to unmask at supper, and up to that
time Willis was completely incOgnitO.
Nearly every Que in the room was rec
ognized but Willis, when Ludolph |
came up and asked for 4 dance. She |
took off her glove to write his Lame on
her tablet, when he recognized a curl /
Gus ring that she always wore-a cameo
deer head, set in emeralds, with gleam
ing green eyes. She had never ceased
to wear it since her mothers DEATH
Twas gift from Capt. Waters to his
blue-eyed bride long years ago. Her
mother had always told her when she
died the ring was to be hers, and to
wear it always. Willis had fulfilled
the request and it never left her hand,
although an Inconvenience with tight
fitting gloves.
Ludolph touched her and said, "Oh,
you are discovered now, Madam Mys-
terious, and bending his lips to her
ear he whispered, Cousin Willis"
Hush, Ludolph," she said quickly.
About that time they went in to sup
per, and standing before the table each
After supper, LudOlph said, Come,
Willis, let's take promenade"
Willingly" she replied, "fOr my
goddess Terpsichore, for once, is fully
satiated with dancing" She flung a
fieecy wrap around her shoulders, and
Joined him on the veranda. White,
pearly clouds drifted westward and
yelled the radiance of the moon, which
gave a weird, sickly light. The wind
seemed chanting requiem among the
lofty aisles of forest trees below, and
all nature gave proof that autumns
exit into winter was close at hand.
| always hate to see the death OF the
year." Ludolph said. 1T reminds me
that [ am just so much nearer my
grave, and Oh, Willis, l fear death so.
| have often thought if l could con-
vert myself into such a medel chris
tian as Horace Hays, that | would give
the wealth of the world. / have tried
him in many ways. l have tenpted
him repeatedly, and he has neveryield-
ed to the most subtle charm. His ex-
ample is certainly the brightest have
ever seen. am not like many now
without belief, or denying the exist
epce of God. Oh no. Heaven save
me from that popular calamity. l
earnestly believe in higher Supreme
Being, who governs all things wisely
and we'll. You know faith without
work is dead but hope some day to
combine them"
He could not have chosen a more IN
H.. II obsarvinO al