The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-09-09
A TREss OF HAIR,
Nv ,s.urr1A GRANT ,IEREDI1H.

LIo ~" r.+.s-in~r inland from its idle pla r
with tina ripDles on the shore, tosseu w
darL m .ssss of his hair. His lace nad Joe.
the dreamy. haIf-melancholy look IL hau
Ma friend IN remembe tine lips that yet ex-
pressed infinite sweetness and TENDERNESS,
mad a firrner set; and in the brown eye
shone nsW light OT steaui1s. SCI W
oladuess of one who is inwardly al Peace.
He had thrown himself on the pilo"S
grass at the feet of his companion, anu
with ali his soul in his eyes, lay WRAP ih
the artist-dream of which the mellow love
iness of the day was lifting inSplrS1loh'
Wheu the thought ia his irlsnos Hi"V u
sensibly formed itself into the question 'n@'
had fallen from her lips. 18th,
Two wears before, in sumner nlso''
when the roses hung their slumorouS Dlos
sona. aud the signing gales crept through
the gardens, rifiing them OF their sweeShess'
While tina cleaning stars burned anu tnlch
ened in a moonless sky,-Mark win ene on ,
familiar melancholy, worn WILD cdIe,o -
grace. like mantle he was nal t-i.nsou ~
cast aside. had fingered IN TIE porch over
his fsrewells. MT,
"That. in going, 1 must lose you, Car, Is
nv heaviest regret; q selfish gnei DuL none
theYess grief, since 1t is TO iesve my better
self behind hs said regretialIy.
'Ah, Mark" Clair answered., srlos o.
pleasant cheer in her voice, although 10
scare hsr friend troubled Eer 40 less thdu il
naioed MIN. sin this would, even, we are
richer than we know, and we lose muc1 less
than we are prone TO think. we are iUii VI
misconceptions. What are time ano ois
lance? Little indeed to US, who know eacn
other too well to be ever truly parted; ana
you. three thousand miles away, will still
be nearer to me than my neignoor next
door. The soul has its Psy che-wlngs, winch
like the Persiau's carpet. annIhlias5 spsee al
the instigation of a wish"
His smile was half sad. Al sltler'
"Does your philosophy leach any process
stretched out over leagues OF space, to catch
the sounds OF a beloved voice which tne
irritated soul of man needs to be sootned
aud subdusd by its best music? or tor the
lengthening out OF arms, when the none-
sick, wounded heart needs friendly hanu-
clasp TO neal and snake IL strong?
ut is not well done, 10 speak contemptu-
ously OF my philosophy. whi-h IS only max
ing the best of the must be!' she snc, Win
mild patience.
Alter a pause, in which his smile had
wholly faded, and only the soft stir OF the
night had filed the silence, he resumed;
when, and how, shall listen again with
you to the clamor of the katydids? and
what changes, I wonder, will the interven,
ing years have brought TO our lives, Clair?
Something sweet, lee us hope, else life were
a bitter pill indeed"
NO" protested Clair. "a hard nut, per
haps, with husk like verjuice, aud tough
sbsll; nothing worse"
"WilI Tbs kernel il hides compensate one
for the risk to ones teeth-and hesrt-in the
crscking?"
.'Do YOU pretend to doubt it? T then,
aud SEQ. have faith enough in you, be-
cause"
'BecauseI'
81 have faith in you, Mark
"a good word to speed my parting! i
viii live by it in the future, be the nut
sound or hollow. 1 feel that / am leaving
you with benediction."
A bird that nestled in the flower thcket
of the garden uttered SOFT plaintiye note.
Suddenly bending before her, he touched
her hand with his lips, and was gone. -Ss4Sss
This was their parting.
Two years later, as Clair fingered over
the treasures displayed in the window OF
Goupils art-rooms, gentleman, with q
light, blithe step passed her, paused a mo-
ment to toss away his cigar, aud entered.
The cigar end carelessly thrown, scattered
it's grey ashes on her sleeve, observing
which, he lifted his hat, with quick "par
don." and for briet instant he glanced her
way.
A moment after CLAIR also entered; but the
pictures failed of their usual charm, while a
strange living face persistently haunted her,
ike a measure OF one familiar, but iong-for
gotten music.
TIE fact, associated as it was, in some tan
gibIe way with the strangers eyes as they
flashed upon hers, caused her much annoy
anc6, because IL was new experience. And
like the haunted man." she was perpetuslly
tempted TO turn and glance over her Shout
der after him. Resolutely bent on resisting
the absurd desire, she seated herself in a
camp chair, and fixed her eyes upon astudy
OF woods in autumn that hung on the wall
before her. But still the face, of which she
had caught a passing glimpse, or some ex
preston it had held, or some memory it had
awakened, played at hide.and-seek with
her, through those dim forest aisles, ever
knocking and elusive.
With the best intentions to become alb
sorbed in that work OF art she was presently
softly and satirically humming, under the
breath, the burden of an old ballad:
All, Lissette, you are not spinning"
She felt the color blush her cheeks; but |
she sat motionless before her picture; her
ewes riveted on the crimsOns and yellows of
the naples and ferns therein.
Then came a pleasant, caressing voice, |
we'll remem bered, saying in gay reproach:
"What, old friends. soon i0rgOtten?'
A long, warm hand clasp supplied the
place of greeting and welcome Tor winch |
there were no words; and, in silence. Claii's
noted tie change which had etberealiz5d
him aud frightened all his moods work
OF circumstance upon his life, rather than of
time upon his head.
"Am So altered, then, that you did not
know mes"
"You are-enlarged."
He laughed.
"Ahi that tongue has not lost its ancient
cunning. 1t is good phrase and true
one, although 1 have not added an inch to
my girth or stature"
"No. think you must have been taking
souudings, and discovering the heighth and |
depth of mans heart and SOUL You look |
TO me as if you had put away childish things |
and learned 10 live in earnest"
''rhere, again! you are surely clairvoyanti |
Bat you began the cure, your faith has made |
me whole; your teachings were not all in |
vain, although YOU had. at times, but a |
graceless pupil. Listeui have cracked the |
nut; but by rare good luck L waited until
Il was ripe. and the husk tell of. Most
men, L fancy, make the mistake of boys /
who pelt the walnut trees in September, |