The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1875-09-11
BY FoRENCE l.. PIPKIN.

BY FoRENCE l.. PIpKIN.
The flush of midsummer was upon the land.
Ihe light OF sunset still fingered down the
west,
The tender charm of the cleaning was full
ora quiet rest"
And the evening breeze came, freighted
with the perfume of many flowers, aud
bearing the OdOrs of distant fields of
grain, which stretched for acres on
each side of an elegant residence
whose stately walls rose from among
towering evergreens near q large,
ilourishing city. The owner of the
mansion sat upon the front veranda
IN company with his wife, enjoying
the fragrance of the sunset hour, and
watching With loving eyes the move
ments of theirchid, II lovely, fairy-like
girl of four years of age, who win u
group of companions, was playing up
on the grassy lawn which sloped in
Verdure from the mansion down to
the massive iron gate OF the enclosure.
The children had been invited out
from the city to participate in the
birthday party given in honor of
the fourth birthday OF the little
helress, and the occasion was
one OF enjoyment to them all. As the
parents looked out upon the scene,
they conversed together of their
child's future, which now appeared to
them in such alluring cOlors, and their
fancy pictured many fair and brilliant
scenes in which their child, their idol,
should participate, ana they fondly
looked forward to the time when she
should reign queen of fashionable So
eiety, whose charmed circle she should
enter by right of wealth and position.
"No silk from Persian looms shall be
too costly for her apparel, no gems
from the Orient shall be too rare to
deck her fair brOwv exclaimed the
father, in his fond anticipations of the
life his child should lead in coming
years. Thus the parents sat in happy
communion, until the golden tints of
sunset faded, after which they received
the words of parting from the little
guests, who returned home, and the
father led his child up the marble
steps of the yeranda, into luxurious
room, where the mellow radiance Oft
crystal lamp was already shining
then the shades of night gathered, fall
ing like benediction upon that home
of luxury and wealth, ere long lulling
its inmates to slumber al Toseate
dreams.
Years passed on. The little girl betsme
fair, stately woman, whose every
movement was grace and elegance, and
in whom were centered the fOndest
hopes of her doting parents. The
doors of the parental mansion, in
which she had been reared in all the
luxury and ease that wealth could
command or fond hearts dictate, were
thrown open, on the night of her twen-
ty-trst birthday, and obsequious SER
wants moved about the spacious rooms
administering to the comfort of the
numerous guests, who had assembled
to witness the ceremony of marriage,
which had just been sOlemnized be-
tween the heiress of the noble mansion
and estate to him, who was her ac-
knOwledged equal in personal attrac-
tiOns, wealth and station. The night
was calm and lovely-the moon hung
high in the cloldless sky, and with
countless glittering stars, looked down
upon the fair scene, casting radiant
light upon the broad green lawn, with
its serpentine walks. marble statuary
and ripping fountains, and touching
the numerous evergreens and rare
flowers with slvery beams, glittering
upon the spray of the fountains, whose
musical ripples seemed but faint echo
of the equisite music which foated
out from the elegant drawing room
and throbbed upon the fra
grant night air in the
swelling notes of "Wedding March,"
while within the mansion the gaslight
shOne upon brilliant scene, in which
the bride, arrayed in shimmering,
silken robes and glittering diamonds,
moved amid the fashionable throng,
the fairest, lovliest of all, the envied of
many, causing the hearts of hsr proud,
aristocratic parents to thrill with exul-
tation at the homage paid at the shrine
of their idol.
The hours went on, the dizzy whirl
of the dance was ended, the music
ceased to vibrate upon the perfumed
air, and the guests departed-whilet the
moon sank behind the western hOri-
zOn, the stars grew faint and few, and
finally the darker shades of night de-
bringing the inmates of the
to repose and to the father
the reflection that within the last few
years he had realized his fondest anti
cipations regarding the triumphs of his
child.
A rare June day was fading in the
west
Sweeping, In pomp round the dying
sum
and the parting beams fingered in a
chamber of that luxurious mansion.
seeming to flash farewell glanceupon
he wan features of her, who lay gasp
ing and helpless upon q couch, her
young life ebbing slowly away. Her
parents knelt around her in hopeless
grief, no ray of hope entering their be-
:louded hearts-and her husband stood -
apart in voiceless grief. gazing upon
,he blanching features of her, who only
/ few months before, radiant in health
md beauty, had become his bride.
What now could all their wealth, lux
Try and worldly pride avail against
he grim destroyer, at whose approach
.he father, mother and husband stood,
grief stricken and powerless?
The moments crept by, the evening
,ephyrs came gently through the open
easement beside the bed of the dying
)ne, lightly swaying the lace folds Of
he curtains, and breathing with per-
sighs upon that brow now
lamp with the dews of death-the
'olemn stars looked forth from the
husky armament, and as
THE low, round moon with pinions bright
Sailed slowly up the eastern sky"
he struggling spirit Of the dying one
escaped from earth, and winged its
light to another world, and to tlys.er
proud father, as he gazed ups S,,,,, q
eatures of his child, 30 exc ooiiu-
ovely in death, no exulting Aed for edu-
anne of her triumphal1is a. s,ssso5a nss. ~.
lmong the angels of spvn and vicinity
hrong, and no glad ant ,s.ssece, rennesnent
u her future life infsssion Or Nv months
'heer him iu this hidsntai Fees, sl % Ma7
light gathered fs fse :, sfui1sns -
6esFinlrshsr pzrfic1ia zlz1rsss n
,na gr,el, osyf DH. y b. Ff,ANKLfS.
yous ah.Icii waxahashir. Teers,