Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1875-07-10


"Iwanted to ask you, she continued
'ifyou knew the history of my father
1t always seemed TO pain mother whe
| broached the subject, SO / let j
rest." - s yssraass,l
The question appeared to startle hin
and he answered slowly, mo; / do no
know the history of your father, vii
lis. but your mother has often spokeI
of him to me" 80 ssi4isaaafas-
did he have sister in Europe !?
asked Willis eagerly. t'1-i
"Yes, Mrs. Blakey, l think bu
she was the only relative he had. You
mother had great many Of her letter
written to Capt. Waters whilst here
Judging from them she is very intel
ligent." @
Willis did not reply for some tim
and supreme silence hung over them
Father, !" as she spoke the sweet voic'
trembled with emotion, Father,
must see my aunt, must see my deat
fathers sister or never die satisfied.
She had risen from the ottoman anG
stood by his side trembling with ex,
citement. He passed his emaeiateG
arm around her waist, and exclaimed
brokenly, "Oh! Willis, do not leave
me. 1t will not be very long before
shall be gone. l shall soon join the
band of wan, pale sleepers. aud unit
that, my child. stay with me. Should
you leave me and cross the ocean
would see you no more" The voice
quivered tremulously. '.It will be but
brief season, yet oh my daughter, il
would lengthen into unbearable ages
bereft of your kind care. Comfort me
new. for ere long I viii be no more. u
The faint voice sank into a plaintive
wall, and great tear drops rained down
his wasted cheeks. Willis had become
a kind of essential during his sickness
She would exercise his, gloom by her
fascinating conversation. and in mo-
ments of suffering by her potent in
fiuence she would charm him to for
getfulness. Now when che harvest OF
suffering was almost ser. and life
nearly spent, he could not give her up.
There was fierce struggle in Willis
heart as she stood stroking his silvered
hair. There was an uncomfortable
longing to see her unknown aunt, and
yet she felt as though she would sacri-
fee the world to serve this dying bene-
factor. Tears gushed up to her eyes,
and sinking down beside him she
pillowed the tired, suffering head on
his knee, exclaiming in anguished tones,
"Never, oh never will : leave you,
my father, my guardian. You must
not die. Live for my sake and for
Ruth's. Oh! do not leave US alone,
orphaned. / cannot give you up; you
are all I have" she sobbed bitterly.
Poor Willis the waves rise higher
and higher. The turbulent waters
seemed about to engulf her the tor
tured heart could not pray, aud the
aching eyes were refused the soothing
tear drops. She arose and threw her.
self on a couch, and the slender form
was convulsed by dry, choking sobs.
Ere long they gradually ceased, and
the delicate limbs were at rest. She
was asleep. She wandered on over a
messy common with the musical tinkle
Of the bells indistinctly in her ear
Bright, smiling gentiaas ored their
blue eyes from the sward, and she
felt an intense longing to throw her
aching head down upon them. She at
length reached cavern and went Gu
riously in to examine it. what a
beautiful place!" she exclaimed in
voluntarily. The walls were of whitest
marble, and glittering stalactites hung
from the dome like mocking icicles.-
The marble floor on which she trod
was curiously inlaid with silver. Some
times the design would be beautiful
trailing vines, and again the gro
tesque forms of wild dancers would
gleam up from the pale foundation
The walls were decorated in gar
lands of calla lilies and feathery
MOSES, and trailing ferns were sus-
pended in delicate filigree baskets.
Birds of bright plumage fitted fear
lessly past her, but their little songs
were hushed, for no sounds broke the
deep silence. She wandered on, al
lured by the beauties, until she found
herself before marble gate bearing
the inscription, in letters of light,
''Le-ssot d'eHigDse. Behind the gate
stood fair young girl with floating
hair of molten gold. e.
Willis approached thegate and asked
distinctly. "Can | explore this beauti-
ful grotto beyond the gate2 Ess
The keeper raised her marble finger
and pointed to the inscription. Have
you the key to the mystery?" she ask
ed clearly. ssa EOS
mo; | have no key" Willis replied.
Without it you can not enter here,'
said the fair warden. b
How am | to obtain it?" she in
quired curiously. a. aas-ba.ia 7e
You can never obtain it now. Ali
the golden moments are wasted. You
have lived an impious life, and you are
now banished eternally with the ruined
number who throng Tartarus. l did
not imagine you would ever apply to
this gate for admission. | thought
you were to enter heaven by climbing
the mountains that the giants Of old
piled up for amusement. Your sainted
father waits within this gate for the
doomed child who will never come,
and your sainted mother awaits you
there" asf ar
Again the white finger pointed to the
heavenly Zion. Willis raised her
eyes to the battiements
above. There was her mother, her re-