Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1875-01-16
Written for the CLARKsvrLLE CHRONICLE
ESTES CONFESSION.
By REuBA.
CHAPTER II.


wheel of time. and many bright expec
| tations were about to be realized
How many young hearts futtered il
youths hopeful breast as the creative
| fancy pictured scenes of pleasure anC
enjoyment. To many it was their frs
entire into the giddy path that leads tc
| a life of useful contentment, or disap-
pointed hopes. Who knows when the
first steps taken in the mazy turns Of
society when the weary feet shall find
rest? How many gorgeous castles
have been reared on occasions like
this by the young inauguration filed
with all the joys. and pleasures of
youth, peopled by spirits congeniai in
their tates and sentiments only to be
torn and broken by the ruthless ICON
oclast, reality. In youth it is that we
skip along paths bordered by all the
brilliant flowers of sanguine hopes,
perfumed by the sweetest fragrance of
expectancy and over-shadowed by fes-
toons of the greenest foliage that
hung from youths bright dreams. In
youth, our lives are watered by the
dews of hoped for bliss, made pure
and sweet by the golden sunlight of
innocence, and bright and gorgeous by
the seductive rays of futurity. But
when that future comes, when we have
passed the rosy gardens of youth and
entered into the fruitful fields of man
hood, the scene changes as if by
wave of the wand of some evil geni.
Where is the hand that would destroy
the rainbow of youths bright hopes
and food the young heart with dark and
turbid waters of trouble, of care and of
strife, that sometimes prove too much
even for the strong will of adult life?
Youth is pure, youth is sacred, youth is
innocent; and to warp the tendrils
that first spring from the breast on their
way to virtue, truth, and honor, is a
sin, beside which all other dwarf into
1t is, or should be, the
mission of manhood to train, to guide,
to direct the ever budding thoughts of
youth. So they may mature in that
golden fruit that will make our coun-
try's future as great, as glorious and as
eternal as is promisedto the upright
and just.
On the night of the party brilliant
lights sent their welcome rays from
every part of the house. Parties had
already commenced filling the large |
and we'll furnished parlors. Itwas ap-
parent that Este was to have bril-
liant fete in which to bid her friends
good by.
Miss Este, allow me to say that
you must put on your best looks to-
night"
why SO, cousin Albert?" Inquir-
ingly answered Este of DIR. Leigh as
he joined her after he and his mother
had received the last of their guests.
Because, Dick LeMays will be here
and you must know that he
is skeptical as towhether you have that |
organ wherein it is generally supposed
that cupid holds his throne and court"
well, cousy dear. let him believe it, |
for I don't see to what possible use I |
could put such place just now."
"Mingle withyour friends, and when
he does come, be little more gracious
to him, Eestie. Este turned from
him with merry laugh and was soon |
whirling in the dance with one of her
many admirers.
One after another claimed her hand |
and an hour passed almost unheeded.
Albert danced a time or two, then
turned and paid his attention to his
mothers particular friends-the old
ladies-endeavoring to call up anew
the remembrances of their youthful
days the many gay scenes like the
present in which they were actors, not
spectators. Turning and walking to
the door, he was caught by a young
man who said, as he violently shook his
hand, Albert, old boy, how are you?
| have not seen you since the deluge.
How are Aunt and Sis?"
will, is this you? How came you
here? How you have gronw in the last
four years ?"
You see have received two weeks
leave from the grand mogul who has
had suspended over me for two years
the rod and ferruie, and as Sis wrote
me word she was going home to-mor-
row, thought would come and go
with her."
Il am glad you came. l am not ex-
actly ready to go to uncle Eldred'syet,
but as Este was alone | was going
with her."
Go, Albert, that is a good fellow, l
want you to help me propitiate the
Governor"
Il can't go now, Will, but am COM
ing down shortly. Go now and find
Este and Mother, they will be glad to
see you." THAT l am curtain to do;
| am monstrous anxious to see Aunt
Juliet in the dining room. L have
lived on nothing but bread and wa
ter for two years. That kind of diet
is wonderfully conducive to hard study
to get more and better you know.
When have paid my compliments to
the cook, | am going to see some fun"
Wilfred Lynn, was Estie's brother,
some two years her junior, being now
nearly eighteen. just released from
school, he was full to over flowing
with exhuberant spirits. The party
was a grand success. Every one
seemed to be in a perfect mage of en-
ioyment. Este was the cynosure from
whom the brightest sparks fell. She
had clustered around her at least
dozen gallapts all the time. Thus the
time passed pleasantly for the first too
hours; at length she began to grow