The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1875-11-14
Written for the a." Dallas Herald,"l
j Il s Tin Y.
"There's divinity TINT shapes our ends.
Rough hew them as we will."
CnAprER /,

OF my falner placed me under the
guidance, and dependent upon the
support, OF a widowed mother, who,
with n family of young children, Tough
valantly with poverty; and by vrtu,
OF u strength Of ilrmness rarely fount
IN women, succeeded in housing anC
cl thing us.
My earliest recolecliOns are associ
ate1 with toll, and strenuous efforts e
contribute my mite to the general fund
and | soon learned 10 employ myself
with whatever | could find to do.
Work was the keynote to the fam
lily, and had 1t rung in my ears until
1 wearred Of the sound. Live we
must, and how? Itmattefed not that
young limbs faltered as the daily
tramp to shop or factory doomed up IN
prospective; aud sick or well port,
when once secured, must not be va
Gated.
AT ten was prematurely old far in
advance of the merry children en-
Gountered In my rounds to work. And
if the inclination to participate in their
sports took possession of me, the de-
sire was not gratified ] question my
wish to act as other children of my
age. ..eL
Time had dealt hardly with me- For
years / had been placed In harness and
commanded to work, knowing nothing
but the development OF the little mus
cular strength | possessed, which had
become necessity. A play-fellow, a
feast, gift from loving heart were
unheard.of considerations. The march
of life was before each member of our
band, and though pebbles by the way
pierced tender feet to bleeding, neces-
sity commanded, and we obeyed her
mandates.
AT twelve l left home and sought
employment grade higher and for
four years my life was checkered ex-
isteuce. Inheriting my principle char
Observation-Disclosures industry and
a passionate temper from my mother
the former recon- nlended me to the
favorable consideration of my employ
ers, while the latter planted insubordi-
nation in my breast, aud oftimes rem
dered it difficult for me to retain de-
sirable situation. - w
Twas poor occupied low position
In the world, was ignorant, save what
HuVNI SuBc L hh'i dCpuHSu Nv ulSut-
school, out / aspired higher, and
the idea being incompatible with my
surroundings. l hardly knew how to
entertain it,. Still, it was thus, and
manifested itselfin a variety of ways
a desire to gain knowledge, love of
the good and beautiful, and wish to
ascend in the scale of social position.
1 lacked five years of mans estate, but
was ms conversant with its responsible
titles, the realities of life, AS though
thirty summers had passed over my
head. had never been boy. From
contact with the world, possibly inhe-
rent gentility, | had acquired good
manners; understood in an eminent
degree the art of keeping my own
counsel--in boyish parlance, Stocking
before L leaped, land as far rs my own
ideas instructed me, gave promise of
developing into a passably good look
ing man. | attached very little i'm
portance to the latter consideration,
however, but gained in the develop
ment of muscle my life of arduous toll
had produced. The appearance of an
incipient beard produced far less ex-
ultation than the fact that my brawny
arm enabled me to fight the battle of
life heroicaly. With health and
strength and vigor, | could surmount
all obstacles-meftally, morally, phys
icaly! Disduieted and restless, i OBJ
tanned situation in the family of Dr.
Barnes, an influential physician, who
farmed in connection with his prae-
tice. The family consisted of himself,
wifi and daughter; cultivated, high
toned people, who possessed rare
characteristic thoughtful considera-
ton of their interiors. In pen por-
,raitale, il Is impossible to convey u
corrqc. idea of Edith Barnes; to delin-
cate the lights and shades of the most
singularly lovely of dispositions and
characters. To know her, was to ele'
vate womanhood; to invest the sex
with new charm; to feel the power,
the beauty, the influence of true wo-
manliness. A peculiar charm charac-
terized all she did. She was Il wonder,
q study, revelation 10 me; and though
years have elapsed, / see her in her
beauty and grace, the exquisite face
and figure, the large eloquenteyes that
bespoke thoughtfulness, intelligence
and music, and would melt to tender
ness at the recital of tale OF sorrow
or suffering. Accomplished and ele'
CANT, she was courted and caressed BY
society, but the poor aud afflicted were
minis.ered to by her gentle hands.
IL was as natural for my heart to go
out to Edith Barnes,despitethe barriers
that existed between Us, az for sparks
to fly onward. and L soon found to my
utter CONSERVATION, that loved her ]
with all the yehemenee Of ntrong,
passionate nature. To reason with tue
heart under such circumstances, ~ u
fruitless undertaking. In vain de-
liberated and stroye torealize the folly
OF such an ENHANCEMENT to extrlcate
myself.
Was / mad! /, a nobody, q hirellng,
to aspire, to the hand of the most gifted
and beautiful Of women? Thoughts OF
love and marriage, had deferred IN,
definitely, and now. l was torn ana
tossed by a thousand demons, all eager
to impress my utter hopelessness, CAL
1t infatuation, II you will, but stood
myground, determined. to win or die
Distracted with the thought that The
state OF my feelings would possibly DC
suspected, and summarily shut myself
outfrom her presence absented my
self from the family sittipg-room where
| had beeninvited TO make myself com
Portable, and fol. weeks in an agony OF
suspense and horror, with no comfort
no hope, and a full conviction that
was bestowing an Interchangeable aiiec-
ton upon the only woman ! haa' OF
ever desired to love, ! bemooned my
fate, as utterly Incapable OF leaving ,
her or to penetrate the uncertainty anu
gloom OF future events. .,, A..
:, AT this juncture, thehrrlval OF John
Norton, a cousin from a distance VINO