The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1875-09-05
BY florence L. PIpIIN.

Ana tne evening breeze came, lTelbhIcu
with the perfume of many flowers, ana
bearing the odors OF distant fields of
grain, which stretched for acres on
each side Of nm elegant residence,
whose stately walls rose from among
towering evergreens near large,
hourishing 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
mcnts of therchild, II lovely, fairy-like
girl Of four years of age, who with II
group of companions, was playing up
on the grassy lawn which slOped in
verdure from the mansion down to
the massiVeirOn gate Of the enclosure.
The children had been invited out
from the city to participate in the
the fourth birthday of the little
heiress, 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, and they fondly
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 brow ~ exclaimed the
father, in his fond anticipations of the
life his child should lead in coming
years. Thus the parents sat in happy
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 II luxurious
room, where the mellow radiance of n
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 and roseate
dreams.
Years passed on. The little girl became
II fair, stately woman, whose every
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-lirst birthday, and obsequous SER
wants moved about the spacious rooms
to the comfort of the
numerous guests, who had assembled
to witness the ceremony of marriage,
which had just been solemni2ed be-
tween the heiress of the noble mansion
and estate to him, who was her ac-
<nowledged equal in personal attrac-
lions, wealth and station. The night
was calm and lovely-the moon hung
high in the cloudless sky, and with
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 silvery beams, glittering
upon the spray of the fountains, whose
musical ripples seemed but faint echo
Of the equisite music which iloated
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 her proud,
parents to thrill with eXul-
tation Mt the homagep paid mt the shrine
of their idol.
The hours went on, the dizzy whirl
of the dance was ended, the music
ceased to vibrate upon the periumed
air, and the guests departed-while the
moon sank behind the western hori-
zon, the stars grew faint and few, and
finally the darker shades of night de-
scended bringing the inmates of the
mansion 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
Upright clouds Were gathering one by one
Sweeping in pomp round the dying
sum
and the parting beams fingered in n
chamber of that luxurious mansion,
seeming to flash a farewell glanceupon
the wan features of her, who lay gasp
ing and helpless upon couch, her
young life ebbing slowly away. Her
parents knelt around her in hopeless
grief, no ray of hope entering their be-
clouded hearts--and her husband stood
apart in voiceless grief, gazing upon
the blanching features of her, who only
u few months before, radiant in health
and beauty, had become his bride.
What now could all their wealth, lux.
ury and worldly pride avail against
the grim destroyer, Mt whose approach
the father, mother and husband Stood
grief stricken and powerless?
The moments crept by, the evening
zephyrs came gently through the open
easement beside the bed of the dying
one, lightly swaying the lace folds o.
the curtains, and breathing with per.
fume-laden signs upon that brow now
damp with the dews of death-th,
solemn stars looked forth from the
dusly armament, aud as
,The low, round moon with pinions bright
Sailed slowly up the eastern sky"