Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-09-30

Another year elapsed ere l re-
turned home, and again sat in the
little village church. My personal
appearance was, meanwhile, some
what altered. still wore my mus
tache, it is true, but my coat-tails
we're not, or did not seem, quite SO
long, and ! had left off my spurs.
My mother and l were early seat
ed in our pew, and | impatiently
waited for the arrival of my lovely
enigma. | tried to prepare myself
for disappointment 81 have been
thinking and dreaming about an
IDEAL" | said to myself" doubt
less when the young lady herself
appears, all my fine imaginings
will vanish-there can be no doubt
my fancy has been playing tricks
with me, Investing a mere country
maiden with transcendent graces
and charms" While l was reason
ing thus with myself, the young
lady appeared leading her relative
with tender care.
Worshipping am" ideal," indeed!
my most charming remembrance
did not begls to DO justice to the
beautiful reality. A soul full of
tenderness and sensibility seemed
to have found fitting home in a
person and face of perfect lowell
ness and grace.
She blushed when, . looking
around he CHANGED to see me, and
again'the play Of expression on her
features which had so interested me
formed, charmed me.
The more studied her face the
more l seemed to see into the pure
depths of her soul. | could have
staked my life on her noble purity
of thought and deed.
AS we returned home, / described
my fair neighbor, and asked my
mother who she was.
"Her name," my mother said,
els Grace Denny; and she is the
loyeliest-the most superior young
woman l have ever in my whole
| life met with. 1t is too soon to
think Of such things yet" she con-
tinued, smiling, "but some years
hence it would make me happy tC
to see my dear son married to just
such a woman"
"Not quite so fast, mother" said
I, laughing a good deal to hide q
little boyish embarrassment which
/ was most anxious to conceal.
| found that Grace had become
a constant visitor at my mothers.
and / did not fail to improve the
opportunity Of becoming better ac.
quainted with her.
She was, indeed, a gifted creature
; endowed with all natures best.
She sang, she danced, she conver.
sed with an indescribable grace
peculiar to herself. Though gen,
orally thoughtful and earnest in hel
+ demeanor, she had a vein Of quiet
: humor, and her strokes of playful
drollery charmed all the more from
r being unexpected. But more alur.
r ing to me than all her gifts and
accomplishments was the shrink
! ing sensibility depicted over every
' feature Of her sweet face. l soor
found myself deeply-painfully in
terested in her, | say painfully
{ for Grace received my assiduous at
: tentionS with a perfect coolnes
and unconcern which gave me grea
? uneasiness. Sometimes though
she remembered my early imperti
+: nence, and was disposed to punisl
' it. But there was a rival, a cousin
: of Grace's, who always stood in m,
= way, and from whom Grace received
1 as a matter Of course, number
: less little attentions which l dare(
7 not even offer. | hated this man
/ | was insufferably jealous; bu
e Grace seemed either perfectly un
+ conscious, or perfectly indifferen
) 10 the by-play Of luminosity whicl
e was carried on between us.
It Grace, sweet, noble Grace, witt
k her child-like simplicity and aepsi
t tive woman's heart-who could re
f sist her? l could not-my Who'll
@ soul was hers. In vain had strug
l. gled-in vain had | called upon m
vanity (of which | had plenty t
II inyoke) to save me from the mort
d fcation of loving without return
@ | could not stem or control th
/ passion which, strong as might
IL Whirlwind, had seized me.
b One evening I sat by the plan
W while Grace sang t9 me. The pousi
was not there, and dear Grace
l. varying color and gllstening eye
Iy suggested sweet hopes to my vanit,
E. l fancied | saw love in those brigh
l. dewy eyes, and on those soft, music
1t breathing lips.
in It was the last evening of my VI
to cation, and surely | read o gentl
80 farewell thought in Grace's face.
| was beside myself with JOY at tt
N idea-I was as If in Q blSsfr
| dream-a rapture of love, A
f. Grace rose to leave the piano
W caught her hand, and, unable long(
or IN renress the one thought th;