New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-03-19

REPUBLICAN,, SUNDAY
her until I should find her again In On
other life. until / should hear from he
that she loves, that she forgives me7 Ho,
human beings play with life, how the
put of from day to day the best that the
might do, the most beautiful they Nigh
enjoy, without thinking that every de-
may be the last, and that lost time is los
eternity! Then ell the words Of the Hot
rath when I had seen him last REQUIRED Il
me, and I felt that had taken the resolu
ton of my sudden departure only to SHOW
him my strength; that it would hav'
been harder to acknowledge to him m!
weakness and to stay; yet now it became
clear to my mind that there was for M
but one duty: to go back to her imme
diately and bear all that Heaven nigh
send. But Is soon as I had made the plaz
for my return, I suddenly remembered thu
words Of the Hofrath, "As soon as pos
sible she must leave and be taken to thu
county,"
She had herself told me that she
usually spent the summer in her castle.
Perhaps she was there, right in my neigh.
Dor hood; in one day could be with her.
No sooner thought than done. With the
dawn Of day set out, and at evening
stood at the gate of the castle. The even
ing was still and bright. The peaks OF
the mountain glistened in the full golden
light Of the setting sun, and the low beds
were overspread with reddish blue. A
gray mist rose from the valleys that sud-
denly became light when it reached the
upper regi ons, and then Aoated up to the
sky like . sea of clouds. This whole
play of colors was reflected in the easily
moved bosom OF the dark sea, upon whose
banks the mountains seemed to ascend
and descend, 90 that only the tops Of the
trees and the spires of the church steeple,
and the ascending smoke from the houses,
showed the line which separated the re-
atty of the world from its reflection. But
my look was directed to one point only,
where presentment told me that should
find her again. No light was to be seen
in the windows; no step disturbed the
stiffness of the evening. Had my pre-
sentiment deceived me7 1 went slowly
through the first gate, and up the steps
until I stood in the fore-court of the
castle. Here saw q guard walking up
and down, and hurried to the soldier to
inquire who was in the castle. 1.-THE
countess is here, and all her attendants"
was the short answer, and in moment I
stood at the principal entrance and bad
already pulled the bell. Then it first &C.
Cured to me what had done. Nobody
knew me. I could not, and dared not,
say who / was. I had wandered about
for weeks in the mountains, and looked
like q beggar. What should say? For
whom should ask7 But there was no
time for consideration. The door opened,
and before me stood porter in terrible
livery, and looked at me in establishment.
l inquired if the Esglish lady, whom I
knew never left the countess, was in the
castle, and when the porter answered
afir matively, begged for paper and ink
and wrote to her that l was there to in
quire after the health Of the countess.
The porter called q servant, who took
the letter mp. heard every step in the long
halls, and with every minute that waited
my position became more ursupportable
to me. On the walls hung old family pic
lures Of the prinoely family; knights in
full armor, women in ancient costume,
and in the middle q woman in the white
vesture of . nun, with red cross upon her
breast I had often before looked at
these pictures, and never thought that in
heir breasts also human hearts had |
beaten; but now it seemed as if / could |
read whole volumes in their features, and |
v if they all said to me, 1--WE too have
,nce loved; We too have once suffered"
Under this iron armor once lay hidden |
'ecrets like those now in my own breast
This white dress and this red cross are
living proofs that here too battle had
,nce ragged like that which now stormed
n my heart; taen it seemed as if they all
ooked at me eympsthizingly; and again q
ofty pride rested on their features as if
hey would say: "You do not belong to
L." 1 was becoming more and more un-
ssy, when suddenly low steps walked me
rom my dreams. The English lady
anne down the stairs and begged me
o walk into q room; l looked at her
to see if she suspected what
'as passing within me; but in her fea-
ures was perfect repose, and without
howing the slightest expression of SYM
athy OF establishment she told me in q
,easured voice that the countess was much
etter to-day, and invited me to come
, See her in half an hour. Imagine
good swimmer venturing far out into
ae sea and thinking of return only when
is arms have begun to grow weary;
len parting the waves with haste, and
ardly daring to turn his glance toward
10 distant bank. He feels with every
roke his strength fail, and still will not
it to himself, until at last