Mexico weekly ledger., 1876-10-19

Auu yet you silly ~ 0AHulSlociJ s4ahC
said. Certainly no n would imag-
inc you had suffered all that terrible
\. HYhy1''s he asked, vitA : liftis tre-
ST scarcely know why, but you have
always seemed to me onesof ,those per-
Sons who lead an imaginative sort of
life, moving always in a dreamy, uncer-
Tain sadness. s.pf pensive thought n
aspect pale, , like Tennyson's Margaret,
you know, and whose sorrow, I only
Issorrew's shade keeps real sorrow far
Eaway..' Cold and calm, and content
always with a quiet, negative sort of
happiness You move like a shadow in
that .steel-gray dress. I don't think
Pyou care for beauty or luxury in any
form. You could dream your dream
out as well under heavy-laden skies,
without warmth. OF light, or beauty, as
under tropic suns, glowing with radiant
light and splendor." 2
h. ~ You are mistaken, Mr.. Kingsley
Indeed, yousare mistaken. My nature
/ is keenly Luxurious and asthetic, cray
ing real happiness, keen, vivid delights,
lgayety, joy and beauty. / should like
TO live Under those tropic skies, flushed
with radiant diaphanous rays, purple,
and scarlet, and gold. l should like to
be at noon in those great forests where
the air faints with the subtle, intoxicat-
ing perfume Of gorgeous flowers, where
foods of thrilling melody from the
Threats of great scarlet-winged birds
soar up through the dense emerald foil
age, and fill the very arches of the sky
with sound; to lie at the foot of those
giant trees, whose dark, foliage would
screen me from the terrible burning
rays#ef the.sun, that hangs like a ball
of fire above their heads, and to feel the
ftendrilsof velvet moss and trailing vines
waited against my cheek in the languid,
perfumed air. And the beauty of the
| Northern lands, too, / long to see, where
the red glare of the sun falls on noun
tains of eternal snow, and shimmers on
bergs of translucent crystal, that have
stepped the bitter iciness of their hearts
in rainbow dyes; that shed gilt
sheets of frosty radiance.
Where plains of trackless snow
stretch far and wide in their
+desolate ! ~whiteness, and the air,
which has been breathed through no
human lips, is heavy end suffocating
with the death-like cold. Ilikebright
scenes of joyous life, too; festaI halls
with flashing lights, and the sparkle of
diamonds, full of dazzling 'scintillant
rays, and the pure CLEAN of pearls and
opals, drifts of foamy lace, and the
shifting throng of silks shimmering
with r~ose-colored lights; snowy SAITH
and deep-hued velvets trailing in dusky,
soundless folds, and the air thrilling
with music, gay triumphant marches
land dreamy Waltzes, with slow and soft
Swelling nlurtners, like lazy brooks in
level lands, drowsy and sweet, and al
Ways with no eehe Of sadness in their
"But yous dea't care to wear those
Shining silks mt 1fashihg jewels your
self; you would stand apart from the
brilliant scenes in your sober, nun-like
robes, looking on in You're dreamy way
enjoying it, perhaps, but not with the
eager throb andthtil that Nina, for in
stance, would feel, with no flush on
your cheek and no unwonted CLEAN in
youfeyesY
perhaps SOL she said quietly.
81 should not like to wear splendid
robes and jewels, because I like har-
mony. There is no brightness i'll my
life, no gayety or joy i'm my heart. /
think they have gone from me forever"
"You are very wrong to speak so
.h~opelessly," he said; then, with a pas
'si6nate eagerness in his voice, he went
on ""Miss Brent-Madeline, won't you
tell ME what this strange blight is which
to have fallen upon your life,
crushing out its joy and hope? love
you, Madeline; my love gives me the
right to know. Or, if you will not tell
me, give me the right to WOO back the
sunshine to your heart and life. Be my
wife, Madeline"
In the dim twilight that had fallen
.uponethe earth, while they stood there,
he could see the pallor that stole over
her face, the startled, terrified look in
her eyes.
Oh, hushi You do not know what
you are saying. | a not, must not,
listen to you. If you only knew! Mr..
Kingsley, / have no right to listen to
you. Il already am a wife"
She did not heed his start of surprise,
she did not raise her eyes to the face
whose pallor equaled that of her own,
but, keeping them fixed on the dark
shadow that fickered on the green
swaTd, she went-on calmly and gravely,
like one who relates narrative of COM
monplaee incidents in which he has no
personal interest.
"Yes, l have deceived you all. Your
sister engaged me as go%verness for her
children without recommendation; she
is kind and tender-hearted, and she
pitied my homeless and friendless con-
! did not tell her of my mar
because it was SO painful for me
to speak of it. / wished to forgetit all,
and 60 back to my girlhood days if l
could. | was married when l was only
sixteen, against my fathers will; [ was
scarcely more than a child, and willful
and foolish. There was some excuse
for me; / had never known a mothers
care, and my father was a stern, grave
man, who, if he loved me, never show
ed hiseaffectiorr by the fond words and
+arAnv~ n ro tho4 T4rsx1HA ohs1Ifc fAro and