The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-01-16
DEAD OR ALIVE
W MARY TUCKER MA0iLL.

Silupered feet to catch the warmth D
~ Blazing fire. All when grim OLE
- clasps his Icy fingers ar0und thu
&fIo. one must seek, forSuOth, TO sup
nv 81 Artificial means the heat once 81
sHSMaently furnished BY the bounding
blood coming straight from the centre
"a Ilfe freigiitcd with rich health ant
youthful fire. Aud yet as ] SIT hcr,
thus, and look bnck 10 the tlmcs whicl
are past, and which 10 my backward
gAze scem but ns yesterday. y y hare
Tor me, and that whatever might hav,
been 0k good or great h gone from my
grasp that tho sun III my life IL settling
md Will soon sink behind tho hills o
time. and shall be- seen no more.
( picked up to-day, for the FIRST time
r years. this old copy of Fhust. It used
IS s. favorite with me, and here, and
here. and here, arc pencil marks. All
how II takes one back To tho old times
when the charm OF youth and love
gifdod my darling and me, when We
wore In The fresh. spring time. Of life
and knew nothing btit--Ah, WOLF
~ 8 hoy In my old Virginia home, on
w banks 81 the james. was. the only
child Of q wealthy planter, and my sole
Uompaniofi b ward of my fathers, left
n = diving beuuest by u friend, when
the child WINS only eight years old. ]
remember we'll when my father brought
Her hOme--the little black .robcd figure
With baby face md scared brown eyes
locking 80 appealingly to us. ! was a
rough boy OF twelve years old when she
came: and her presence changed the
whole tenor u my life. Her gentleness
made mic softer In feeling and manner
" tho whole world hcr, timidity r.
vested mo with manhood; her pretty
conlIdencc In me gave mo confidence III,
myself. 80 we grew up. sister md
brother, 10 the tcndcrest degree; and
vt. Is the man begun TO usurp the place
81 the boy In me, / was conscious OF u
charm IN the very fnct that we were not
brother and sister. We hhd our mas
tore Sc home, but took especial delight
IN tcaChin4 the child myself, forming
bur tastes according to my own.
30 We went on until Carter was fifteen
and ! eighteen; looking upon hcr
with al boys ardor, and yet never
breaking the repoyc Of the fair child's
h4aft BY word or decd. do not Know
Why, but some instinct seemed to COM
p61 mo 20 silence, for fear the delicious
epoll should be broken and ] should by
NY ruBhncss make her other than she
Weos AT eighteen u was decrccd that
w. 10 70 TO college, and after remain
Inn there two years, finish my course Mt
h6.medical institutions Of Paris, us my
fnthbr insisted upon my having a. pro-
(orG10h. 30 went to the University OF
vld6lni&, returning home ut intervals
~ 6nd Carter developing into rare wo-
rnnnly Ioveliness, but still tho child In
Vi1of6cter. She was my. fathers dar-
llrot md the gentle, tender companion
% my mother and 70 novel;, she was
the delight Of my life; my heart never
alloglAnce. She would always meet me
With her bright joyous welcome. md
paft from me with tears and with all
u 1o9fued to be nh understood thing
thot w belonged TO each other, and the
ties which bound our family together
would never be severed but made
stronger III tho future.
AZ The time approached for me to
make my voyage to Europe, ] grew Tor
the first time restless and impatient In
my thoughts Of Carter. She was grow.
Ing 10 rapidly into woinanhood, her tall
llthc figure straight 90 q young Pine
Looks ovcrtopped all her companions,
giving promise Of more than q fulfill
2nenE 81 the beauty Of her childhood.
Tho young men from the neighboring
ptaukntt0ns found their way to the
kouUo frequently, and my eyes, made
oh&fp BY jealousy. saw their looks OF
odmifatioti seeking out Carter: while
che. seemingly unconscious, presented
horwolf with I'LL her sunny gaioty that
rendered her SO irresistibIy charming.
I had newer had any rivals In her regard
before, and did not admit them willingly
now end Il kept me constantly irritated
- 0nd her bestowing upon others the
ott6ntions which ! thought belonged TO
Garter, I" I said one day when the do
|nox{l1fc Of several young men left us
Alone II cannot stand this condition Of
alIhirs any longer. ! never see you
now, except In company; and
then all u your time, thoughts
and attentions are lnvishod up
on these foppish boys who dance
attenddnce upon you.
why. WILL" she said coming up to
me, her fair face flushing with surprise,
esWhat do you mean |? What have !
SI(eanl donc!'' repeated petulantly.
turning away; you let these insignifl-
CANT f0!lows ,lsarp tho place In your
xou'oto like the rest OF your sex, tickle
end 1n4onsistent as the wind"
Vop the first ttme saw a new element
~ character In her; her brown eyes
9EoW larger and brighter as gazed ut
&or: the color III her cheek deepened;
I'D ~ she spoke there was an indes-
0l1bable mingling Of sorrow, indigna-
tlon ind contempt In her voice which
conquered me In moment. Unjust!
md Tor the first time In your life un-
lind" she said, thus to interpret the