New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-03-12

gan to pity her; and then I pictured t.
myself the pleasant evenings that wa
to spend there during the holidays. Blu
no, no, it was not to be; she was indeed
all that had sought, had thought, hopet
and believed; here at last was soul o
clear and fresh as spring morning. A
the first glance I had seen what she wa
and all that lay in her. We had greetet
each other, and comprehended each other
And my guardian angel within me? I
answered me no more-it was gone, and
felt that there was but one spot upon tn
earth where could find it again.
Now began q beautiful life; for ever!
evening was with her, and we soon fel
that We really were old friends, and tina
we could not al all call each other any
thing but "Du." It was as if We hai
always lived with one another, for Their
was no feeling which she touched upo1
that had not already sounded in my soul
and no thought that expressed at which
she did not nod, as if to say: $50 think
too" had once heard the greatest mas
ter Of our time, with his sister, extern
porize upon the piano, and could hardly
comprehend how two people could so I'M
derstand each other, and SO sympathize
that they could give free course to thei,
thoughts, and yet never, even by single
note. disturb the harmony of the music.
Now I comprehended it. Yes, now only
found that my soul was not SO poor and
empty as it had always seemed to me, and
it was as if the sun alone were wanting to
call to light all the buds and blossoms
therein. And yet what sorrowful spring
time it was that passed through my sonl
and hers. We forget in May that the
roses so soon fade; but here, every eve
ming gave warning that one leaf after the
other was falling to the earth. She felt it
before did, and spoke of it seemingly
without pain, and our conversations be-
came with every day more earnest and
solemn.
Il did not think" she said one evening
just as was going out, "that should ever
live to be so old. As gave you the ring
on the day Of my confirmation, thought
I should soon have to part from you. and
yet have lived SO many years, and en-
joyed so much that is beautiful, and SUI
fered much too-but that one forgets-
and now that I feel the parting near,
every hour, every minute, becomes to me
so precious. Good night. You must not
come too late tomorrow"
One day as entered her room found
an Italian painter with her. She spoke
Italian to him, and, although he was evil
IDENTIFY more of an artisan than an artist,
yet she addressed him with an anna bility
and delicacy, yes with respect that rec
ognized the nobility of the soul. As
soon as the painter had left, she said to
me:
''Now I will show you picture that
will give you pleasure. The original is in
the gallery in Paris. I had read descrip-
ton of it and got tho Italian to copy it
for me-" He showed me the picture, and
awaited what 1 should say. 1t was the
picture Of man of middle age, in the
old German costume. The expression was
pensive and resigned, and at the same
time, SO true that one could not doubt
that the man had once lived. The whole
tone of the picture in the foreground was
dark and brownish, but in the background
was a landscape, and in the horizon ap.
peared the first beam of the approaching
morning. 1 could see nothing uncommon
in the picture, and yet it made soothing
impression, and could have fingered,
gazing upon it for hours.
Nothing surpasses real human face"
said 1, ''and even a Raphael could not
have conceived it."
'No," she replied, s'but now 1 will tell
you why wanted the picture. 1 had
read that no one knew the painter, nor
whom the picture represented. 1t is,
probably, a philosopher Of the middle.
ages. l needed just such picture for
my gallery. For you are aware that no
one knows the author of the Theologia
and therefore we have no
picture Of him. So 1 wanted to try if the
picture of an unknown, by an unknown,
would suit for our German theologian,
and if you do not object, we shall hang it
up here, between the Albigenses and the
'Diet Of Worms and call it the German
every WELL" said I, ''only it is too
strong and manly for the Frankforter."
''That may be" she replied, "but for a
and waning life like mine, much
comfort and strength may be obtained
from his book. I owe him much, for he
first gave me the true secret of the Christ
ian doctrine in its full simplicity. felt
myself free to believe the old teacher or
not, whoever he may have been, for his
teaching had for me no outward author
ty, and yet it seized me with such power
hat I seemed to know for the first time
what revelation was, and that is exactly
what closes to so many the entrance to
rue christianity. That has often caused
ne much trouble. Not that I have ever
doubted the truth and divinity of our
'eligion, but felt that had no right to
! faith that others had given me, and as if