The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-03-16

Pa1OJ SUAVAS<h@ 1SehNSyt %AS~N s'~SO
: her delicate constitution. In the sad
and unlooked-for death of her betrothed,
her nervous system had received shock
from whichi it tneverrecovered. Although
life had lost its brightness in the blight
Of her fond hopes and sweet anticipa-
tions. yet she sorrowed deeply to leave
her beloved father to mourn his s"broken
idol" and:with Christian heroism and
patience she. struggled brayely to throw
off .thsa insidious, disease which slowly,
but surely took firmer hold each day of
its victim. Poor Doctor St. Julien In
anguish of soul he watched and tended
his darling child, and when every effort
to cure seemed vain and fruitless, ne took
advantage of the first opportunity. which
offered to leave Charleston, and with
anxious solicitude bore his precious in
valid across the broad Atlantic to far
famed Italy, trusting. beneath her soft,
blue. skies to find balm to cure the
wasting frame and the wounded heart.
Jessie Ferguson accompanied her uncle
and cousin. To Annie she became de:
voted and untiring nurse, and to DIR. ST..
Julien a. watchful and sympathizing
friend. In her wild, rompibg, girlish
days, poor Jessie had often offended her
kind uncle's nice sense of polished pro-
priety, but love and sorrow had so tanned
her exhuberant gaiety that the rattle
brain girl had become the thoughtful,
selfsacrifcing woman on whom Doctor
St. Julien learned to rely for good judg-
ment and ,womanly tact.
Upon their first arrival in what they
would feign have believed Land of
Promise, Dr.. st. Julien went from place
to place, lingering wherever the carna-
ton deepened on the cheek of his child,
dreaming the so oft deceiving dream that
itwas surely the rosehue of health. At
last, when too weak and weary to travel,
the sufferer begged they might rest in
Beautiful Florence" until permitted to
return to loved Carolina, and their find
her last resting place under the shadow
of old st. MichaePs walls.
Thus in pretty, unpretending villa
just outside Of the city, we find the Doc
tors family pleasantly located with an
agreeable English family. It was one
ofthe very loveliest of May afternoons
the air came through the open windows
deliciously soft and balmy, ladened with
the perfumed breath of myriads of flow
ers.i But the charming weather and the
music of the sweet-singing birds failed
to please our American friends. 1t had
been. to them a day of anxious sorrow
and suspense. Throughout the whole of
the previous night, and that long, sad
morning, their sweet Annie seemed to be
dying. About noon she became easier,
and had fallen into a broken slumber.
Added to the grief they felt for their
loved ones approaching departure from
them, DIR. st. Julien and his niece had
been tortured for more than week by
rumors of the surrender of the Confeder-
ate forces. That day, alas, they had
been confrmedl An American mail had
brought one letter from Marion, written
when the, Federals were in c., and
forwarded by Col. Gray; but of course
their only accounts of the surrender were
the-palignant and triumphant reports of
Yankee newspapers.
"Ahp thought Jessie, bitterly, "it is
the story of another Poland; We have
been conquered by numbers, and our
enemies seem tosbe, alike destitute of
generosity and chiyslry, forsurely, sure
ly victor can afford 70 be magnanimous,
and not, mock fallen foes'', yz;ssa
DR.. St, Julien and his niece agreed to
conceal. from Annie the mournful :tidings
from their; wrongedE and. crushed land.
They would not add another drop ofsor
row tothg fph eupo Of the patient sufferer
AS Jessie SATIN the darkened chamber,
sad and depressed in heart, but with a
face as calm and still as the face which
nature wears after storm, the low. tones
of Annie's voice sounding clearer than it
had done for weeks, broke the quiet of
the sick room:
"Jessie, dearest, where are you? Please
draw back the curtain, and let me look
once more upon the sparkling waters of
the romantic \Arho; rushing so swiftly
and gayly to perform its mission, and in
smiling. glances of grateful joy giving
back every ray Of sunlight that brightens
its silvery current ere it reaches the sea,
the deep, deep bosom, where it gladly
empties, loses itself and is at rest But"
she said, suddenly changing her flow of
thought, and fixing her bright, soft eyes
searchingly on her. fatheys face: s'You
have had news from nome, ,haye you not,
papa?"
"My Birdie has been very sick, and
must not talk much this afternoon. Let
me smooth the pillows for this poor little
aching head" said the Doctor, evasively.
"Please, dear papa, excuse me, but
must talk just little, and this afternoon,
too, for I cannot stay with you much
longer. Your BRIDES wings will soon
be plumed for her upward flight to realms
of celestial light and glory. You seek
to hide from me the sad tidings from our
sweet, sweet home! / know it all; in
my slumber an angel broke it to me SC
gentlyl oh, so gently! l did not weep
I do not weep now, although in my