Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-07-20
AJAX ANDRIA VA. THURSDAY. JULY 20, 1876.

| themselves upon the steps OF tue polcu, upol
all each had experienced and seen since they
parted. For awhile they became right gay gay anu
cheerful, Joseph forgetting bis eunui, Winnie
her real sadness Of heart and trouble OF n'nu
to be happy for few moments with MN |.
call back together the toud hours s"ee'
dreams that had noiselessly passed ana gone
Joseph alone as yet picturng thelr 'u'ult d. a.
hripbt and cloudless. For several hours they
wandered about the gard, talked upon all sub.
iects familiar and only pleasant to lovers, ano
finally returned TO the porch, when Minnie, at
his rIouest. brought out and tuned her guitar.
The front of the house faced the east, aud just
as she was ready aud had given deep sign,
which showed TOO plainly the suffering OF the
soul and the heavy burden OF an aching heart,
The male shimmerng light of the moon burst
suddenly from the bosom OF mldnlght clouds
There! calculated Joseph, the parting of those
murky clouds to let through to dark world
t! light which almost turus night TO day before
| il is time, is, my darling, emblematIc OF our
future. The present is the darkest with Us;
| there will soon dawn happier, brighter days.
Looking towards her f IA reply, he saw large
tears trckliug silently, but fast from her melt
ed ewes which seemed rivled as 10 deep, palo'
| tul thought, upon the iimy waulug OF the
moon as it again was sea!thlIy Crawling ochlou
he black folds to destroy, as 1t were, the
hone it had already inspired. Then SAID Jos
enh as il leaned into its lone demand darkencd
their sight, lust so transient is our happiness,
bnt | trust only as to this life, not OF the lie
we saall commence beyond the grave, when
the clouds and dark nights are. frightened ny
the wisdom OF Him who made me thus to Sulf"r
into day that's bright aud etcrnal. why,
Minnie, has just God, who is ever dlspcnS-
ing to the children OF bis creation justice,
mercy, and peace, caused you thuS 70 SUI,
fer when there's 20 reason Tor II leu
your darling all, for there's more happl-
ness in sharing your troubles than scc'uS
von miserable alone. Hearts, my dear, that
ARE nnitcd must mutually parrake Of all each
! feels and eudures, for were it otherwise, the
co, Il lence and dependence, SO essential to true
love, would be destroyed, aud why not love
fail 70 the ground with the constituents which
comnosn and keep it alive. | am the more
fully persuaded, Joseph, to tell you, after your
arpument. the sad secret have SO long dread
| ed To DISCLOSE Leaning her shoulder gently
| against his own, for support. and placing hcr
instrument 10 position. she simultaneously aud
harmoniously Joined her sweet voice IN win
| the melancholy strains OF her vibrating strings.
| TIM suttpcss of her touch, and love, seemed,
| Orpheus like to entrance all nature, as she
| breathed upon the air 10 mellow sweetness the
troubles OF her soul, in the sid, beautiful song,
"Must, Oh Must We Part Forever Joseph,
pale and disneartened, alter lsteolng Tor
awhile, seemed involuntarly to reccl DOT
from Minnie or the music, tul from the
burning thought OF separation, frou The cruel
words that p,int cut his eud, mark his de-
s,ruction. Recovering slightly, by Strange
effort of the will, he cried aloud, ucw ha; the
In, rf
let me, oh | pray you fair womaD II l Can
regard you no longer as mine, eutreat you, EN-
uloy cot music, the language oil the soul, t.
com muncate the cruel measures, the mercl'e;s
decisions of fate. Tell me 10 plain words he
true meaniog Of your sadness, the rea State OF
nv cause, and If, darling, it Is as that snDg
has told me, an placed eteruaily beyond the
reach of happiness and Heaven. The last
words of her lover did not fail 10 effect, tor 20
sooner did she see large tear dropsi melting ~
his quiet blue eyes, than she loosoped her hold
upoo the guitar and buried her burning lace
deep in her trembling hands ln few MT
| uuses she lifted her head and turning towards
the miserable boy, with the secret that must
soon undo all their happiness, sad, Joseph, l
cannot marry you. my parents arc opposed,
but remember, as an evidence OF my continuing
love, | will never marry at all. Joseph was
DOW spccchlesS with surprise aud anguish, and
after lifting her soft, white hand to his feVerlst
| lips. wildly exclaimed, Minnie my only MIN
ME the most precious gift OF Heaven Is taken
from me, and now, oh God, take my life, for
there's notbing LETT TO adorn, beau'ity aOd
cheer it. Thus the brokan- hearted malieu
| was left weeping bitterly o er hopes that were
no more He soou regretted leaving SO abrupt
| ". and without full knowledge OF the cause
aod extcut Of her parents opposition, and
without attempting to alleviate his darling
suffering, bis pride kept him from returning
| He walked, wept and prayed during the
whole night, and morning found him pale aud
| detected, and Instead OF cheering, seemed to
! rob him OF the little hope aud comfort he had
found iu prayer. Minnie, from the time OF
their parting, grew sick, and the very next
| morning told her parents, with smile, She
would never recover, aud that she only lived
because it vas the will Of the Al..wiSc 10 leave
her vet awhile with them, but death aad Heav-
ca were all she now hoped for. Day by day
she grew weaker, yet more and more Cheerful,
until one bright morning, somc twenty days
socc their parting, she turned her head to be
mold cloud that passed her window, aud De-
ing reminded of that sad, sad night, she be-
came hepIcssIy il. aud tears for the last time
/ were seen to dampeu her pale. beautiful lace.
She had lived ID The falth ut Gsus auu III Lhc
hope of Heaven, aud now, when death-eaeer
for its prry-hovcred Ger the wreck OF blight
cd hopes, she breathed a silent prayer f9I
hsr destrcycrs and after looking upon the old
/ familiar sea, 10 the yard, where she had pcde'
her heart and her future, she closed h"r cy s
| TO be numbered with the angels OF Heaycn.
Her parents were now deeply moved with
sense of the cxac,iog crucltirs of their past ID,
Justice, aod their PROMISES, wheo they saw her
fast @ crawling towards another life, we're many,
fair, and heartfelt, but oh too late, tue sng>i
| Of death had drawn pear and called her from
the wickeducss OF wicked world to take up
new aad brighter life in the service and glory
Of her God. We will pass over Josephs wild
career of about three years to when we bod
him, too, in the service Of his Maker, being
mindful Of the past and his once beautiful Mln-
ME, aud sill hopeful OF joining her in land be
4 .,I nf Infnrtpr-