The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-10-18

girl, whose dIaphanous white draper
les floaLed over the delicate carpet like
a cloud OF foam, through whose misty
textures cleaned family round white
arms, and faulLless neck and shoulders
"a fair, fairsgirl, with lustrous golden
hair, ripping in riotous proIusion down
ner shoulders to the floor, as she sat
there, all unconscious Of the scrutiny,
with face whose coloring was the ten
der, velyety whiteness OF lily; and the
Warmness of the iunermOst heart OF
5lush-rose; whose profile was as perfect
as that of a Venus de Medici; whose
long, dark lashes lay slumbrously
against the pink-pearl cheek, as the
small, shapely hands lay idly in her lap.
Carroll Holm held his breath in be-
wilderment OF surprise and admiration.
He stared SO hard, SO long, that the
girl became conscious of it by some sub
tie magnetism. She turned her mead,
and then Carroll saw the rayisning
beauty Of her face, the rIch red mouth,
tue straight, aristOcratic nose, the lori
Gus darkly-violet eyes.
Muriel stepped forward, laughing.
81 have brought Mr.. Holm 10 meet
you, Florienne. Carroll, this is Miss
Willis"
The violet eyes dropped beneath the
lashes as Carroll Holm's admiriDg ones
met them.
Carroll Holm's well-regulated pulses
| quickened their beats as a few minutes
later, with the blue ribbon of guitar
over her shoulder, and her dainty hngers
sweeping the strings, she sang an i'm.
passioned loVe-song, in slngularly rich
and flexible voice, which thrilled both
| her listeners.
Later still. when Carroll and Muriel
sto6d side by side, saying their adieuX,
sue lifted her happy, hearttul face to
| his.
81 am so glad you like her, Carroll.
You must make it as pleasant tor her as
you can. Will you, for my sake, dear
estP
"For your sake will do anything, my
true little darling"
Then he rode away, and Muriel stood
| there alone in The silent moonlight night,
with the sweetness Of the syrlnga
blooms all about her, listening 10 the
faint roll of the carriage
80, nay Lowell my love! what have l
done TO deserve you? WHAT can l do to
be more worthy OF youW
October was coming right royalty ia
vestures of crimson ana russeC and
gold. VAIN haZ hung over the hil!-
tops, melloWlng lhem into dim peaks OF
|
| radiant mist. Crispness was in the air,
and the fragrance OF pine woods.
| Leaves rustied under foot, and every
gentle breath of air sent them in GO.
geous showers to the mother-bosOm
WaiLing below.
They were days when, to the happiest
heart, q VaguenesS Of sadness will come
as if Of some yearning Of the mortal foI
immortality, as If tlesn and spirit tool
arms against each otner-days Whel
one reanzcs mis- humanness.
This perfect autumn Time had never
impressed Murlel Wallace 80 strongly
before. 1t seemed TO her that every
dropping leaf, every fading flower
touched Her with strangely sympa
Lhetlc sadness. 1t seemed as if some
where in the grand harmOnles OF he
quiet life there were chords that Wer,
not in perfect unison.
What it was, why 1t was, she neve,
deliberately asked bersell; but to-day,
day in late October, as she walked bare
headed among the sunny paths wnere 81
, lately there had been luXurianJ foliage
with the fallen leaves, stripped OF Jlel
gorgeous glory, rustliug plaintively be
neALn her SLOW, light footlallS-to-da.
this strange sadness was so strongl,
, upon her that it almost alarmed'her.
, Il am becoming baDyIsh," she toll
, herself. "lt is an unusual thing for M
to have the blues. l will lind Florienne
and she shall chase them away
she sauntered slowly back to tn,
|, house, stopping 10 prop up heavy mas
OF chrysanthemums, to PICK up an espe
a cially brilliant Ieahet, or give caress
, ing pat and word to Il solemn, fond Nal
' tese cat, stretched placidly in the warn
+ sunshine.
r She remembered all those little act
Q afterward.
She went in through the hall, an
, looked in the muslc-roOm, now strippe
/ of it's cool blue and white, and lurnisne
in rich warm amber and deep brown.
Not finding FIorienne, she went u
q stairs, and into the young girls room.
i And then she stopped suddenly
d chilled strangely by the appearance {
}, disorder the room presented, and fee
Y ing her heart beat in dull, su1ocate
!. throDs, as she caught sight of sheet ,
paper pinned conspicuously on one {
@ the upholstered chair -backs-a sheet
y paper tuat read:
: II have gone away for good. Befol
| you read this, Carroll Holm and | wi
y have been married. He BIDS me say
L has been inevitable from the moment W
s you! We dare not ask your iorgly
ness. f. W."
n And, staring wildly at the pretty
T. dainty writing, her white lips paralyze
:, to stiffening silence, her poor heart q
h most Wreuched from her body, this fOnt
u true, loving woman tried to unde
: stand it.
o Until, when the first numbing shoe
y was past, and her understanding wa
8 all too agonizngly keen--aDd then 81
y fed to her room, and Tell on her knees.
"Heaven help meW
l. Hearts do not so easily breal
z Women's hearts seem oftenest made
/ suffer, and Muriel Wallace learned t
the deepest iulIness, to the higues
+ widest extent, what it meant to endul
a that "bitterness of hearV Lnat only VI
n sufferers know.
= Life went on with her very much tt
l. same as before. She ate ana drank, an
dressed and slept, and rode and walket
Q 10 her servants she was patient an
gentle; to her few friends sweetIy kin
o and gracious; but the iron was in h'
d soul mat no hand mightever pluck out.
the iron that beloved, trusted, earesse
hand had so meroilessly thrust tner
e But she lived, and The world went roun
r and winter came; and with the fir
d lowering skies, laden with unbol
storms OF snow, came that into her Ii
s that broke completely its pitilul patiel