The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-12-11
Forsaken for the Old Love.


came wailing over river and fat in long.
Ilamentable blasts, weary and desOlate
as the last cadence Of funeral hymn.
On the shore, scarce ten yards below,
the waves came tramping in with low,
signing moaning, that made the heart
ache; and high over all, at intervals,
rose the wild shrieking cry OF some sea-
bird, as it skinned, solitary and alone,
over the wild sea.
| arose and walked to the window. In
front spread out pale blank Of driving
rain, and farther on the black, heaving
river, with one low, dark schooner
struggling wearily along on its restless
bosom. Overhead, dismal autumn
sky, leaden and sunless, spread-far and
near, above and below, all was dull and
desoIate.
A strain of music rose on my ear as l
stood there-a song hated, because she
sang it,: "Ever OF Thee" The piano
stood in far-otf shadowy corner of our
long, high parlor, and TWO white hands,
sprinkled with rings, went straying
over it with mastery skill. 1t was no.
schoolgirl jingle, hers: every note
breathed fire and passion-1ames from
the hot, burning Southern heart of the
fierce dark beauty singing. What voice
she hadI So rich, so clear, 80 full, so
sweet and plaintiYe. SO the tall, dark
form bending over her seemed to think,
by his rapt air; and it was for his sake
L hated her. drew long, nard breath
as the last words arose:
"Years have not chilled the love I cherish,
True as the stars hath my heart beea to thee
All never TIL life and memory perish
Can forget how dear though art to me-"
turned abruptly round from the win
dow, and looked at them. He was bend
ing over her TILL his short dark curls
swept her crimson cheek, and glittered
amid her own jetty, shining braids. He
Was whispering in her ear, and the white
hands went wandering TREMENDOUSLY over
the keys, and the long, black lashes
yelled the dark, lustr0us eyes. Some
inward mesmerism told her OF my burn
ing gaze, l0r she looked up Win start,
and for an instant the hot crimson tide
swept across her bold, high brow. Then
she flashed back glance OF proud DEN
ance. and, with short laugh, arose.
"There! l am tired of singing. Do you
like Ever of Tnee,' MaggieW
"NoW was my sharp, curt reply.
"Wny, MaggieW exclaimed Alfred
(my beGroted lover, reader), "what
taste you have! Not like Ever Of
| Thee'-why, 1t Is the gem OF all songsW
81 am gad it pleases YOU"
J "What objections nave yeu to 1t, belle
Marguerite!' said Ernestine, as she
swept in her own lnaolent, graceful way
across the room
My lip curled, tor was not "belle,"
and she knew w.. Pefhaps Alfred did at
that moment, TOO.
ga very simple one. nate all slckly,
nav kish loye-songs-ltalian and Eng
lish. My baroarous taste, of course; 80
sing away, Ernestlne, and never mind
!
20, Magglel you are such an oddity |!
| What do you like?
"Well, like the Laird o Cockpen,'
and the Other Side Of Jordan and
| 'Dlxle's Land,' and all such," said l,
secretly enjoying her look Of young,
ilady-like horror at the atrocious con-
| lession.
| 80 grand CielV CALCULATED Ernestine,
| in dlsmay, while Alfred burst into
loud laugh.
| "Well done, Maggie! Why didn't you
add % Susanna and 'Old Dan Tucker
Ernestine, won't you play some of these
pathetic and touching songs Of her
music loving adyship?"
Miss Ernestine began protesting 80
earnestly and vehemently, that she did
not know one of them-never had heard
Of them In her life-tnat l had to smile,
too.
"Perhaps Miss Maggie will favor us
herselt?" said the young lady, with
half sneer.
Alfred looked at me with peculiar
smile, as If he found it rather pleasant
to hear me quizzed. l walked away
from the window and sat down.
"No, thank you," l said, coldly. "Miss
Maggie would rather be excused"
"SOme other time, then, | hope to have
the pIeasure,n said the young lady, with
smile and a bow that would have done
honor TO the Court Of st. james, as she
took my place by the window aud looked
out. Alfred stood by the table, turning
over some prints, with a strange, disoon-
tented expression on his hAa dsome face.
How well 1 knew what it meant! He
had already begun to compare his future
bride and this queenly Southern belle;
and that look told the result.
/ It went to my heart with q heavy.
nameless pain. [ had loved him, and
did love him, more than had words to
say, more than he could ever dream of,
and this was my return. Only one week
before, as we wandered on the shore one
serene, moonlight night, he had told me
he loved me too; a tiny circlet OF gold
that CLEANED like a line Of fire on nv
nnger now recalled it. Loving as | did,
; it ought to have made me very happy ;
and yet, with the first shock Of a JOY too
: intense for words or smiles, went a