The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1878-07-10

the charmed Princess in the Arabian
Nights--spell-bound. 10 not think
that any woman on earth could lis.
ten to Booth unmoved when he chose
to exert himself. His beautiful Ian
guage, tender ways, personal beauty,
rich voice, and magnetic presence,
all combinde, made him a romantic
maiden's ideal personified. God
knows what was passing in his heart
as he sat there with the only woman
he ever loved, snd only He who
knoweth all things could read the
stormy workings of the heart that
was torn with the battle Of contend
ing passions. No wonder the dark
eyes cleaned with an unnatural lus-
ter, and softened with an unutterable
longing as he gazed his last on the
fair woman beside him. And she
looked up at him as only a wholly
loving woman looks upon her hearts
king.
At last the whole party rose to go
to supper, and the two were brought
back to themselves again. They
followed us slowly, and Just as l left
the parlor l heard Booth say: "Ah!
Bessie! Bessie! can trust you Ut
terly?" and her reply came clear,
but with a world of melancholy in
the tones:
SEVEN as Ruth said, so say l.
Even unto death"!
We took our seats at the table-a
small round one. Booth and Bessie
sat together, then the English lady,
l next to her, and the Senator and
his wife completed the group. The
supper passed of pleasantly enough
| noticed nothing whatever excited
in Booths manner; he was unusually
entertaining, and his laugh rang out
as loud and clear as any man whose
mind and conscience were at perfect
ease. 1t was the last meal he was to
take on earth, and yet he was care
less and at rest.
At last Booth arose from the ia
BILE, and, drawing out his watch, said
ut is after eight o'clock, l must GO
and then, dropping into quota
ton as was his wont, he added: "But
When shall we three meet again!"
Bessie, who had cultivated a
strong love of Shakespeare under
Booths tuition, took the part Of one
Of the weird sisters, and answered
promptly:
"When the hurry burly's done,
When the battles lost aud Won"
And then Booth threw himself in
to melo-dramatic attitude, and
replied:
re"Nymph, in thy prisons
Be all my sins remembered"
He took her hand, and gazed with
one long, lingering look in her face.
| noticed his eyes grow soft with a
beautiful mystic radiance, and his
sensitive mouth quive.ed and showed
the pearly teeth beneath the mus
tache, and then he shook his head
with a determined movement, drop
ped her hand, turned and disappear
ed through the open doorway, and
as we gazed, none Of US thought our
eyes were looking the last in this
world upon the hayward genius who
had won so upon all that we loved
him.
| can not tell you how we passed
that fearful evening-much, no
doubt, as the rest; we laughed,
talked and jested, as was our wont,
and no shadow of the impending
awful event fell upon us. The hours
sped swiftly by, until ten o'clock
struck, and then our little circle
broke up. As l kissed Bessie good
night, I couldn't help saying to her,
"My dear, you look exquisitely
lovely to-night--sweeter and prettier
than | ever saw YOU" She only
smiled and left the parlor.
/ / went to my own room, and, be
ing tired, undressed and went to bed.
1t seemed as if had been asleep
but minute when l was aroused by
an indefinable noise that served tc
wake, but was not loud enough tc
startle one. Doors were slammino
all over the house, and a murmur OIL
voices was heard. I thought at fir J,
that some one was sick, and that q
doctor was being hurriedly sent for;
but the noise still continuing, 1 i'm.
agined that there must be fire in
the vicinity. This idea caused me
to jump up at once and open the
window, and I heard the sound o,