The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1878-07-03

Nv "'%N- NonS, S''uS hSi WYNN to'
reflection, and asking her to tell him
at the end of that time whether she
could marry him after what had
happened. She related to me, long
afterward, the agony Of that week
how she knelt in despair at her
mothers feet and asked her to- de.
eide; how the old lady could only
advise her to follow her own heart;
how at last she sent note to her
lover inviting him to call. Their
meeting she did not describe, but it
was said that, sitting at the instru.l
ment as he entered she sang the
words: H'&9 ''52"-''s' Ei<a9i; H5i" Halt
"Come rest in this bosom, my own
I359 stricken deer;e st 0f2 15 I .
| Though the herd has flown from thee
thy home is still here. ''''t' S'' .
I know not, L ask not, if guile's in
,5a4ia that heart; ;,a.,,, a~e,,,.f.,. s;.s q.
I but know that love thee, whatever
"@t thou art!" .tfa915 tiGu Hsff
After their marriage they settled
at Leesburg, near Selma. f. '5' "'
The young widow of Mason, at
length asked to 60 back to Selma,
the scene of her abort welded life.
Not anticipating what was to follow,
Tier attendants carried her into the
wide hall. There raising her eyes,
they fell upon that hat and coat,
hanging just as he had left them,
which her husband had on wbes she
saw him last. She covered her face,
and with a,shriek, begged to be taken
to, the rear rooms Of the house.
There she remained. For twenty
years she did not enter the front
part of the building. The rooms
there opening from the dreaded hall,
were kept in perfect order and guests
occupied them as usual. But on the
day when her ,boy-the lisping in
FAINT when his father fell-became 81
years Of age, she invited all bis blood
relations to dinner. | was one Of
the number. We were all sitting in
the library, toward the rear of the
house, when the door, was; thrown
open and the gray old butler bowed
his encouragement. Without any, in
timation Of breaking the habit Of
twenty, years, Mrs. Mason promptly
arose--a trail fair waman Of. 40-and,
taking the, arm Of her son, walked
directly into, the front, hall and
thence to the. liuing room, as Of obi.
Our surprise was great, but no word
indicating that. :, this WAS unusual
escaped her or, any, of the party.
The spell was broken, and she sLun-
ned the shall no more.oH s.l ia
From the date of tho, duel, even on
her deathbed, she never mentioned
the name of her dead husband.
Her boy grew up! with the knowledge
and feeling that an funspeak able
shadow rested on :, the house. con-
corning which, however. heavily il
might press, upon their souls, he
must forbear, to question even his
mother I was the first to tell him
after he had reached manhood. all he
wished to know concerning his faith
er's death ose odj ri s7aiisGy qr
This son, Stevens Mason was a
true hearted young man, but with
little knowledge oflthe world. 4 With
a private tutor, with, servants to an.
ticipateI every wish, with a stricken
mother to idolize him, he missed. till
too late certain necessary lessons in
life which these could never give
him. q He conld not refuse to endorse
a note for friend; and his imother
could not refuse to join him in what
ever he put his name to- For one
moment.the shadows OF his pathway
seemed to lift, but only to settle
more heavily about his way. He
married young lady who seemed
worthy of him, who was belle an,]
a. beauty. aHerbrought her to Selma,
where, as they fon'ly hoped,
brightness and happiness were to
freign once, more But his mother,
while outwardly, fulfilling every obi,
gation,i did not receive her as q
/, mother. should, greeting her with
but formal offeriug of thefhand in'
stead of the expected embrace and
kiss of welcome as she crossed the
threshold. It was doubtless because
| her shattered life had made her own
affection for him too selfish, she die
not wish him to marry any one. Fol
lowing closely the first shock of dis
appointment to her joyous young
heart came a sudden fever, and sir
three Amonths from her arrival poo
Stevens laid his bride beside his
n -.