The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1878-09-06
a erRps co0UErRY.

world, When miss EMERSON took he
to her home, and treated me rs she
would . younger sister.
While my mother lived had been
a petted child, and I shnnk from
GOODNESS m all sensitive natures will
ever do, but Miss Emerson was 50
thoughtfully tender TO me in my first
great sorrow for my mothers death,
that my young hear. turned to her
with passionate affection.
In all my life have never seen q
face more beautiful than Miss Emer-
sons.
What though the shadow Of some
great sorrow rested on IL, and look
Of past. but desthless pain fingered in
the dark, grey eyes. il was none the
less perfect, from the low, broad brow,
to the daintily rounded chin, and
though the smile on the crimson lips
was ever pitifally sad, II was
strangely sweet o. well, and her wealth
Of ripping hair, tinged with grey, al
most weighed down her classical little
head.
often wondered what great sorrow
had darkened her life, and why, at
the age Of thirtysix, with her rare
b.auty, she was still Miss Emerson.
One evening I came on her kneel.
ing at . low couch, with q look ofsuch
intense agony on her beautiful face,
that ! felt my own grow pale.
She had raised her head at my en-
trance, and % l attempted to with.
draw, she motioned me over.
"Come to me, little one," she said,
II long for your loving sympathy"
I sank down beside her, wondering
what memory had stirred her so ter.
ribly.
care you so very unhappy" l
said.
"Unhsppy," she repeated. "Oh,
my child. if longing for death, If bear.
ing life in the hope Of its soon end.
ing, is being unhappy, then I am un-
happy"
"Do you wish 10 diei' I asked, half
doubling that any one could long to
leave this fair, bright world.
"wish to die" she said, Louise,
my life is simply that WISH
"If I only could-if only knew
She smiled sorrowfnlly. "You
would comfort me, darling" Then,
after short silence: "You have com.
forted me many times; your love has
been read, the only happiness for six.
teen long years. You do love me,
Louise"
Late that evening we sat together
in the deepening shadows of the twi-
light, and Miss Emerson, dra wing my
head down on her knee, asked me
would / like to hear story.
81 have strange feeling over me
tonight" she said, land yet l feel
like talking. Would you Ike to lis
ten, dear?'
With my head resting against her
knee, my hands clasped tightly in
hers, ! listened to the following story:
Pretty, pale, little Mrs. Gray low
ed her twin boys as only a mother
can love. whose every hope is center
ed in her childreo. ~ q Il
Certainly, Mrs. Gray had hus.
hand, but he was stern, tyranuical
man, of whom his pretty little wife
had been afraid, even in the honey.
moon. But her boys were all her
own; like her in disposition.
All the love of her heart was given
to them, oil her hope and pride rested
in them. In a word, she worshipped
her boys. not because they we're very
different from other women's sons, but
they were her all, her darlings.
They were boys Of fifteen when An
toinette Tstrsnge came 10 live with
them-AntOinette. with her big grey |
eyes, ripping hair and baby smile.
She was thirteen then, nearly two
years younger than the brothers. i
The lord of the mansion did not
think il necessary to tell his wife much
about Antoinette Testrange. 50 he sim
ply said, that Frank and Willis were
to treat her like q sister, land you,
ma'am-well, you be kind to her, and
that is all i ask"
Mrs. Gray knew all about Antoi-
nette Testrange. 50 there was really no
need to tell her. "I
She knew that years before her
husband had loved another Antoinette
one who played him false after pro-
Iniing faith and truth.
Yes, her husband had loved-loyed
only once in his life. and even then
she remembered with a bitter pang.
how her own love dream had turned
TO dead sea fruit, before she was one
short months wife
"Why did he marry me when his
heart was given to another-why did