Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-10-03


The light OF love, the purity OF grace,
The mind, the music breathing irom her face;
The heart whose sOilneSS harmaulzcd the whole
And OH that eye was III itself 4 Sou"
She had y warm, pure. trusting M.
ture, like that fair woman of Verona
the gentle Juliet-one that could love,
deeply, passionately, and but once.
Such natures as hers are beauti ully
described in "FeStus," whose heart,
"aloe-like, flower once and never
bloom with the same freshness again.
She was an orphan, and years agone
had been entrusted to the care Of Wal.
ter De We're, by dying father, the
friend and companion of his boyhood,
and rc5ls had he kept that trust,
guarding and cheriShing her as tender
" rs if She had been his own daughter,
Living under the same ROOF, and grow
ing up together, is il any wonder that
Leslie De We're, the son of her guardi-
an, could help loving her-that is, as
much rs his tickle and weak nature
could love anything?
How swiftly the bright summer days
flew by. Together Norma and leslie
would wander over the hills by the
bluewaved sea, and down through
the cool old woods, where the air was
heavy with / thousand sweet odors,
caught from the hearts of inuumerable
tropical flowers. Together, in the hush
of the still summer nights, they would
sill III the grand old parlor, and read to
each other their favorite authors; eX-
plore the witching and dreamy fields Of
romance, and linger over the faScinat-
ing tales of love and glorious deeds Of
the days of chivairy; Gull gems from
the rich fields of poesy, or dwell with
tear.wet eyes over the sad history of
Lsmmermoor's fair bride and gentle
Amy Rosbart. AT other times Leslie
would lead her to the piano, and with
rapt attention and quick pulsating
heart, listen to the rich music as she
accompanied it with some joyous mel
udy or soft and tender lay OF love. Beau.
tiiuI, beautiful summer days, oh, why
could you not last?
1t was beautiful summer night i'll
the late. part of August; a night when
the earth seemed dreaming of n beau.
tiiul dream Of JOY and peace; Il night
for love and hope; when fairies sang in
the dark old woods, and brownies
danced upon the moon-kissed streams;
and on this night, with the sweet stars
watching over them, Leslie De We're
breathed his love to Norma Leman.
Norma, darling" and the words fell
like music from his lips, | love you;
will you be my own sweet bride? May
the lilies ofthe valley he gathered for
bridal wreath ?"
"Darlingw how sweetly il fell upon
her ears, and with the radiant love light
sparkling in her eyes, she said they
might. And this was their betrothal.
There are times III our lives that re-
main forever green and fresh III our
memory, and such ever after must this
one have been to Leslie De We're, when
that fair young girl nestled her head
conhdingly and trustingly upon his
shoulder, while his arm encrcled her
slender waist.
1t seems so idle for me to try to write
out the happiness of these days-how
Norma, in her gleesome, childish man
ner, wandered through the grand old
mansion, singing snatches of old-tlme
songs, and living as it were, in beau
tiful land of enchantment.
One morning, some weeks after Les
lies avowal of love to her, as she was
passing through the hall, preparatory
to taking her usual morning walk, n
note was handed her by one of the SER
wants. Hastily breaking the seal, she
read
"Norn,d, Darling | have received
news of the utmost importance, which
r, quires me to leave at once for New
Orleans. Goodbye, darling, and pray
for me while absent. will explain all
when / return. Ever thine LESLIE"
No murmurings entered her heart,
and whatever came afterward If Les
lie De We're could have looked into her
heart then, he would have read only
pure, trusting love.
Days passed into weeks, Autumn
had come with its crimson dyes; dusky
shadows wrapped themselves about the
stalwart trunks OF tie forest trees; the
ocean moaned sadly upon the beach !;
gray clouds glded across the sombre
heavens; the air was full of the shaken
glory of red and yellow leaves; the
cricket chirped sadly in the withered
grass; nature was holding her obse-
quies, and the fullness of tho year was
dying.
Norma Leman was standing by the
sea-coal fire, in the spacious drawing
room of Beechwold, with an open let
ter in her hand.
"And this is the end" she said, the
end Of loves sweet dream. lie IS to
be married at Christmas, 50 he says in
his letter, to a dark-eyed beauty and
heiress of the Crescent City. a fairer
face than mine has won HIM. Well, !
am woman, and have had my love
dream, and its awakening has been bit.
ter as death. Bask in the light Of an
others smiles, listen to the music OF
another's voice, Leslie De We're, my
heart may break, but ! cannot curse
you" And with a white, riqidly set
face, and tightly clenched lips, she
staggered from the room.
Love, unhappy love-how many
deaths thou diest ever loving, ever
dying; yes. dying death more terrible
than that OF Pfometheus chained to
the rock Of torture, dying q thousand