The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-10-12
THE NEW ORLEANS DEMOCRAT SUNDAY OCTOBER 12 1870

| with. ar manner toward women had some.
thing to do with It. In vain ran over nc
much OF nv later social life as could recall
There had been no sppclai attention. nothing
10 mlslead 4 stlscept,be heart: on the othei
side, certainly no rudsness, no want OF "chi.
vaIrous" (she used the world respect and at
was the matter?
| In spite If All nv efforts to grow clearer
was obliged to write my letter in q rather
muddled state of mind. / had SO much to
say: sixteen folio papes | was sure would
only suffice for an Introduction to the case
vet, when the creamy yelum lay before me
nnd the moist pen drew my fingers toward It,,
sat stock dumb for half an hour. wrote
finally I'm II half desnsrnte mood without re-
gard to coherency or logic Here's a. rough
draft Of d part Of the letter, and q single
passage from It will be- enough:
II can conceive Of no simpler way to you
dress. / have drawn airy images of YOU but
they do not become incnrnate and am not
sure that should recognize You In tho brief
moment Of passing Your nature Ia not of
| those which are instantly Ieglble AS an
abstract answer it has wrought In nv life and
1t continually moves my heart with desires
which are unsatisfactory becans Q So vague
aud ignorant Let me offer you, personally,
| my gratitude my dearest Friendship; you
| would laugh n were now TO offer YOU more"
Stay here Is another fragment, more reck-
| less III tone:
Il want to find tho woman whom can
love--who can love mo. But this Is u mas
querade where the features are hidden, the
voice disguised, even the hands grotesquely
gloved. Come! ! will venture more than
ever thought was possible to me You shall
know my deepest nature as | myself seem to
know It. Then give me the coInmonest chance
OF learning yours, through IN intercourse
which shall leave both free, should We not feel
| the closing OF the inevitable bOnd!"
After had written that, the pages filled
j rapidly. When the appointed hour arrived, q
bulky epistls, In q strong linen envelope,
sealed with five wax seals, was waiting ON the
| table. Precisely at O'Clock there was an an
| nouncement; the door opened, and little
outside, In the shadow ] saw an old woman,
| In . threadbnre dress Of rusty black
"Come In" | said.
1.-The letter!" answered n husky voice. She
stretched out q bony hand, without moving O
| step.
ut Is for o lady-very important business"
said |, taking up the letter; ARE you sure
there Ia no mistaken
She drew her hand under the shawl, turned
without word and moved toward the hall
door.
Stop cried; II beg thousand pardonsl
Take 1t, take 1t! You are tho right messen-
ger"
She clutched 1t and was instantly gone
Several days passed, and gradually be-
came SO nervous and uneasy that was on the
point OF inserting another Personal In the
daily pnpcrs, when the answer arrived. 1t was
briefaud Mysterious; you shall hear the whole
Of It.
II thank you. Your letter Is sacred con-
Your nature is sound and good. You Ask no
more than Is reasonable, and have no right
to refuse. In the one respect which | have
limited, may have been unskillful or too mar
this. Therefore, as generous favor, give me
will write to you again. Have patience with
these brief lines; another word might be a
You notice the change In her tone? The let
ter gave me the strongest depression Of
new, warm. almost anxious interest on her
part. My fanctes, at first at Wampsocket, be-
gan TO play oil sorts OF singular. pranks;
sometimes she was rich and OF an old family,
sometimes moderately poor and obscure, but
always the same calm, reposeful face and clear
gray eyes. ceased looking for her In society,"
quite sure iha6 1 should not find her, and
nursed wild expectation of suddenly meet
ing her, face to face in the most unlikely
places and under startling circumstances
However, the end OF 1t all was patience-pa-
tlence LOT SIX months
There's not much more to tell but this last
tually to a day. l knew 1t would, and at the
last began 70 dread the time, as IL heavy
note were falling due, and l had no funds to
meetlt; NY head was In II whirl when broke
at once, but 1t was a long time before the
words and sentences became ineligible.
The stipulated time has come, and our
hidden romance Is at an end. HadI taken
this resolution year ago it would have saved
me many vain hopes, and you, perhaps. a little
uncertainty. Forgive me, first, II you can,
and then hear the explanation.
You wished for a personal interview; you
have had, not one but many. We have met
in society, talked face to face discussed the
weather, opera, toilettes, Queechy, Aurora
Floyd, Long Branch and Newport, and ex-
changed q weary amount of fashionable
gossip; and you never guessed that I was
governed by any deeper interest have |
purposely uttered ridiculous platitudes, and |
you were as smilngiy courteous as ii you |
enjoyed them. | have let fall remarks whose I
holloWness and selfishness could not have
escaped you, and have waited in vain for a |
word OF sharp, honest manly reproof. Your
manner to me was unexceptlonable, as 1t was /
to all other women; but there lies the source |
or my disappointment of-yes-of my sor-
row;
You appreciate, cannot doubt, the quail