Louisiana capitolian., 1880-06-26

ana thht ! nave failed to weather tack
as might TO al1 points Of the compass.
tho wind and waves have beaten me back
again and again to my starting place
Nor have been spared the misery Of
seeing inferior craft 90 sailing by, right
in tho teeth Of tho gallo, to their anchor
age. Think not, o my friend, That it is
envy that dictates these words it Is
despair--dcspair no deep and final that
life itsclfis no longer worth preservation.
The world has recorded ITS verdict me,
and l night rs we'll attcmpt to loosen
tho coil Of an anaconda as to combat my
fate. Henry, yon may not bo able to
fathom my anguish, as your lives have
been cast in pleasant places. The head
Of a loving family, you have not known
loss or felt defeat, but you arc open and
honorable: tell me, then, whether you
have any sovereign remedy for my ills
and hc looked appcalingly into tho tcc
Of his friend, who regarded him IN turn
with ntiectionato interest.
John Eldon,' ut length he replied,
you have spoken freely of my family
why is It that you, too, have not tried
the safeguard Of marriage against all
the cares and troubles of the outside
worldr He stopped here, as he noticed
dark could lowering over his friends
face that quickly broke into passionate
speech.
Love! oh yes; have given that
forth as hot ''as molten lava; and hate
too. l know not which is the fercer
passion tho two in their violence have
scared my very soul! You have not heard
then Of that chapter in my history,
continued he in calmer tone.
We'll, it's only the old, old story.
Laura was fair, while ! was a fool, for
] believed her true. The reverence
had always entertained for womanhood
was here concentrated upon one wo.
man, before whose shrine of beauty ]
knelt in sublime alteration, and beheld
my heart going out to her in such
homage as but few woman have received.
Well, my idol was but clay after all
nodded by other hands than mine, tho
image bore no reflection Of my spirit, and
when she had exhausted oil the freshness
and truth Of my nature, was kind
enough to intimate that she no longer
found my devotion interesting. She has
destroyed the realms Of hope and sub
stitnted the caverns Of despair burned
the temple Of truth, and from its ashes
rises the ghost Of distrust. Henry, good
bye,' he exclaimed, holding out his
wasted hand. i have come to bid you o
long farewell
"Why,' cried Henry, trying to iniuse
cheerful tone into his voice, while
struggling against dim foreboding of
evil, as he recalled rumors of insanity in
the Eldon amily-rumors that had long
since been laid to rest with all tina was
morta! Of John Eldon's parents. rs it
China this time ; or the wilds Of Africa;
or have you been smitten with the
Arctic fever 2
1T isa far country | 60 to- replied
Eldon mournfully, from whose bourne
no traveller returns,'
WHAT cried Henry, You surely
cannot mean-. 1t cannot, must not
be. BY the love we have horne each
other | conjure you to give up these dark
and gloomy thoughts. There is a bright
future open to you yet if You will only
listen to the voice of friendship
ut is too late,' replied Eldon sadly.
"My sun has set. The light Of my soul
is extinguished, and am left in dark
ness. DO you suppose that will allow
the body to survive the death of my
soul 'No! will not pamper base
servant while the master lies dying. 1t
may go to rot" he exclaimed violently,
while the light of insanity cleaned in
his eyes. "All my life long the desire
Of my soul, like gentle vines, have
sought to tram themselves around
strong and holy supports, but have as
often been torn down and trampIed on.
No, will give no further care to this
wasted frame. have done with it, and
cast it from me as a worthless shackle
that binds me to dreary word
The passionate, possible melodramatic
tone aud gestures that accompanied
this outburst were strangely at variance
with the sh;vering covering figure that
swayed to and fro as if about to fall to
the floor. 1t was pitfnl to hear the
explanation, sobbed out in these few
words:
u have not tasted food in four daysw
NIVlot ~ or;al Groy tsvo, ,,,u% In