Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1880-07-02

n SWhk1-pOA hOIhohCCs
Life is full of tragedies. Love, the dvinest
part O. existence is not free from the blight of
disease and darkness. No matter bow truly and
purely may beat the heart-no matter how
fright may be the sunny vision of the future
the clouds of adversely, sooner or latter are sure
to come. Death, with the unspariug scythe and
gha.tly shroud. may sever the mu u,lly below.
ed, or fl cion 10 some other form may rob life
OF nearly all its tenderness aud beauty.
A few short weeks ago there lived 10 the
West division, 90 fashionable thoroughfare. q
young and handsome couple, who bad learned
to love with the sweet Intensity Of oIden 70
malce. Their affection was reoogniz d and ap
proved by their kindred, and. very so0n, their
lands were to tie united ns husband and wife
The gentleman was hne specimen of maoy
beau Tall, well porporuoued, with Ene features
and tree stride, he was the beau ideal IF
lover. The lady was s that fancy could paint
her. and as good ss she was lovely. She bas
lived, However, to reallzs sadly that
All that's bright must fade
The brightest still the f,etest.
All that's sweet was made
To be lost when sweetest.
The gentlem ans business called him to travel
occasionally, and, after rsturniog from one of
bis r, ceot trips, be felt particularly indisposed,
and retired at once to his room in the fashion
able boarding house kept by the mother of his
fancee. Fealog growing sense OF wretched
ness, he 10 ;ked bis door, not wishing to disturb
the household, and tossed feverishly on his bed
until sume of the domestios came to maze up
the apartment. Thon be complained of vio-
lont han obo eioly IL.
which make man Indifferent to existence
At first it was fopdy hopsd that the attack
was a mere cold or intermittent fever, at worst,
and he received the usual remedies. These
having 90 CT, skilled physician was called,
the casa one of smal pox. This was thuu.
derbolt to the patient and his friends Ho
could not remember how OF where he had beeo
exposed, and they were slow to believe the iull
hCrribleness OF the annourc msnt
Other physicians we're called. and, as usual,
disagreed. Even the health officer could not
make up his mind at once. From Tuesday
until Friday the sick man remained at the
boat Ing house 10 painful unoertaioty. At last
his symptoms became SO clear and alarming
that the most ignorant could no longer doubt.
The awful news ran through the house like
wild fire, that Mr. -- had the smaIl pux
and was ordered removed to the pest house.
But although panic might extend itself to the
boarders. peilher his faancse nor fer mother
Were moved by sucb vain fears The young
lady had been his faithful nurse while he ro-
mained beneath her parents roof, and, when
he was removed by the sanitary of6c RS her
noble tenderness and sense of dury braced her
heart to the act of following him even within
the putrid precincts Of that abode of NOR
tslity and Disagreement. She practically illus
trated the sentiment of the beautiful song:
Thou hast called me thy angel 10 moments of
bliss,
| And thy angel I'll be thro the horrors of this !;
Thro' the furnao. unshruking thy steps TO
pursue.
And shield thee, and save thee, or perish there
too.
UofurtunsteIy, not even her devotion, al
| though it undoubtedly saved the slender thread
of lite, could shield him from the worst eff :ots
of the dread disease. His case developed ioto
| the dreadful type kuowo as ''ooDhuent," and
| when he arose from hi5 couch of sickness the
| unfortunate lover real;z.d the doom Of desols
| ton entaled up him. He was stricken blind,
| aud might never more behold the light of day,
or look into the depths Of the sweet eyes that
still beamed with love fer him.
10 40 age like this, wheo romantic devotion
is suppcssd to be on the wane. and in city like
Chicago, which is, Of nee, ssity. uti!itariau, it
might be expected that the sf1iciion which fell
upon her idol might have alienated from him
the heart Of bis betrothed. Instances OF kind
almost similar have occurred, where this has
been the result, but, 10 this case. purity and
unselfsbness have triunphed The misfor
| tupes Of hsr lover have the more endeared
him to his faithful lady, who is now the light
OF bis heart and the consoler of bis darkened
| existence.
And now, while the quo Of May is waking
into v,rnsl beauty park aud boulevard, and
while the shade trees are throR wing ont their
outrageous loveliness. stswart mao, erect aud
stately still, although destiture of vision, aud
With fac, Scared by that fell malady, may be
seen walking slowly amid the beauties of the
spring time, and by his side is young girl
upon whom he leans for guidance aud who is
TO him the morning star of memory" that can
not fade or faint or die until the last dread sum.
mons makes even sublime devotion vain 10 pre-.
serve life that must be, without suct solcce
worthless sod desoate beyond expression. -
Chicago Times
IT AVN GRASS SEED-The celebrated Eng