The Russellville Democrat., 1880-08-19

that she was filled with tumultous emo | tion, and as l behcld the workings of her heart the idea flashed through my brain that her soul might yet be awakened. remembered the story of her yearning tenderness in. childhood, and it's unsat- isiied thirst. fancied could see where In she had been misunderstood, and could not but think that where cold
 reason had failed affection might be
 more ehicacious. She had passed the threshold of girlhood; the instincts of a
 womanly nature had asserted their rights; the fancies of her cratic mind
 had assumed shape, and the anticipa- tions of the coming of one who would rescue her from lonliness and thraldom had taken the place of her. former vague 1 dreams. This would account for her warm welcome of me, and thrill of joy prevailed my whole being when the thought suggested itself that it might be my destiny to rescue soul from dark ness. VI a&4H h&
 I From that moment I determined to make the attempt, and, without dream | ing ofselfish passion, without one spark of unholy love, l vowed to devote all the energies ofmy nature to the task of enlightening clouded spirit. Carefully did began the work, and tenderly did l guard from dangerous excitement the heart which I sought to influence. She was a child, sweet and lovely child to me, and l cherished her as if she had been my own sinless sister. Never did one tumultuous throb stir my heart when her head rested on. my bosom. The awful responsibility had incurred, the oppressive sense, ot duty, the dread of failure in my godlike enterprise, seemed to elevate me above all earthly feelings.
 can not now note all the details of my success. cannot trace all the deli cate links of that chain which conducted my soul into hers, through the medium of her affections. l watched the fittings of the cloud from off her spirit. and 1 saw clear but brief glimpses of sunshine; again the shadow would settle. with deeper gloom, and again gleams would break forth, giving sweet promise of a brighter day. Heavensl what joy it was to see those blue eyes light up with in- ltelligence. to hear those soft lips utter coherent words, and to mark the elastic grace of form which but lately moved
 with all the listlessness of imbecility!
 But the officious interference of those
 who could not comprehend either Alice or myself checked all this growing good. Our frequent meetings were discovered, and we were of course separated. Alice was taken home by her family, and l
 was denied all access to her presence. For month, a long and dreary month,
 1 never saw her, and by my impatient longing to behold her 1 learned how much my soul had gone out from my self At length l heard that Alice was much worse. that she was now raving maniac, whose ungoverned frenzy could only be controlled by personal violence.
 could not bear this. I went to her
 father I explained to him my hopes and
 begged to be permitted to see her for a
 single hour. He was cold, practicable,
 reasonable man, and while he gave me full credence for a disinterested desire
 to benefit his daughter, he evidently
 had little faith Tn my anticipations of success. However, he was willing to
 try the experiment, and, accompanied bv him, was admitted to see Alice.
 She was frightfully changed. Her eyes glared wildly; her hair, tangled and dls- heveled from her incessant restlessness,
 hung in masses about her face, and her appearance was that of one whom loss of reason had almost brutalized. l could have cursed the blind recklessness which
 had so thwarted me. At first she did
 not recognize me, but my voice seemed
 to awaken the vibration of some chord
 whose music was familiar. She became
 calmer, her rawlings ceased, she ap-
 proached me, and at length seated her.
 self on a low stool at my feet with the
 auietude of loving child. It was the first time she had been so calm since we
 were parted Even the cold beings
 around her perceived the beneficial ef.
 feet of my presence, and from that mo-
 ment l was allowed to pursue my plans
 without molestati on. rufi
 now neglected all things else, and
 devoted myself exclusively to the noble
 task of revivifying human soul.
 adopted no fixed and settled system ol enlightenment, but carefully observing !, her moods of mind governed them by adaptation. l watched the current O. , her thoughts, and when I found them ) broken or confused, sought to turr , them into some deeper channel, where they might flow more smoothly. cul . tiyated her affection ateness of disposi , tion, while at the same time I checked } all exciting sentiment. The fire betweel us i knew must be one of adhesiveness 7 or attachment. not of passion. Beauti
 fiil was the slow development of he
 child-like intellect beneath the influenc
 of her womanly tenderness; and, oh = how exquisite was the enjoyment l found in thus looking into perfectl, 9 pure nature, as into the depths of !; crystal lake!
 t 1t seemed to me that had been SC { apart for bliss beyond that accorded t { my fellow-men when 1 was thus per r mitted to fill with light the darkene' l chambers of human soul. A prou'
 feeling of power, a consciousness Of m. } high duty, was ever present With mt ' and life wore to me nobler aspee . when I found so noble task to fulfil l Yet even then did begin to recogniz f the fearful price which l was destlne l to pay for all this happiness; even the r I found my soul growing feebler Tn II l. energies. There were times when tn - weakness of childhood came over m' ] and was as impatient of my absenc e from Alice as if her sweet words an !, looks were the ailment of her existenc' r Cold hearts might have deemed tn r passion-they remember it now as
 proof of my wild love; but how llttl t they understood mel It was but th s- longing of my soul to regain that whic IT if had imparted to another. It was bl |, the impatient seeking of the bereaye l, and despoiled spirit. I was no long' e sufficient for m sely; Alice was nece y sary to my being. Yet it was not lov n no! it was something nobler far som T | .l.s l1a. ..fI