Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-04-04
MIRIAM DOUGLAS.

Many years ago-so many that l do
not care TO particularize-I was en-
gagged in preparing for college, under
the tuition OF a clergyman in a small
village In eastern New York. In the
same place was a young ladies' semi
nary OF which, during several months
Of the year, there were gathered from
eventy-iye to one hundred young
women.
The son Of a farmer in the vicinity;
ignorant of the world and unused to
society other than such as was afforded
by the muscular girls Of the sparse
farming community, il may easily be
fancied that the seminary students
seemed TO me, with their fine dresses,
their sprightly faces and engaging
manners, to be beings of a superior
order. They were, IL my esteem,
veritable hours, uneo laled in their
charms and surprising in their at
uactlons. .
= For months I was content with q
distant worship. To stand on the
piazza Of the tavern" on Sunday
mornings, and watch the long, double
lines Of youth, as they moved on their
way TO the church, was a felicity that
for the time gratified my most ardent
expectations. At the outset my vision
was 10 dazzled that / saw only a wind
ing, sinuous line OF exquisite color
and beauty. In time the glowing
whole began 10 be resolved into de-
tails; black eyes and blue; golden and
raven locks; blondes and brunettes;
laughing mouths and slender forms
manifested themselves as single stars
in a nebula under the inspection of a
telescope.
Many of the girls were common
place in appearance, and others be-
came so only after long observation.
Many of them were possessed of aver
age charms, while there were a half
dozen or 30 Of superlative attractions.
One of this class attracted my especial
notice, not merely on account of her
beautiful face, graceful motions and
tall, slender figure, but mainly on ac-
count of a sadness that almost perpetu-
ally pervaded her countenance. Her
hair was black as ink, her complexion
that Of an octoroon, her eyes of a spe-
cies of purple black, all OF which was
asort of setting Of mourning for the
melancholy face.
Certain evenings at the seminary
were given TO social diversions. at one
OF which Imade the acquaintance of
the possessorof the triste countenance.
Her name was Miriam Douglas. She
was about IL years of age; and, as /
later discovered, an accomplished
singer, linguist and conversationalist.
She was SO unlike Others in her APP
pearance, SO marked in her melan-
holy, SO gentle in her converse, and so
brilliant at the piano, that / became
powerfully attracted TO her, and when
ever circumstances permitted we were
together. l do not now think that our
acquaintance matured to the ripcness
OF love, on my part at least, and yet
the liking / conceived for her was not
remote from a profound affection. /
think that my sympathy with her
sadness, the mystery Of her life, my
respect for what l saw TO be a pure
life and beautiful nature, may have
approached in warmth and tenderness
very near in appearance and the man.
ner Of exhibition 10 ardent love.
No actual declaration Of passion was
ever made. She seemed 10 need me,
TO lean against me, and 10 prefer me
10 all others Of my sex. If there was
no actual announcement Of love in
words, IL was suggested in looks, atti-
tudes, tones, and thinly yelled de-
lusions.
When the time came that her school
term ended, We parted one night on
the piazza Of the seminary. All the
other pupils had gone and we were
alone. / tried a score Of times to say
good-by, but each time failed.
"You will write me as soon as you
get homef" l asked.
Eyes; and you will answer, won't
your
"Well, / must go. God bless you"
Her head dropped q little forward.
her lips came close 10 mine; / kissed
VIGIL uuu Wt1b uWdls
We exchanged letters with regular
ity and al short intervals. Her lettes
were restrained In tone, and otter
ct variance with the situation She
wrote Of books, her occupation, the
gossip Of her friends. She seemed 10
BE- ~neryously apprehensive that she
might touch the theme Of the passions;
- carefully avoided any illusions 10
GU parting.
y wa in the spring when she went
hono. and in September following I
neeived o letter from the school
fI41cfees Of the town In which Miriam
NJ asking me 10 teach their winter
sc1pol They gave the number Of
puptlS the amount Of the compensa-
I'm, md closed with the hope that I
would be able 70 accept the propoS-
siDn- As ] had been school teaching
for several winters, In order 20 secure
finds for o collegiate education. and
the offer Of the trustees wns an exccp.
tionally good one, ] at once wrote my
acceptance.
1he Iast day Of November saw me-