St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1889-03-09

mined, SO joyous was its expression.
Il shall know BY the CLEAN AMI the glitter
o: the golden chain you wear.
By your hearts calm strength in loving
OF the fire they have had to bear.
Beat on. true heart, forever.
Shine bright, strong golden chain,
And bless the cleansing fire
Aud De furnace OF living PAIN"
sang that silvery vOice-thc voice he
had despaired Of ever hearing again.
Drinking in every tone, he noticed not
how dark it had grown. and when the
song ceased, and invOluntarily he start
ed in the direction whence it came. he
found his progress was barred for the
night, rs the wild-wOoded rayine
seemed to be but a tanglc Of UNDER
growth, while the winding brook curved
SO abruptly that it was impossible to
force his way through in the darkness.
STRANGE. be murmured, THAT 1 am
baflled a second time in my endeavOr
to find the owner of that voice! could
swear that it is none other than the one
which rang out SO sweetly o'er the
NeapOlitan bay. Again, all that is best
and noblest in me seems to be aroused
to new life as I listen to it. Docs It
not reveal the riches OF noble heart
Overlooking with love and goodness?
No effort will spare to know the singer
who twice has filled me with longing
and unrest"
Early the next day. clad in the
garb of civilian. Douglas Ath-
erton again sought the shore of
the lake. His step now was
quick and elastic. his eye beaming with
anticipation. The blue waters. failed
to detain him. Seeking the ravine. he
forced his way through bushes and
briars, now clinging to its rocky walls,
now emerging into an open space
where the turf grew close to the
babbling brook. but gradually ascend
ing. As he advanced no. seemed to
hear q babel Of SO; ais. At first he
was totally unable to make any thing
Ineligible out OF it One instant he
thought he heard a strain of a Bee
thoven sonata, then horrible iangling
of scales in every key, ne,
or two from Martha" n susges,-
ton of the "Last Hope" a
shrill voice essaying to reach
high c. Puzzled at this. but nothing
daunted. Douglas pressed forward with
a bound as, in a sudden lull. he heard
that voice ring out, sweet and full. in
the tone that the other voice was a.
tempting to reach. Forcing his way
along he came to decaying flight Of
stairs almost hidden in the weeds. He
had found an abandoned pathway
through the ravine, and his advance
was now rapid. Soon he reached the
summit and found himself standing on
the edge of a grassy lawn which was
surrounded on all sides by massive
forcN trees. Before him was the rear
of etately building which Douglas
recognized as Edgcwater Hall. which
had been pointed out to him as one eli
the most fiourishing schools for
young ladies in the State. He
knew now that he was having the
benefit of the young ladies' practice
hours, and it was instantly revealed to
him that the voice his soul had logged
to hear must belong to one who was a
teacher in this institution. Hesitate
ing. he dared not advance any further,
but returning to the friendly shelter Of
the trees, he endured the babel OF
sound for an hour, hoping to hear the
beloved voice once again. Mean
time he revOlved many plans for max
ing the acquaintance Of the singer. but
as he was almost a stranger in Edge
water he knew not how it could be
accomplished. Every day he sought
the beach. or threaded his way up the
ravine. enrapturcd anew by the pas
siOnate sweetness of the well-knOwn
voice which he heard from time to
time. He also learned from the
friends he was visiting that Miss Alice
Holland. the teacher Of vocal music at
Edgewater Hall, was q lady of rare
talents. that she had received q thor
ough training abroad under tho best
Italian masters. and that she had re-
fused many tempting offers to 60 on
the stage. preferring tho more retired
profession Of teaching to that OF .
public singer
Lying on The sands one afternOOn-it
was Saturday-living over the days OF
the week that was past. he was uncon-
scicus of the approach of two ladies
as they came along the narrow foot
psth skirting tho sides of the cliff.
Ore was a school girl. overlooking
with life. Her hair fell to her waist
in q heavy braid. while the lake breeze
lifted the dark ringlets from her brow.
Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes
sparkling, and a little tip-tilted nose
and - pOuting mouth gave a piquant
expression to the pretty face. Her
companion advanced with more seri-
Gus movements. CHANGING at her for
an instant, Douglas saw q pure, ma
donna like face crowned with soft
brown hair. beneath which lay pair
of melting brown eyes. 1t needed NOT
a secor d look to tell him it was she
the ono he had dreamed OF SO long.
Scarcely had he perceived this when
the younger lady spraDS impuisively
forward