The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-01-23


Beat on, true heart, forever,
Shine bright, strong golden chain,
And bless the cleansing fire
And the furnace of living pain"
sang that silvery vOice-the 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, as the wild-wooded ravine
seemed to be but a tangle 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 | am
baf1led Il 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 over the
Neapolitan bay. Again, all that is best
and nobleSt in me seems to be aroused
to new life as listen to it. Does it
not reveal the riches of a 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 he seemed to
hear a babel of so n Is. At first he
was totally unable to make any thing
ineligible out of it. One instant he
thought he heard strain of Bee
thOveu sonata, then a horrible jaugling
of scales in every key, note
or two from Martha" a sugges-
ton of the Last Hope a
sbrill 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
Mat voice ring out, sweet and full, in
the tone that the other voice was at
tempting to reach. Forcing his way
along he came to a 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
| forest trees. Before him was the rear
of stately building which Douglas
recognized as Edgewater Hall, which
had been pointed out to him as one eli
the most hourishing 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 longed
to hear must belong to one who was a
teacher in this institution. Hesitat-
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 sough
the beach, or threaded his way up the
ravine, enrapturcd anew by the pas
sionate sweetness of the well-knowr
voice which he heard from time tt
time. He also learned from The
friends he was visiting that Miss Alice
Holland, the teacher of vocal music a
Edgewater Hall, was lady of rare
talents that she had received thor
ough training abroad under the bes
Italian masters, and that she had re
fused many tempting offers to go OF
the stage, preferring the more retired
profession of teaching to that of
public singer.
Lying on the sands one afternoon
was Saturday-living over the days o
the week that was past. he was uncon
scious of the approach OF two ladie
as they came along the narrow foot
path skirting the sides OF the cliff
One was school girl. over6owir.
with life. Her hair fell to her wais
ina heavy braid, while the lake breez
lifted the dark ringlets from her brow
Her checks were flushed, her eye
sparkling, and little tip-tilted nos
and pouting mouth gave a plquan
expression to the pretty face lie
companion advanced with more seri
Gus movements. CHANGING at her TO
an instant, Douglas saw a pure, ma
donna-like face crowned with sof
brown hair, beneath which lay pal
Of melting brown eyes. 1t needed nc
a second look to tell him it was she
the one he had dreamed of so long
Scarcely had he perceived this whe
the younger lady sprang impulsiyel
forward.