Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-08-29
The Mystery
of the Towers

evernreens, against the many hues Of Some
richly painted window-all these, and
many other tokens of wealth and luxu-
rance such as had rarely looked upon.
1t might have been that the sight only
N,rved to strengthen the bitterness in my
leart but when at length my conductress
stopped at door built in a small alcove
and babe me enter, at the same time,
turning back down the corridor 1 paused
for fully moment before my rebellious
spirit would let me obey her bidding.
Hitherto had humbled myself to no man
now i was to cringe and bow for the
charity vouchsafed me.
At the thought a sudden angry flush
rose to my face; my teeth met angrtly
over my lips, and my limbs trembled be-
ueath me.
1t was gone in moment, howevr,
and a sudden sense of my ingratitude
rose in its stead.
"Leonard CASTOR" said, ait is by 40
fault of your own you have fallen thus SO
'ow. Heaven has deprived you of what
other men possess-means of working in
the world but it will be of your own will
if you lay the blacklist of moral weakness
to your soul--ingratitude. Be man,
not u worm, in every sense"
With this steadyiDg as we'll as l was
able my not too Grm tread, and half I'M
consciously tossing back my head--a
childish gesture at which my mother had
often laughed, saying 1t told its own tale
of prde----I pushed open the door and
entered the room beyond. 1t was empty.
Surprised at this, l satisfied myself that 1t
was so then, greatly relieved, sank into 6
chair, giddy with even so little exertion
us my short passage, and after mo-
ment began to look around me.
Here, as in the outer apartments one
single glance told of wealth and aftiuence
the ensemble only too pleasing to the
eye. The room itself was both lofty and
spacious, and the picture of comfort and
wealth. Wealth and comfortl Oh, why
could l not share it. Why was l, who
have so dearly appreciated 1t, shut out
from it all2 And l lay back in the cosy
arm chair and waited for what was to
come next.
And while 1 waited fell once more in
to day-dream, in which the struggle of
last night came back to me. Step by
step once more l traversed the rough way
in the cold chill night-moment by
moment / recalled the struggle, the
thoughts of my wild prayer, and its
answer.
In my angry thoughts at my awaken
ing the memory of that answer had been
almost forgotten but now under the in
tluence of my surroundings, the strange
fancy which had prompted it returned
with full force.
| saw again the waving trees the gloom
around me, and breaking in on that dark
ness the angels face. ''Was 1t really an
angel, or did 1 but dream saw itP'' ask
ed myself
AS did so a sound broke the stiffness of
| the room, and starting suddenly l found
was no longer alone. My eyes were sud
| denly enchanted by the recognition of the
| presence of some one besides myself in
the room. Was dreaming still? There,
| not two yards from me, once again the
| angel face--this time not only face, but
| form too--the face the same as that of
| the night before; but as entirely different
as the two lights under which had seen
it.
Inthe old silvery rays of the moon it had
looked down upon me with gentleness and
pity in every line--nOw l saw 1t with the
| red glow of the freight falling on small
delicate features and flushing them with
IL crimson hood--sparkling in the deep
| blue eyes, shaded by the long thick lashes,
and turning from brown to gold, and gold
to brown, the mass of soft curls which fell
in careless confusion over q low white fore
head and to the waist of the dress of some
warm crimson material which the owner
wore. Beautiful, beautiful angel face,
| l know not which time you were the
dearer to me-when you looked down at
me from the skies as 1t were, with pity in
your eyes, or when you smiled so bewitch
ingly DIT me In the freight, mortal after
all, yet with angels wings-yet a mortal
such as l was and therefore within my
reach did but dare to climb SO high.
But there, let Inc not be carried too fal
ahead in my tale.
For moment half waking and hall
dreaming stared at the picture before me
drinking in with all eyes its fairness and
simplicity, held In perfect charm by it
until a sudden sound broke the silence
around-a sound which fell like the echo
of sweetest music on my ear, a SOUND
like the tinkling of some silvern bell, 81
soft and clear it was.
Yet it was in reality neither music no
tinkle of bells, but just the clearest, mos
melodious peal of laughter that ever rams
from between rosebuds of lips and filled
the air with gladness, while dimples anC
smiles rippled all over the angel face a
1t peered up at me in the freight. NJ
wonder that, forgetting all else which
made mirth such a stranger to my sac
heart, l caught the infection of the limo
cent glee and laughed myself. Why,
know not, except that already had begun
what was to fcllow-that smiles on tAe
? angel face meant gladness to me-tears IL
those wondrous blue eyes the loves
depths OF despair to my soul
" But why do l speak of tearsH 1t is witt
laughter that have to do.
Yes, l laughed, and for one brie
moment my not too harmonious mirt
mingled with the sweetest music in tn
j world-only for one moments then
suddenly remembered that l was not /
the fairy land l imagined.
4-HHH6HA