Birmingham age-herald., 1894-08-26
FROM THE LAND OF NOD.
A STORY WITHIN A STORY

At the age of two and twenty began the stndy of law in the sleepy little village of G., away up in the mountains of north Alabama. had hardly gotten into the merits of Blackstone and Kent when serious obstacle came between me and that vast accumulation of legal lore upon which the average student looks with mingled admiration and doubt.
 It is simple story, easy to tell, easy to understand.
 became ehtangled in the neshes of little woman, who had been brought up from childhood in what then seemed to me the garden spot of creation. 1 imagined that her eyes had caught in some Tnyste- rious manner their unrivaled tende rness from the soft blue haze that forever hangs from the mountain tops of this rugged and picturesque section. Such eyes, looking up at me frem the pages of my law books, and getting tangled in with the otherwise respecta bie logic of Mr. Blackstone, caus- ing me to read over score of times the easiest proposition in his volumes and meant for that distinguished gentleman to take back seat until l had settled the all important question with the little woman 1 loved.
 The stern old colonel, under whom l was studying, began to make inquiries about my health.
 Oh! that old man had an eye that could see through Chinese wall when 1t came 10 RQuestion of human nature.
 l always assured him that my health was snever better,' but that troubles of pri- yate nature were the cause of my apparent Indifference to my books. stHoweger,' always added, 'l hope to soon have these matters adjusted.o And then went away with conscience as clear as the waters of a perennial spring, for had told the truth (something directly opposed to the require nents of a promising law student.
 Finally l went 10 see the little woman who was unconsciously creating so much disturbance in my limited sphere and told her the story of my life; told her how the weeks would merge into months until had received a definite promise from her, and how the months would run into years of un happiness if that promise were not favorable.
 It was the same story that has been told of all the lives before mine, and told in about the same manner; but you conld not have convinced me of this at that time with the Huency of a Demosthenes and the logic of an Aristotle.
 She received my confession with prompt assurance that my affections were returned in that shy, modest manner 80 charac- teristic of a sincere woman.
 l told her that her reply was "the sweetest story ever told.'
  vim, eager to hang out sign in front of my own office, with this little woman as a silent partner. The light of the wisdom of ages fell upon the pages of those books. p1he colonel began to take an interest in me, and said lie was glad to see my health improving.
 The summer months passed on and the mountains began to draw the deeper pur pie veil of autumn over their tinted foliage.
 l was to be admitted 10 the bar at the fall term of court in October. l was to marry the woman 1 loved in November. The space of one month would give me ample time 10 arrange my library and to get in readiness for ''large and lucrative prac- tice. .''
 was the happiest man in the world.
 The fall term came around and l stood f' a most creditable examination. Every thing passed off in manner calculated to make my sweetheart proud of the man whom the world was soon to know as her intended husoand-and little later as her husband. .4. T ,.., o ..
 But as 1 reach the conclusion of this story (even this late in 1ife) the curls from my briar-root grow so thick and my eyes 50 dim that am plainly writing off of the lines.
 When l saw my sweetheart. on the fol- lowing day she came to me with head bowed. She looked into my face with a Took of sorrow and hesitancy aud told me that she had been, mistaken. That is all. she said. believe that repeated the last yord of her sentence. I don't remember but do know that I turned and walked away, and 10 this day have not looked into those eyes that caught their tender ness from the blue haze that forever hangs from the mountain tops of northern Ala bama.
 left the sleepy little village ofG--- to Its solitude among the hills. l do not know where she is. heard that she mar .ried in November and went far away into the east.
 God bless her wherever she is. I hope her life has always been as happy as she made mine through those fleeing summer months by ''the sweetest story ever told." .V A. H.