The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-07-11
AFTER FIFTY YEARS.

Yes, it is nearly so years SinCD have
seen you. Your hair under that little lace
cap is as white as snow. Then it was black
and glossy as jet. You had no wrinkles
then. Your cheeks were smooth and
white. There was dimple in the left one.
Your eyes did not peer out of gold trimmed
glasses then. They were bright as stars
dark blue, sparkling with merriment.
Your figure is little bent, but you were
quite tall then for a woman, and graceful.
I thought you were queenly. Indeed you
were the prettiest girl in all the land.
What, are you blushings Well, it is true.
can close my eyes and see you in my soul
as you were then, as sweet and lovely as a
water lily. You have never changed there
I remember the first time ever saw you
was walking through the shady streets Of
the little town. passed by grand old
mansion. saw beneath great elm what
I thought was beautiful angel 1t was
you lying on the lawn. You had on
pink gown. You were reading, and when
you heard my footsteps you raised your
eyes and met mine. We were both con-
fused. walked away feeling as though I
had entered a new world After that I
thought only Of you. You told me after
ward that you were reading romance of
handsome young prince, tall, fair haired
and daring; that when you looked up and
saw mo you were startled, was so like
the ideal you were dreaming Of Do you
remember?
I hurried back to my uncle's home be-
no 4
cousins concerning the beautiful vision /
had seen. They told me that you were the
governors only daughter; that you were
but IS years of age, but that you already
had several suitors for your hand They
warned me not to fall in love with you, as
handsome young officer of the garrison
near by was said to have won your heart.
I found that you were the belle of all the
land
This information only made me love you
more. I felt certain that could not live
without you. I could not imagine that
any one else could love you as did. Ev-
cry afternoon after that rode to town in
order to pass by the governors mansion.
During the evenings paraded back and
forth on the sidewalk like sentinel, and
all the time I kept repeating your name
very consoling to note the regular appear
ance of a visitor nightly passing under the
trees to the doorstep. When the door,
opened, I could see his tall, erect figure
standing in the light. Then the door
would close, and there would be sounds
from the open windows of laughter and
music. 1 knew that the visitor was the
young officer. He and were introduced
one day in the town, and remember how,
seemingly by instinct, we conceived deep
antipathy to each other. Even ON our first
messing we approached close to the border
of insulting language. He was a hand
some, dashing fellow, I was forced to con-
fess. Splendid, soft dark eyes and a
heavy silken mustache were his two most
seductive attractions. To know that this
hated but dangerous rival was enjoying a
tete-a-tete with the beautiful girl whom
in nay unreasonable love already regard
ed as my sweetheart, while was obliged
to promenade the sidewalk alone, seemed
very bitter and cruel to me-
A week passed before I saw you again.
was riding along the high bank of the
river where it curves like a horseshoe
around some meadow land. I was gazing
down at the waters, dreaming of you, when
heard a sound of laughter and of horses
hoofs I looked up and was startled to
see you riding toward me in the company
of several young ladies and gentlemen.
My handsome friend, the officer was
among them. My heart beat violently,
and my face flushed as I passed close to
you. You wore a dark green suit, and
your face was so white that thought at
the time you were like water lily. 1t was
then that noticed your long black lashes
1 could scarcely see your eyes. You told
me afterward that you peeped at me, and
that you thought looked like gallant
knight on my spirited horse Do you re-
member?
was so excited that day that could
scarcely eat a mouthful. My uncle asked
me if I had seen the governors daughter
again. He was wise NANNY uncle.
1t was not long afterward that you and
became acquainted. 1t was at party
that I attended with my cousins. You
were there. I saw nothing else that gold
en- night You were dressed in cream col
ored silk Your beautiful white arms and
shoulders were bare. You wore necklace
of pearls, and there were yellow roses
pinned to your dress. was dazzled by
your beauty when you entered the room,
and when I was presented to you I lost all
control of myself I stammered and tried
to clasp your hand, stopping in my attempt
abruptly, but you, smiling kindly, shook
hands with me. You told me afterward
that you were little confused yourself;
that you could scarcely speak at first Do
you remember?
1t was astonishing, though, how soon
we were eagerly conversing. Our thoughts
flowed on together like two brooks that
meet In the forest and go dancing together
through sunlight and shadow. 1t was
that night that thought that your eyes
were as black as GOALS and that noticed
how fresh and red your lips were. That
bright evening fled SO fast that 1 did not
realize till the affair was over that l had
entirely monopolized the society of the
belle of the evening When l babe you
good night as you left the company with
your parents, noticed young man
standing in the hallway, with a gloomy
expression on his handsome face 1t was
my friend, the officer, and he gave me an
ugly look. Little did I care for the officers
anger. was mad with happiness that
night. What dreams, what fancies filed
my soul! You say that you, too, were
transported that aight' 7 wish had
known it thenl