Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-05-05
A MOONLIGHT REVERE.
sy PEN soiwr.

-sfosNtN hiy HV't ntuu QulNt uhAsy W
look back upon them. have ] rested
myself contentedy. and with becoming
meekness. In the home OF my child
hood. There have l grown from baby
hood tenderly cared for by loving
hands, folded long years ago in the
quiet OF death, to iusty, healthy child
mood: then on into the bright monday
OF my life.
Even at so tender an age RESPONSE
bilities were laid upon me; tender, low
ms friends, members OF my family,
came one by one and lay down beside
me.
How II saddened me as they were
carried In from time to time. cold and
sun ana speeches.. no needs OF mine
might ever evoke one OF The old time
anxious replies.
l could never refrain from sobbing
with the mourners. for was not one
OF them?
But Il grleved me to see that my
voice, low and soft as / could make
H. only increased their sorrow.
SO gradually / forced myself. by
sheer power OF will. to make no out
cry.
NO matter how difficult the struggle,
perseverance and time viii win the
victory so that now for years have
held my peace. having learned that
acme OF high br0edlng-perfeot COM
posture on all occasions.
Weddings have always been u source
OF JOY To me. and II IL really most
ulincult TO restrain my emotions when
l see q young couple entering, to leave
wheh IN solemn tones they have been
pronounced man and wife.
| always feel Wild desire to about
Tor JOY! And. In spite OF all my Efforts
they tell me ut times. IA soft, rolling
organ.
Wen. one cannot be expected to live
entirely without feeling.
but, IN spite Of all my ligh bred
coinposure | have sustained a shockl
nave not been myself since, though
am becoming accustomed to 1t. and
now that the newness In wearing or, 1
am not certain but that enjoy II.
IL occurred few nights ago. brill
iant moonlit night; remember Il well,
ior the sllNery rays had fallen so stead
NY on my grey head | was beginning
TO rear my poor. old brain might be-
come turned.
The thought was 30 distressing. I Inn
mediately became wide-awaiIe, an un-
usual happening for me, for In spite
OF my extreme age ] am never troubled
fortunate ones.
l occoBtcd the moon In my contest
manner, requesting her to betako her
silVery rays farther on, and spare my
aged head, A soft twitter was my only
reply; surely the. sound came from tho
naked bougha OF the tall trees which
stood sentry with me over the friends
entrusted TO our keeping
To my surprise, the boughs were
bent toward the earth, not ungrnco-
fully, but quite unlike their usual rigid
uprightness.
Again that faint soft twitter; / looked
closcr-evcry bough, from top to bot
tom. was covered closely with fat.
brown buds, millions OF theml looking
as II just ready to spring into leaves
AN early spring." thought !,
Thcn / remembered II was only the
middle of windy. clustering March.
Could i be dreamlng2 All. no. l was
wide-awnke.
Tho boughs swayed and sighed with
the weight OF their strange burden,
the moonlight falling In rays 10 soft
and mellow / could clearly discern even
| the tOpmost branches.
The cold Precipitation broke upon me
at tho hidcouH thought that already
my poor old brain had been befuddled
by the troachcrous moonlight.
Cupldlty, they say, Is u part of IN.
sanity. consequently l kept perfectly
stlll, scarcely breathing. never even
wlnlSlng my tired eyes. In my anxiety
TO discover whether this were an hal
lucinatlon of the brain or that 1 had
mistaken the time OF year. aud It was
really Easter time, and l would soon
inhnle the perfume OF flowers. I had
grown almost weary with my watch
ing when a louder twltter than before
caused Il commotion among the fat
brown buds, and before my nearly
crazed eyes n whole limb full spread
wings which they had artfully con-
cealed. ana flew lightly away to a moro
desirable resting place.
To have mistaken sparrows for budsi
l could have laughed aloud In my
glee, but one cannot enjoy "a laugh
nlone, and the moon had considerably
moved on, 30 / snuggled my grey head
down to snatch the few moments still
remaining OF my beauty sleep. chuck
ling softly Mt my own expense, all the
more enjoyable that no one knew OF
my discontinue,