Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-05-05
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LINES FROM A DIARY.

which had belonged to my aunt. Mis-
uess Betty Carew. and which now &C.
cupied the place OF honor In my favor
lite room.
10 me the old book, with its soiled
white cover. had a certain air attained
only by mausoleum. for within It.
folded away like a corpse within its
.oiho. lay a dead crimson rose. its red
hte-biood partly plotting out the con-
tents OF a little three-oornered note.
pressed between its pages.
mad so often heard the story OF Mis-
tress Betty's romance, and my heart
had SO often been stirred to pity for
the hapless young girl whose fate was
50 sad. that now 1 felt almost a sense
places.
feeling of awe stole over me to
mink this lifeless bit of paper and
her young heart. should be here to tell
the story when she, fashioned in Gods
own likeness, had lain for almost Il
century In the old graveyard.
From the time ! was a little child
l mad never wearied hearing from my
piu nurse the story as It had been
handed down TO her. And often when
have heard the wind signing and
moaning through the trees 1t has
seemed TO me like her spectre voice
wailing for her lost lover. 1t was a
great many years ago, during the
terrible time OF the Revelation,
though. indeed, all the blood shed and
turmoil disturbed Mistress Betty but
little. so closely was she sheltered from
every unkind breeze. She was very
lovely. and, OF course, greatly admired
ana sought after There was not ball
or rout for miles around but Mistress
Betty reigned queen. There may have
been something OF the coquette about
her, for certain 1t was that she was
the cause of many a masculine heart
ache. This fact proved no burden to
her. and she tripped through the sum
mer days with n heart as Hight as
the thistle down which covered her
wilful head. Life had been all sunshine
to her thus far. as the snatohy little
entries in the soiled old Journal showed.
a great deal was too badly stained to
be clearly discenible; the first l could
decipher ran thus:
Dec. 10. Dear Old Confessor-I am
too weary from dancing to tell you
much tonight, and yet l cannot rest
until tell you Of Hint He is n soldier.
tall and brave, and, OH so handsome!
There is none TO compare with him.
When he asked me to dance l could
hardly open my lips from looking at
his wonderful eyes; and such u dancerl
/ could have kept on forever, and when
he whispered the same to me ! could
find no words TO reprove him, as l
ought.
December 17-Sir Roger says my lips
are like n dewy rose, and that bliss
dwells In my dark eyesl l could never
tell this to anyone but yourself, dear
old journal, and / know you will be
silent as the grave. oh, how happy
ami am so glad l am beautiful in his
eyes: II were as ugly as old Sarah and
he smiled upon me l would be happy;
yes, happy, / tell you. Is this love, do
you think? There. you need not brlstle
your leaves In that aggressive way.
see you think 1t is, and l will abide by
your wise decision.
December 19-Jane Anderson is at
home. ! always did despise her. and
now-well. let him go II he is so ficklel
oh, thought should have cried out
in my misery when | saw her upon
his arm, looking up so smilingly into
his eyes with those beautiful treaclfer-
Gus ones of hers. How / hate her.
Take her. Sir Roger; will let YOU both
see l am not heartbroken. / think you
were mistaken. dear old journal; this
could never have been love.
December 3O-How the wind slghs
and the frozen snow beats against my
window. The moonlight casts such
weird glamor over all outside; It is
cold and cheerless, but not so cold or
dreary as my heart, Sir Roger thought
l would be awaiting his tardy return,
did he? Well, he does not know the
Carews. oh, how weary / am of II all
January 6-Dear Old Book. am your
own Betty tonight and have the most
astounding news for you to begin this
gay new year with. Don't start so, or
shall never be able to tell you. 1 am
glad you cannot see me; feel so new
and strange. quite as II l had never
lived before. There. do you see my
finger, madam? The third finger. Are
they not brilliant diamonds? oh, Sir
Roger has fine taste; and, what else +?
l am to be his wife before the trees are
in bud.
February 5-Another dismal, wailing
night; l am glad 1t Is night, so no one
can see the misery In my tell-tale eyes.
Yes, we have quarrelled again, my
lover and /. l left him to dance TO
his hearts content with Jane Anderson.
| staid until all was over and knew
had let him see could still be admired.
/ did wrong, you say; you surely for
get | am a Carew. But, oh. feel so
lonely and sad tonight. Ugh! that
dreary. signing wind; it walls like a lost
soul.
February 1i-Valentlne's day; what a
mocRery 1t seems; and. as If ones own
troubles were not enough, we must
needs be thrown into a turmoil over the
affairs OF the country. Troops are
gathering and waiting; we know not
for what. In spite Of all the anxiety
merrymaking goes on Just the same
and l doubt not l shall join the giddy
whirl with the rest. / have the daInti-
est lowered gown for the ball tonight.
soft, velvety yellow. and father has
given me a jeweled comb for my hair;
/ would not miss going tonight for All
the world. She Will be there, but l
shall outshine her.
And he-he tried to see me twice
but j avoided him cleyerly. He must
not think l shall wear my heart on
my sleeve. / win dance tonight and
accept all the fattery offered me. even
If he does look with sad eyes at me,
why should he trouble about mel He
has her.
A basket of great crimson roses has
Just been left for me. my Valentine.
Sarah says; though, as there was no
card, / cannot thank the giver; do
not know as / should have done so,
unless he. Roger. had sent them to me
Then every BLOSSOM would be as dear
as my lifes blood. Pshaw; what a
silly notionl He is the last one TO think
of me today. Go then, pretty roses.
into this great bowl and divide your
fragrance. Yes, shall dance tonight.
and may every step hurt his heart as
cruelty as he has mine.
Feb. 15.-old Book-My heart IL
broken. The sword has fallen and
pierced me at last Only last night
saw him, was near him. Though /
would not deign TO glance his way