Year: 1871

udO ScleCGeu Oue VI Otepueu TOSCeT 3 loVe.
liest melodies and one that Edward Darcy
had often admired


'I will be true to thee,


l will pray for thee night and day,
Wilt thou be true to me,


AS in years that have passed away"
The season of approaching twilight SEEM
ed peculiarly sacred to silence and song.
and as the rich swell of her splendid voice
was borne over the we'll wooded hills and
smiling meadows around, no other sound
could be heard save the accompanying
melody of her soft guitar, and the low
music of a murmuring brook that, gently
whispering, stole along its sodorous path
amid an arched wilderness of fragrant
eglantine. The fair songstress, however,
soon ended her song, thinking that even
the simple pathos of Fosters touching
ballad disturbed, unpleasantly, the almost
breathless solemnity of the hour, and as
the last faint echo died away her spirit
was filled with the still more thrilling
music. awakened by happy memories. and
her heart trembled wildly as she recalled
Mrs. Wharton's hopeful prophecy:


Il feel within me happy presentiment
that Edward Darcy win have joyous re-
turn"


Edward Darcy. belonged to one of the
Oldest and most aristocratic families in
Baltimore city, and although he did not
value this heritage of good blood with that
ridiculous fondness with which it is cher
ished by some in this thoroughly republi-
can country, yet there was an indescriba-
ble air in his every action that marked the
man of scrupulous integrity, and bespoke
him to be gentleman also of knightly
nature and innate refinement. In CONVEX
sation he was extremely graceful. the rea-
diness of his repartee manifesting no or
dinary degree of natural brightness, and
the tasteful but unstudied elegance he dis
played in the selection of his words, evinc-
ing mind of the highest culture. His
parents, though poor, had succeeded in
sending their only son to Georgetown
College, where he Received at every exhi-
bition the highest premiums of his classes,
and, after a few years, left crowned with
the brightest laurels of his Alma Mater.
He afterwards went through the entire
course Of lectures at the Law University
in Virginia. soon graduating with much
eclat, and had just commenced the prac-
tice of his profession under the most favor
able auspices, in his native city, when the
dark cloud of war, so long threatened by
jealous abolitionism, burst, raining tor
rents of blood on the verdant plains of our
once glorious Union, and desolating many
a happy Southern home Edward Dar-
cy's hightoned spirit rebelled against the
unfair measures of an usurping Congress,
and believing in the right of secession, he
without hesitation, determined to link his
fate with the valiant little Confederacy.
The rare success that had attended his
professional labors promised him brill
liant career at the bar. The parental
tenderness of an indulgent father and most
gentle mother made his home very dear,
but he resolved. with the most devoted
heroism, to sacrifice all on the altar of pa
triotism, and, at the commencement of
hostilities, enlisted in the Southern ranks
as simple private.


At the battle of Manassas he acted with
distinguished bravery, soon after receiv-
ing commission as second Lieutenant,
and his last letter to Nettie informed her
of the recent death of the first lieutenant
in his company and his consequent promo
tion to the vacancy. He had known and
visited Nettie Dulaney intimately since
childhood, and had watched, with much
admiration, the budding graces of her win
some face and brighter intellect. His in
terest was still more deeply awakened by
the increasing beauty of character more
than ordinarily lovely, and few weeks
before his departure he had offered her the
best love of his noble heart, which she had
reciprocated with all the undivided earn
estness of her deeply aftectionate nature
She was thinking of her absent lover when
noiseless footstep entered her sylvan re-
treat, and two hands, sunburned and
hardened by the unaccustomed duties of
camp life, were playfully clasped over her
dreamy eyes. She had not seen the in
truder but she felt. with the quick intui-
ton of love, it was Edward Darcy, and
springing up with glad cry she exclaim-
ed: rs it, can it be Edward %


my darling" he replied, II could no
longer resist the mad impulse to see you
again."