eye follows the vanishing shelter of his own door,
'that's evidently a left bower.' 'The Captain,' MEERSCHAUM adds, 'is
rapidly convalescing.' I fancy this enough for one letter.

_Two days later._--

I have been keeping these anecdotes for you for some time, and
should have sent them earlier; now--it seems almost cruel to laugh
since the dark days in Virginia, or to write frivolous nonsense.
Yet, I cannot work; and before these lines reach your readers (if
they ever do) the sky will, I hope, be clear again, and the regrets
I am tempted to utter would be as out of tune as the exultant
predictions of a week ago seem now. Far away to the horizon stretch
the golden fields of ripened grain; the abundant harvest is at
hand: yet a little while ago we heard dismal laments of blighting
rains and hostile insects; and many faithless ones ploughed up
their verdant wheatfields in despair. May the harvest of a nation's
victory come thus, teaching the incredulous faith in the
right--but, ah! the lengthened struggle is what I dread, not the
end--that cannot fail us.

I wrote you a special, all-to-yourself letter, not long since,
which I hope you will have answered before this comes to you. With
a thousand kindly wishes, Ever your's--A. W. C.

Yet one page more. Am I not irrepressible? I send you a rhymed fancy. If
it has any significance you will, I know, give it place; if not, not. I
will be sincerely acquiescent.

A BRIDAL.

I ride along the lonely sands,
Where once we rode with clasping hands.

The wild waves sob upon the beach,
As mournful as love's parting speech.

Those cruel waves, close-clasped they hold
My lost love, with his locks of gold.

Here, while the wind blew from the south,
He kissed me with his tender mouth.

Oh, sun of hope, in dark eclipse!
Oh, aching heart, and unkissed lips!

On, on I ride, faster, in vain,
I cannot hush the cry of pain

In my sick soul. But, hark! how clear
That voice of voices fills my ear!

'Why waitest thou beside the sea?
Canst thou not die, and come to me?'

Soul-king, I come! Alas! my need
Was great. Press on, my faithful steed.

Deep, deep into the sea I ride:
There my love's hero waits his bride.

The longing billows of the sea
With happy welcome smile to me.

They touch my foot, they reach my knee:
Da