for to-morrow,' is the admonition of wisdom. Look,
yonder I was born. Here sleep the Natchez. See yonder tall mound,
shaded from base to summit with the great forest trees peculiar to our
land. On the top of that mound stood the temple dedicated to the
worship of the sun. He smiles on it as the earth rolls up to hide his
light away, as he did when the holy fire was watched by the priests in
that temple. But the Indian worshipper is gone; to him there comes no
morrow. There, on that mound, sleep the parents of my mother; to them
comes no morrow. _Allons!_ We shall be late for tea. Brother has gone
to sister's, and we shall be alone." In a few minutes they were
galloping down the avenue to the old Spanish-looking mansion, hid away
almost from view in the forest and floral surroundings, which made it
so lovely to view.

There had come in their absence another; it was she who was the
youthful companion of his fairy at the Bayou Sara--a silent, reserved
woman: very timid and very polished. Upon the gallery she was awaiting
the return of her cousin. The meeting was (as all meetings between
high-bred women should be) quiet, but cordial; without show, but full
of heart. They loved one another, and were highbred women. The stranger
was presented, and at tea the cousin was informed that he was the man
from the mountains, and there was a curious, silent surprise in her
face, when she almost whispered, "I am pleased, sir, to meet you again.
I hope you will realize the romance of my cousin's dream with your
legends of the West, the woods, and the wild men of the prairies."

Days went by, and still the fever raged in the city. The cerulean was
bright and unflecked with a speck of vapor, like a concave mirror of
burnished steel. It hung above, and the red sun seemed to burn his way
through the azure mass. The leaves drooped as if weighted with lead,
and in the shade kindly thrown upon the wilting grass by the tulips,
oaks, and pecans about the yard, the poultry lifted their wings and
panted with exhaustion in the sickly heat of the fervid atmosphere. The
sun had long passed the zenith, dinner was over, and the inmates were
enjoying the siesta, so refreshing in this climate of the sun. Here and
there the leaves would start and dally with a vagrant puff from
vesper's lips, then droop again as if in grief at the vagaries of the
little truant which now was fanning and stirring into lazy motion
another leafy limb.

There was music in t