lakes, whose waters shone in the slanting rays of the declining sun....  The sun went down quickly, as he does at sea, a round, red fire-ball, while light, splendid clouds of purple, pink, lilac, and gray, on the blue, blue heavens, refracted the ascending, slender, quivering rays of the disappearing orb, the type of Deity in all natural religions, the Totem of the Natchez Indians.  Beloved city—­bright “city of the Sun”!  How often have I paced with restless child’s feet, the road that Lucian was now traveling over, and listened, as he did, but more lingeringly, to the sounds of gentle human life, stirring within thy peaceful homes!  How often have I thanked God for my beautiful childhood’s home—­for my precious Southern Land—­for its sunshine, its verdure, its forests, its flowers, its perfume; but oh! above all, for the loving, refined, intelligent, gentle race of people it was my great, my priceless privilege, to be born amongst—­a people worthy to live with, yes, worthy to die for!  The stern besom of war has wept over you, beloved Natchez—­your fairest homes have been desolated, your lovely gardens are now only remembrances—­your family circles are broken up—­your bravest sons are sleeping in the dust of death, or weeping tears of bitterness in exile—­your daughters, bowed down with penury and grief, are mourning beside their darkened firesides—­your joyous households transferred to other and kindlier lands.  The forms of my kindred faded into phantoms of the past—­strangers sit now in the place that once was mine; but yet, thou art lovely, still beloved in thy ruin, in thy desolation—­city of my heart—­city of my love—­city of my childish joy!  Oh! city of my dead!

[Footnote 72:  Prominent among the living authors of Louisiana.]

* * * * *

=_Anne Moncure Crane.[73]_=

From “Opportunity;” a Novel.

=_314._= IMPRESSION OF A SEA SCENE.

The tide had been out, but it was now rising; and they stood silently watching the long, low waves dissolve in foam, whose white edges each time crept nearer and nearer their feet.  No one was conscious of the duration of the silence.  The sea’s monotony of motion and sound seemed to fill the void, and lull them to quietude.  But beautiful as was the scene that lay before her, Harvey gradually forgot it ...

The two women had been nearly facing each other; and in a moment or two Harvey put his hand upon Rose’s shoulder, and with the other, motioned her to look out upon the sea at her side.  As she obeyed, her faint, inarticulate expression of surprise and pleasure made both men follow her example.  It was only a coasting vessel, which had come rather close to the shore, and was sailing swiftly by, before the freshening breeze; but Its broad, white sails, with the moonlight upon them, and its gliding, soundless motion, gave it an unearthly effect, as of a phantom of light floating between the dark sea and sky, or a great white-winged spirit sweeping past.  When it had vanished into the distance and darkness, Rose turned, and looked up at Harvey with mute but half-parted lips, with eyes dilating with light, only this for a moment, but Miss Barney knew she had accomplished her wish.