The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1870-05-04

return TO that wretched howell her
you C n have ease and luxury. Yol
can have anything you like, provided
you do not make a noise to attrac
peoples attention to US 1 will de
vote my life to make you happy"
But Salome only wept and tremt led
q 'If you are anxious about you
grandfather will send Duval to say
that you are well and happy, and t
carry him a bag of gold, said hel
. companion. .. --e
80, let me go homep prayed Sa
lome. 20, -.l =. " 81 --{t r. .
"Take carei do not try my pa
tience too far" exclaimed the man.
Salome hushed her sobs for fright,
and stood with her face hidden.
"Will you consent !" asked the man.
She trembled, but shook her head.
Il will leave you to yourself for a
WHILE" he said, angrily, and strobe of.
When Salome found herself alone,
she darted away from the spot, AID
with beating heart and streaming eyes
sought TO find egress from that hated
tgarden. In vain she hurried to and
fro, tearing her clothes and wounding
her hands among the thorns and briers.
The garden seemed one dense, over
grown wilderness the paths leading
one into another, never terminated at
the gate by which she had entered. -
At length she threw herself down up
on bed Of towering moss and cried
bitterly.
AS the day wore away her dread
and terror increased. How could she
spend another night under that hated
roof? Again she started on a fruit
less search, to pause exhausted, as
the evening gathered, where the rank
shrubbery, close as a wall, shot up
around her. If she could only es-
cape to the woods Their loneliness
seemed comparative safety to her, as
she stood listening and sfivering at
the faint noises of the garden.
The stars came out again; the dews
crept dark and chill around her. With
pallid face and sobbing breath she
wandered on until she came to the
stone steps and the open door.
She knelt down here and prayed,
and then fell asleep with her face
against the CO d stones. At midnight
she awoke, and after listening to the
stiffness for little while, crept into
the little bed, and slumbered more
sweetly.
When she awoke, she forced herself
to eat the remnants of yesterdays
meal. She felt weak and ill. and The
room seemed turning around to her.
She went out into the air, and sat
The fresh air revived her She buried
her face in her hands and prayed for
deliverance.
All at once she saw the man who
inspired her so with terror standing
among the shrubbery, and watching
her He approached her slowly.
"Wiii you consent to live here with
me?' he asked.
No, never % she answered.
He laughed, cruelty, and turned
away.
She remained in the garden all day.
At night she slept, unmolested, upon
the pallet. a-
In the morning she ate little bread |
that was lett upon the table. Aneth- |
er day she spent wandering IN the
garden, but she was weak from much |
weeping and insufficient food, and at
dark lay down to the deep slumbers
of exhaustion.
She rose again, but she had no food
The terrible suspicion that the master
of this. her prison, meant to starve
her to a compliance to his wishes,
came over her. With a shudder, she
lay down again, quite too i'll now to
bear the violence of her emotions.-
She lay shuddering with cold and i'll.
ness.
A biting THIRST and bitter hunger
came over her. Her lips were parch-
ed, her tongue was swollen. A burn
ing fever succeeded her chill. Rising
from the couch, she staggered to the
table, took therefrom a goblet, and
crept up the stone steps. She wan
dered on in search of the fountain.
At length she heard it running over
las basin, and though her heart beat
quickly with fear, dreading lest she
should meet the master Of the garden,
she crossed the sunny glade, and dip
ping the goblet into the basin, drank
with feverish eagerness.
For a few moments she seemed
stronger. Observing small summer
house beneath the locusts she enter
I'd it.
The walls were of lattice-work, and
t had door at either end. A luxu- !
liant grapevine chambering over the
,oof. made the place dim and COOL
At first she did not see that the place
vas occupied. She sank into seat,
at the moment table !
books, glasses and dish $
If strawberries-and before she was 9
hardly seated the figure of man rose ,,
rom the bench where he was lying.
With cry she started to her feet 9
"Sit down-you need not run for I
you cannot run away from me-" said
he tyrant. "You hardly look as
ierce as you did yesterday morning" t
She sat passive, almost fainting.-tt
Her companion drew a seat to her I
ide, smiling slyly as he observed how C
nstiuctively she shrank from him.
Not tanned yet? How obstinate
women are! My maid, Nan Y
ttee, who is old and ugly, would give +
nore than her life for diamond like
his" and as, he spoke he slipped a g
massive and beautiful ring upon her Il
title cold hand. O
81 am ill and hungry" moaned Sa- {
ONE. il
"You have only to promise to be t
nine, to have instantly the daintiest c
pod and richest wine brought to your t
and" ......, .r.l ....-. =. .-. a