River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1873-08-15

cNOSlnB Jnlb, uufOl bne clOSely-Wrlt. |
ten sheets. One falls out; it is in nv
grandmother's clear, firm hand. Ali |
how long ago was that written 2 The
date is II.
A strange thing has occurred. I was
ill-very lila year ago. Dear Henri
begged the Moorish physician $50 he is
called to see me. He came, tall and
grave. | was frightened. He was gem
tie to me, and grew to like him. He
is always among the poor; he will re
ceive nothing from any one. Henri
offered him money. He refused RI
gave him my hand, he touched it with
his lips. No one knows whence he
comes, or who he is. The poor bless
his name. He never smiles. | was sure
he had some great sorrow.
! One day man came TO me and hand
ed me letter;
!" am ill. Will you Gomez"
went with Henri. The room was
hung with black The physician was
by a window, looking out upon the
court it was full of people-poor and
many weeping. He stretched out his
hand and smiled. Z" / have sent for
you, madame, to say farewell, and TO
ask your husband to procure passports
formy servant-he is to take me home.
Not now, " | cried, "you are ILL.,"
" No, not now," he said, "to-Inor-
row."
/ had flowers for him-roses, delicate
fuchsias, and pure white lilies. He
took them eagerly, inhaled their per
fume, fondled them, and told me the
legends OF their birth.
"This is my flower, he said lifting
lilly from the rest. 1T has returned
to u.s." He held it close against his
heart, saying softly, sis it an omen of
good e. He sat musing a long time,
gazing up at the blue sky.
Au reUotr," | said, rs | bent over
him, He looked up brightly
mo; udieu"
AT the door | turned again he
waved his hand, then raised the lily to
bis lips and smiled. in the morning
his servant came and gave me packet;
it contained the manuscript | inclose.
On the outside was written:
:" This is the story of my life. No
one will know it but you. Adieu.
The man was weeping. His master
died in the night.
unrolled the yellow sheets. There
was no heading to the story they con-
tanned. L looked ut the end there
was no name. 1t commenced abruptly:
come of Il doomed race. A curse
hung over me at my birth. In conse-
quenoe of horrible crime committed
by one of my ancestors, the good gen.
ius of our race deserted MS, and
demon, fierce and cruel, Swallowed us
with his black wings.
The frst-born child of every genera
tlon was doomed, if boy, to an early
and violent death If girl, to life of
misery, Generation after generation
the curse had fallen. BY water, by
fire, by the sword, the first born son
had persisted and mother wept bit
ter tears when girl was placed in her
arms. There was n legend that the
curse would cease when one was found
bold enough TO foil the demon then,
and then only, would the guardian of
our race return.
There is Moorish blood in our veins.
In the third generation our remote
ancestry shows itself. Men call me
" the Moorish physician. True to nv
instincts, / have devoted myself to the
study of eastern life. The volume of
the heavens has long been open to my
gaze. Earth's deepest mysteries have
yielded to my touch. The voices of
the deep breathe mighty secrets to my
ear, and In the war of the elements.
the flash of the lightning, the roar and
thunder of the waves, when man
shrinks back appalled,, my spirit finds
its wings.
was the second SON. My brother
was assassinated by an unseen hand.
returned to my home and plunged
deeper and deeper into the abstruse
studies / delighted in. Why could
they not suffice Alas loved. All.
fatal power. When we willed it, our
: love must be returned. As knelt be
/ fore the altar, 1 looked upon the fair
creature who had yielded her pure
heart to nae, as the priest may look on
, the victim at whose throat he holds
| the knife. | was pressing the cup of
anguish to those ruby lips: those
sweet eyes would soon overflow with
bitter tears. And yet, mailman, as |
was, with eager haste | clasped the
fair blossom closes TO my heart, know
ing that my fatal grasp must blight its
bloom forever.
For one short year, earths fairest
hues spread out before me and then.
in darkness and in tempest, our child
was born. There were vague mutter-
ings in the air as | took my infant
daughter in my arms. Do YOU wonder
that | could not answer back her moth
er's happy smile My rose and its
sweet bud grew day by day in lowell.
ness I suffered fortunes. Oh, that
che might be taken before her gentle
heart should bleed for the sullerings of
her child
Years passed She began to fade
my beautiful flower. | watched her
anxiously. The wind and the wave
saw my sorrow they reveal no secrets.
Her sweet life ehbel so slowly-would
it be too late With sigh of thank.
fulness | closed her beautiful eyes.
wandered from land TO land, taking
my child with me. | watched her
every step. In agony ! waited the
time when the doom of our dark race