Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-10-02

may" said he. II thought it was to
enable us to forget everything but the
present, and this is the present"
"But it will be the past in little
WHILE" said she, "and we must forget it,
like all the rest. Victor, we must forget!
They say that all things are possible to
resolution: let us resolve to do that"
Clare said, with something like a groan,
would to God l could die here and now,
or else that there scds some spell by
which one could make memory blank ~
LET us try the lotos," said Eleanor.
"See, brought it as you told me-"
From her pocket she drew paper
which, being opened, proved to contain
the dried petals of flower, evidently an
aquatic plant. Yellow and lifeless as it
was, Eleanor looked at it with wistful rev.
erence. at came from Egypt" she said
then she added, "where you are going"
eve will see if there is any magic in
it," said Clare.
So, together they took the dried petals
and began to eat them, smiling little
sadly at each other as they did so.
at is not disagreeable," said Eleanor.
"But fear we shall not find the effect
for which we have hoped. 1t is of the
lotos fruit that Homer and Tennyson
have written"
"And the lotos flower of mythology is
an East Indian, not an Egyptian, aquatic
but since we desire to link our fancy with
the flower of the Nile, we will ignore the
poets and the Brahmins. Eleanor, what
if we should indeed resolve to leave the
past behind us from this hour, and face
our future together?"
He looked at her imploringly and pas
sionately, but instead of replying she put
her hand to her head. "iow strangely
dizzy l amw she said Scan lido you
think it can be the lotos?"
"Dizzym he repeated. "Then l must
take you from the edge of this precipice.
Perhaps it is that which affects you. 1t
could not have been the lotos, or should
feel it too. Come, let me lead you round
the rock"
But when he attempted to rise he found
that to him, too, sudden strange dizzi-
ness came. A construction seemed gath
ering about his heart, mist seemed ris-
ing before his eyes. Before he had half
risen he sank back against the rock.
''Do you feel it too?" she asked quickly.
"Yes," he said slowly, putting his hand
also to his head. "What can it mean?
Could there have been anything wrong in
that plant? The lotos itself is harmless,
either flower or fruit. Eleanor, my dar-
ling" he cried with sudden alarm. Good
heavens! what is the matterg How pale
you lookp
IL do not think it could have been
the lotos. 1t must have been some pois.
onous plant" said she family. This
giddiness and numbness increases" Then
she held out her hands TREMENDOUSLY
"Hold me-" she said "rhe earth seems
slipping away from me. Oh, Victor, what
if 1t should be fatalg"
ado not imagine such thing" he said.
at is impossible! The plant has probably
some narcotic property which affects you
temporarily. Lean on me until it is over
Ny God! how mad / was to have suffered
you to eat it,!
"Do not blame YOURSELF" she said
clinging to him, her fair head dropping
heavily on his breast. ut was / who
spoke of it-who sent for it"
She stopped, gasping little, and press
ing her hand to her heart, where an iron
clutch seemed arresting the circulation
A glance at her face filled Clare with ter
ror which he had not felt before. Partly
| this, partly his own sensations, told hin
| that the poison of the plant which they
| had shared between them Wds fatal-on'
| of the swift and terrible agents OIL
death which abound in the East
With every pulse-beat he felt the awful
Keeling numbness increase. How mucf
| longer he could retain his CONSCIOUSNESS
he could not tell. He saw plainly tina
| Eleanor was losing hers.
"My darling" he said, striving vainly
| to unclasp the arms that chung to him
II must go-I must call assistance; this
NAV be more serious than ! thought
Try to rouse yourself, Eleanor; mus
gop'
Alas! it was easy TO say-it was awfully
impossible TO do. Even when Eleanor re.
Taxed her already halfunconscious EN-
brace, and he strOve to rise, he found thai
not even desperation could give the requi
site power He literally could not gain
his feet. Every effort failed; he sank
back hopelessly.
Eleanor" he said, {" IL is hopeless II
this is poison we must die! Oh, my dar
ling, can you forgive me9 q my God
send us help! Eleanor, can you hear me
Eleanor, will you not speak TO mcy"
For a minute all was silence. Then the
fair head raised itself, and the lids slowly
and heavily lifted from the blue, flower
like eyes. The. moon, which had now
risen high in the cloudless July heaven
shone full on her face as she said, Kiss
me-"
For the first time their lips met when
they parted both were cold.
Still clinging together, they were found
At their feet lay fragment of the deadly
poisonous Egyptian river-plant which
Marston Brent had ignorantly plucked fol-
a lotos.--Cwistian Reid, IN Ltppincot ion
September.
The Course OF True Love.