Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-03-07
GORDON.

QraDcGlGS falling AROUND her Will the
soft grace she gave to all she touched.
Sunshine was on her beautiful hair
evening sunshine, which turned the
wreath of plaits she wore into a crown
of FURNISHED gold. She came floating
on, through the flower and fruit-gemmed
orange trees, through the crimson and
pure white camelia blooms: violets
grew beneath her feet, and she seemed
to me part of the glory and the fra
GRANGE of the sunset and the blossoms.
Below the terrace where | stood lay
the sea, where blue faded to green, and
green to OPAL melting into one deep
far-stretching mystery Of purple and
light and banks of golden cloud. Pal
aces and domes Of stately spires shone
white against the dark background of
distant mountains Suddenly the mu-
sic of many bells rung out on the still
air, their Ginning softened by distance
into low, faint sweetness. They were
he bells of the stately marble city that
shone so fair across her cleaning bay.
The first bell notes were taken up and
echoed by the bells of chapels in villages
along the shore; of converts hidden
away IN country dells and valleys, till
the air was full of lingering prayerful
sound. Through it, through the magi-
cal Italian twilight came the woman /
loved. She came and stood beside me,
looking across the water to where Ge-
noaPs palaces gIimmered against the
sky; but do not think she saw or
thought of them. There was a dreamy
look in her eyes, a cold, set WEAKNESS
about her mouth, which is only seen in
those whose thoughts have drifted far
from where they stand.
Are you tired of this place" [ at
length ventured to ask her.
Not particularly" she answered;
"you know [ never care much where |
am" The words sounded petulant; but
said rs she said them, they were only
weary. | should have been glad if she
had ever shown impatience; anything
rather than the cold quiet which ever
lay upon her beauty like pail. AT
first, III my triumphant happiness at
having won her promise to be my wife,
this GOODNESS had not chilled meas it
sometimes did now-to the heart, [ so
longed, so hungered for a word of love,
for a tender look. All her stately beau
ty would soon be mine, and it seemed
still Us far from me as ever.
We leaned on the low parapet Of the
terrace, while the music of the bells
died away, till only the slow beating of
the waves broke the stiffness. 1t was an
hour of wonderful peace and beauty,
yet strange sense of unrest took pos
session of me, and Jared the music OF
the waves and the restful quiet of the
twilight. Standing there close to her,
with the certainty that soon she would
be my own forever, Il vague thrill OF
fear came over me, a fear lest all this
feverish Joy of knowing she was mine
might vanish away and leave me a lone
mortal This love for her had become
to me an all-absorbing passion; and yet
she never for one moment allowed me
to think that my love was returned.
Perhaps it was the might of her beauty
that filled my senses; yet L have seen
beautiful women since, and had seen
them before / first saw her on the walls
above the old Etruscan gateway at
Perugia.
One morning the week before, [ had
strOlled out from the dull hotel; and
leaving the street with its tall houses
and quaint old fountain, glowing in the
days first freshness, [ sauntered on to
the walls, and there l first saw her. Be
low in the valley the silvery olive leaves
trembled in the sunshine; wreaths OF
broad-leaved vines chung to the gray
old trees, clothing them with a borrowed
beauty of youth and freshness. Hun
dreds of flowers blushed in the light,
and varied Odors from herb and bios
som filled the air with a subtle languor.
Above, on the ichen-cOvered wall, with
Il background of purple mountain, a
fitting frame for her stately loneliness,
she sat, looking out across the sunlit
land, with the dreary far away look in
her great deep eyes, and the naughty
GOODNESS upon her chiseled face. |
fingered about, drinking draughts OF
beauty; fancying it was my artistic
sense that got me there watching her
face, till she rose YEARLY, and slowly
walking down the street, entered the
hotel where | was staying.
| found on inquiry that Mrs, We're
ker and her niece, Miss Mayne, had ar
rived there the previous evening. /
had sometimes met Mrs. Nereker in
London; and later on in the day, while
| was carelessly examining the carving
on the fountain III the square, saw her
and mysvision of the morning standing
on the cathedral steps. Mrs. Vereker
came forward with that frienGliness we
feel for slight home acquaintance
whom we may chance to meet when
abroad. So l joined them, and we
strolled on, chatting over home news.
Miss Mayne seldom spoke, and yet that
walk seemed to me a strangely happy
one. Mrs. Nereker told me they had
only been a day in Perugia, and had
intended going on at once to Rome;
but the mountain air and mountain
views were SO delightful that they had
changed their minds, and intended re
manning for some time at Perugia.
| had come to the old town to study
art; to search the blazoned manuscripts
lying hidden in sacristy and convent.
and learn from them their secrets of
color and design; to wander through
frescoed church and palace, where
walls and ceilings are brilliant still as
when the hands which wove their COR
geous stories first laid the pencil down
and thanked God for the great CONSIDER
art. [ had time to watch the mists
rising from the valleys, and wrapping
the mountains in soft mystery of cloud
cloud which changes and shifts, and
melts at last into the golden and pur-
pie, the opaline green of the sunrise; SO
that | might try to wrest from nature a
faint touch of her magic of shadow and
light, of color and form, and Law it at
the feet of the one mistress | had ever
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