The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1878-04-20
Genevra Romaine's

T0RmenN OF OH NAt NaEtaS VA tA~ ~
World. It's low walls were Of pale graz
stone, the jagged angles Of its roof deaed
any architectural description, and it was
araped from the tip Of It's clustering. com.
teal chimneys t. the iron-gratCd windows
Of its base with thick, dark. green, glUssy
ieaved ivy. Abundant blossoms Of the
Queen Of the Prairie " hung in ftstoons
Of pale pink and vivid velvety crimson
about the deep. narrow ulioLed W.rdows
and Gothic doors. The Tardcn was = tangle
of roses of bridal bite and dainask-red.
and scented sprays Of yelloST-biooin Ike
disks of gold.
This ODD little house and delicious garden
were set in the heart Of IL rich green country
girded by fair, pine topped hills. and -
rampant of far away unrp!e peaks forever
swept by a phunt lsnsgoria OF cloud IN a
sheen of silver, q flush Of rose, OF a haze OF
amethyst
Ny room was low aud long and quaint
It was wainscotel wish oak. and its wall
and ceiling We're painted in sonic delicate
misty, twany tint. as delightful ss peculiar
The moss brown carpet was strewn witt
purple pansies ami sAtny hlics, and thu
sofas and chairs were cushioned ia siikcI.
violet and maize. 4 few rare old pictures
in frames OF tarnishsd silt adorned the
walls; and one. placed between the two
windows. directly opposite a tail pier. glass
at the other eni oi the apartrle nt, was the
life-sized portrait o. a beautiful woman.
This pictured beauty was shaped like a
Hebe she had an innocent lily face, spark
ling eyes Of violet hluc a braided crown of
pale.gold hair, pink diuiplcd checks. and
pouting scarlet lips. She was dressed in n
sort OF toilet worn nearly n century ago
such Rs one often now secs among mnsquer-
ade costumes: e short skirt and short low
corsage of white satin, flouuced with lace
and garlandod with white roses; and over
this "a trained robe of pale blue velvet,
fringed with gold. Pearls ard white rose
buds adorned the hair and bosom, aud
pearls and rubies flashed On the neck and
arms through the modest drapcry of cloudy
lace.
To one Of IN impaAsioued and magma
tive temperament the exquisite painted
form and face suggested Mt all times some
dead romance. When had she lived ? whom
had she loved and how and where had
she died?
had hired the place, just as it was, with
an antique furniture and one nntiqunted
servant, for n few weeks OF summer rest,
The house was not a furlong away from the
busy, gossiping village Of Roselynne, and
yet TO me it seemed utterly isolated in n
beautiful and soul-soothing seclusion. Here,
among the scent Of roses and apple bloom,
from the rhymeless music of bird songs,
the hum of bees and the chirp of insects,
or from the thunderous dirges of a storm
among the hills, ! could weave my elegies,
a fantasia or extravaganza, unmolested, as
born and measured by my mood.
Very late one night, when the old moon
hung white and glittering above the tallest
western mountain peaks, l sat alone in my
-... .hra,,b -Ar NnAn tvtnlnNU~a
upon the far. stretching orchards W thout-
the garden and the orchards that waved in
the sweet night breezes like q foamy sea
flushed with the gold and rose of an aurora
borealis.
The call OF u distant night bird, the
rustic Of a mouse in the wainscoting, or the
creaking of the lead tree that grated
against the windows TINT lanked the por-
tTait-some sound that was neither a song,
nor q %tiutter, nor q sigh, startled me.
] arose from my recruitment ease on a
.ofa and looked curiously about me.
The luminous, silvery splendor of the old
AOon-crescent lay broad and clear down the
sngth Of the room and touched the picture
u the painted woman with an unearthly
hight.
A l looked. the vivid scarlet Of the lips,
me lustre of the azure eyes, the coronal Of
oV4su -SOlb hlli, Az SAIuA9ltc HRuIt anu
t.ce. seemed TO grow dim and f.de away.
md q shroud Of ghostly, blush white cloud
yelled the canvas from the ceiling to the
door. And then out Of the spectral cloud
crew q delicate. corpse-like form, and with
= waving of Haxen hands and a mesmeric
gaze OF eyes, that were like two smothered
blue flames, trannfxed me as if 4. q night
-are.
Il am GENEVA Romaine, " said an Eolian
.oice that thrilled me. You have often
looked upon me as l was once in the days
>! my youth and pride and loveliness. Ny
lady, fifty years have come and zone since
.hose haley on days. Shall | tell you what
oy life was like then? 1t was like that Of
abe .kylark you found deal among the
roses this morning-the dead bird with the
BROKEN wing. whose heart had heen pierced.
-hile it was singing towards the sun, by q
.portsman's needless shot. II was like the
sly you plucked this morning before it was
.orn and trampled by the strange blood
tounds that bayed at your gate. A lily and
= lark-that was what he called me-the
nan / loved. My lover WIS Colonel Bcres-
isrd. lie he'd much wealth, and he was
s,ir TO 4 title, and all | had was this little
.nuSe, with its gardens aud fields of roses
I'D rpplc-bloon. But he wooed me as n
..N,rt might should WOO 4 royal lady. and
. DNSHAAN IA wiz oAN Jul lllll4uIt WAS
- dc d Of night, in darkness aud secrecy,
No brid.l bella were rung; l wore no
---nge flowers, nor bridal satins aud laces.
There was no witness of our wedding vow,
ave the one acolytc OF the weak old pries:
Tho read the service aud heard our prom
as. end dccl red US nan and wife. But
IA sati.h=d and h'ppy with my handsome
..rt-eyed husband. His house was our
nome, this very room our marringe cham
cor. loved { { place, Tor here | Was bonn
- I here my parent died l loved it wi,il
~ eternal love, and when my husband wa-
~..1c Cunt Berestora. | was loath 10 leave
- fer his home ncrO3a the sea. AT first my
lus!and laughed 1T my foolish fondness for
tho place where he had va Ccd and Won NO
ne said he must cage his singing lark H.
uis BEAUTIFUL English castle; that he mus;
.lothc his wildwood lily il cloth Of gold anG
.oy.l Jewels, and that she must live d-li
.s1usly and fore sumptuousiy with the titltd
sd favored friends Of his " country
.tn al The end Of 4 year he went alone nrd
1T me here dc1pla,e, Oh, it was a weary.
;rcary tine lie never wrote, he never
an for me, hcncye came
The voice ceased in q 9uiyeriug wall, ard
as~;n all was silent save the rustic of some
rodent wandering Ec,i ind the wainscotin..
:: the rattle of the dead tree limbs withont
.:,e windows. Then The hands. 50 upeor;b,
~ aiid luminous, seemed to stir the y,u-5ry
vail Though which the strange, spectt,i
.ye- scintiilrtci like inciade-ceat 80
phirer
! said ne never came spoke the vi
on = but he did ate. twclvc silent month.
= i pas sed. H cane AZ dead OF night anil
-sTprifed me sleei'H. III .,Uuder old on GA
o. 4. where you lay . IL last light. He dit
. .:t IA me .ith i -ses, Is u. had bee.