The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1879-11-29
STELLA.

Law out there among the rocks NJ the loot OF
the shrubs, where the wind was blowing the
other way, the sea rustling up the single far
below in the soft, melancholy summer night.
Summer-niyht should not be melancholy,
except "a melancholy always follows on the
with the effort of the finite to approach the
infinite, perhaps. But all nights, in effect,
and DAYS, too, were melancholy then to
me: the world desolation since Stella went
TO sea.
If she had not gone rs she did, L said to
myself when the first fire fell; but what was
one to expect of young girl suddenly
launched on the luxury of the most luxuri-
Gus seaside life? She was village maiden,
and had not been much admired In the
country town. where redder color and blacker
ewes and thicker hair were more to the
rustic TASTE But when l went to Hillside,
as the headquarters of my sketching-ground,
it seemed to me that fairer hues, and finer
lines and more ethereal beauty ! had never
found; delicate as some chiseled statue, color,
such as that statue might have If 1t just
began to breathe and blush, and silky hair
as soft as chld's, with tendrll-like rings.
In three months time the airy, perfect being
had promised to be my wife whenever the
good taste of patrons should SO increase that
my pictures would shelter two, and mean
while we kept the story of our passion to
ourselves-the sweeter secret.
Life sped on that year with rainbowed
wings; the future stretched bright as a
dream; the present was pure joy.
In the second year Stella went to visit
friends at Newport, once the summer board
ers of Hillside, but now the owner of a villa
all peaks and gables and verandas, set amidst
lawns and fountains and vases overlooking
with flowers, on the edge of the sea-a palace
masquerading as a cottage. A shadow then
seemed to overspread the heavens with its
evil-wings, and the gloom of it was scarcely
lifted by the letters that came telling of the
gay life. One day followed down behind
her, and established myself-Newport was
one of my old haunts, and had known how
to be happy there once. L did not know how
to be happy there now. l had scarcely
moment of Stella to myself. If l went to
Mrs. Rittener's in the morning, throng of
be-ribboned damsels sat on the wide porches
encirclinng Stella; they learned song, they
practiced a new dance together, and, with a
group of dandies, young milliOnaires, and at
taches of foreign legations, they did little
of the Boccacio and Vatican life. In the
afternoon l found the horses at the gate
Breakfasts fetes champetres, matinees, dasan-
ties, bathing, driving, yachting, filled one day
after another, and Stella was the joyous
thing round which everything seemed to cir
Gle. 1t was new life to her. She knew it
did not belong to her; that it was a leaf bor-
rowed from the existence of others; that she
must go back to quiet duties and restricted
pleasures. 1t was like reading some delicious
romance-she reveled in it now, and gave no
heed to the time when it should come to an
end.
But II of course, did not recognize this;
I saw her like a butterfly lowering over
bright. flowers, as light, rs purposeless, as
lovely, dancing in the beam, drinking the
perfume, all la folie and every day of it
maddened me one degree more than the last.
Early in the morning, from my own win
dow, could see her alone on the lawn in
her white gown, strolling to lean over the
sea, or filing her arms with flowers; but it
would have been out of the question to go to
her then; and late at night, if 1 waited
until others had departed, 1 was harrassed
by Mrs. Rittener, who knew nothing of any
relation between us, and who disapproved OF
q Door artist while there was such parti to
be had as young De Luyster, the wealthiest
blase young bachelor of New York, or as the
old Count Montmorenci, who fascinated by
the beauties of America, was about to give
his ieunesse epuisee, his title, castle, jewels
and and all the remainder" to any one
among them who CHANGED to be lovely and
adroit enough to take his fancy; or Mr.
Burleigh, the pork contractor, who owned
half Illinois; or a score of others, in tact, tc
the tried experience of each of whom Stella
was like some spirit wandering out OF
strange land, just ALT for moment among
them. / knew in my heart that Stella wa
faithful to her love, but all of this disquietet
and kept me in a turmoil, and there was M
one of all the suitors that so filled me will
disgust as De Luyster.
Utterly worn out in the fierce pursuit o
pleasure as he was, and knowing all die
about him, to see him address my little CIR
was PROCLAMATION; and when L furiousl,
watched them in the waltz, the light toucl
of his hand seemed sacrilege. For some in
scrutable reason, or rather from my yer,
reverence for her, 1 could not speak freel.
on the matter; / could not even harbor tn
idea of making him the subject of my sec
ond thought in her innocent mind. 1fglance
could have killed the man, he would hav
been stabbed to death; the rest / endured il
silence.
And it asked for endurance, to see he
flashing beside De Luyster as he drive hi
four-in-hand; to see her strolling with hir
in the moonlight, and pausing to listen to tn
murmur of the sea; to see him hand her
the deck of his yacht as if she were its queen
no matter if a crowd were with him, it a
WAYS seemed to me that she was there on tn
wide sea alone with him.
1t was concerning this accursed yacht ths
all the trouble came. Mrs. Ritteper and he
retinue of Youths and maidens were to g
out with De Luyster sailing along the Goa
some DAYS. His yacht was his pet fame,
She had spread her wings and flown aero
the Atlantic in / don't know how few day
and from truck to keelson she was altogeth'
perfect. Doubtless could have gone alon
had / chosen, but there were not forces
nature sufficient to have drawn me on boar
the Flight.
"Not going?" cried Stella, coming dow
to me in her blue yachting dress and bros
hat. with the fair hair waving round her swe
face sea-nymph in disguise.
Certainly not!' said. "And 1 shou
greatly prefer that you remained at home
"I?" she cried in gay astonishmer
ssWhy, how could L, dear? l couldn't, yo
know. The sail is given for me- l wi
you would CO.
"Gol'' answered her in scorn.
She looked at me in amazement. "Wl
do you speak so?" she said.
.sWhat right has that man to give the S,
to YOU? that" paused remembering m
sell.
.Please tell me what you mean," she sa
gently.
IL mean nothing, except to insist that y
shall not join that party.
at is absolutely impossible for me to
so,' she said, with a little gasp of you h
.noken before. not nOw-noW II would