Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-09-26


And all at once l turned the csnyases
to the wSll-my heart was breaking
The Flight had been due on the mid
night tide. OF course, had Stella Signi-
fled the wish, she would have been
there-would have been there even
earlier. The day drew ON 10 nightfall,
Other sails flew budding in; pleasure
boats and stately ships aud fishing fleets
made anchor, and found haven from
the gathering storm; hu; there was no
sign Of the Flight. The roaring east
wini came driving Al thu mists across
the land; the world was wrapped in
rain. All night the tempest ragged,
swept across the gardens and beat
down the blossoms en- the terraces of
flowers, sent great houghs flying through
the air: all night hearts stopped with
It's every fresh gust; all night the land
shook with its shock, NIL night the sea
replied; and when IT last day dawned,
great racks Of pearly cloud lay off in
the low eastern sea, \ zephyr only
moved from the south, and all
sapphire hlazea above and ha1.
cd below rs il the storm
had been an evil dream.
But il was no dream -the coast was
Strewu With wrecks; more than one
corpse among the rocks and weeds
looked up with blank eyes TO the morn-
ing light, There was " glorious sea on,
and crowds We're out surveying its Splen-
dor. Crowds, too, were wasting their
wonder on the Flight Where WIS She
Who had spoken to herr Had she
foundered and gone doWn2 Had she
blown oil the coast? Would any one
ever see her again come sweeping into
harbor with all sail set, Il tower Of snow
and light, with tive music and the dane.
ing? There werc none 70 say. No one
had spoken her; and search the horizon
with burning eyes, no sign Of her white
sail. her golden pennon, was To be seen,
And day followed day the same And
n thrill of horror went to more hearts
than one ut the thought OF the gay party
going Gown with flags flying, and the
world that had known them suspended
for u little its festivity, or turned its
mourning into pleasure by Watching up
and down the coast in search, putting
into harhor every shutdown. But when
ten days had passed, with most doubt
had settled into certainty, and the little
world was taking On its old ways again.
Only they missed the tawny beauty OF
the percval girl upon the drive, the
reckless dash of De l.uyster, tho solemn
Stiffness OF old Montmorenci-they miss
ed, indeed, that airy vision of unreal
IL ~ 81, M. ,Nln IA
desert; at least 1t did to me. The Ritten-
or villa, dark as any Jail, no longer with
snowy clouds blowing from the windows,
no longer with gay groups upon It's
lawns, seemed to mock the blooming oi
the flowers that lifted their scarlet and
gold azure gayly as ever TO the inditler-
ent skies from bed aud vase and urn.
And SO they're giving up the Flight,
| hear" said old Simpson, the lobster
man. MS wandered down the beach
haunted all day long, and where he had
looked up Al me SO often with reas-
surfing ewes, rs he mended his nets 81
tumhled ont his wriggling load. "Well
don't you be any mans fool sir, and
follow such suit" lie said. "Ben Burn.
ham was never at her hollum for moth
ing. When Ben Burnham piloted in
Boston Bay, and knew he couldn't
make Highland Light, he put her helm
hard down and scud for Squam. He
was in blue water before the first wits,
per of that gale, sir, and he's been there
before and often, in like cases; and
when he is he heads for the Bermudies,
sir. And You'll be finding when the
Flight comes in, with all her linen
stretched, that they've been Il rambling
over the Bermudies while you've been
a eating your heart out, sir.
Poor fool AT that moment | stoop-
ed to pull bit of sea-weed, ribbon
Of the dulse from the wave breaking at
my feet--it was the little golden pen
non Of the Flight
There was nothing more to say,
held it up before his gaping face. The
world turned black turned away, and
hid myself that day. My darling My
darling While ! had been painting
these treacherous seas, she had been in
their deadly grasp, she had gone down
their black dcpths--and with HIM For
all eternity with him! While | had
rested in the sunshine she had passed
the great agony-she SO young, 80 fair,
so innocent! She had died while rage
was in my heart for her sweet sake. !
held out my arms to nothingness; my
heart beat with mere pangs. II
might die myself, il might have but
one hour, one moment Of this eternity,
to beg her to forgive me, and then TO
accept nihiity for all the rest. Alb, for
one word Where was she2 in what
upper regions Of light? opened my
eyes, as | lay there 10 the evening dusk
gazing up skyward, and the idle thought
came, as idle thoughts alight on one
perhaps in the very death struggle, that
at that moment there was nothing in
the universe between me and Lyra
Vega. The great blue star shone over
me-
Did great blue stars have faces, then
fair faces with faint rose flushes, with
soft baby hair blowing round them,
with smiles, with tears, with eyes like
stars themselves, with lips full oiVarm,
fragrant kisses? Did stars descend out
Of the far night sky and fashion them
selves, into such creations as this sweet
and sobbing thing that all at once