The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-09-25

but there were not forces in nature
Sufficient to have drawn me, on board
the Flight
=" Not goingr' cried Stella, coming
down to me in her blue yachting dress
and broad hat, with the fair hair way
ING round her sweet face-a sea-nymph
in disguise.
Certainly notr' l said. "And
should greatly prefer that You also re-
manned at home"
ZIP" she cried, in gay establishment.
"Why, how could 1, dear? l couldn't,
you know. The sail is given for me.
I sOish you would 60"
$50" I answered her, in scorn.
She looked at me in amazement.
"Why do you speak sop she asked.
"What right has that man to give
the sail to you?-that-'' I paused, re-
Numbering myself.
"Please tell me what you mean,''
She said, gently.
81 mean nothing except to insist
that you shall not join that party
1t is absolutely impossible for me
not to do so," she said, with little
gasp. If you had spoken before; but
now-now it would be rude and unkind,
and he is always so kind to me, it
would not even be decent; and then
you know how Mrs. Rittener-
"Confound Mrs. Rittener! What do
care for her? l care for you. l won't
have YOU compromised by this fellow
addresses. l will not have the good
name of my future wife,
"Your future wife can take care of
her own good name," said Stella then,
softly and gravely, with lovely dig
nifty that for moment quelled me.
II can not see," she resumed, break
ing the short silence, the surprise not
vet all gone from her eyes, "why you
will not 60 yourself. Just think how
perfect it is, dear" and her face began
to kindle, sweeping out under the
great white sails in the sunshine, be-
meath blue sky and over blue sea, with
music and dancing and the glorious
wind--and sunset and sea-and the lit
tie young moon sailing along beside us;
and then the starlight, dear, when the
dark is overhead and underneath, and
we seem to be floating suspended in
mystery! And then, at last, the sun
rise, after the dawning, all purple and
rose, and all the dewiness of morning
at sea. was out once with Mrs. Rit-
tener. Oh, darling, do comer'
"Neverr' l cried, like the brute
was, rage and bitterness getting the
better of everything else as 1 thought
of her with that wretch in all those
scenes" never! And if you persist in
going, l warn you now that it is the
last request shall ever make of you
shall leave the place, and shall con.
slider everything between us at an
end!' And before another word could
be said, Mrs. Rittener and De Luystel
and Florence and Percival were at Oul
side, the servants were hurrying down
with luggage, the horses were prancine
at the gate. There was a moment OF
confusion, some prOtestations, fancied,
some cutlery, and then, whether she
would or no, surrounded by the others,
and all taken for granted, she was in
the carriage, and they were of.
Well, what days, what hateful days,
they were that followed! Of course ]
did not leave the place, and spent the
time incoming about the island with my
sketching-book. But all the glory had
gone from nature, all the satisfaction OF
beauty from my soul; the sun shone
and the skies We're blue, but the world
was a wilderness. l could see nothing
but the great yacht bending and bow.
ing over the waters, a shining phantom
by day, pale ghost by night; visions
of the luxurious life, the dance music
the flowers, the feasting, and in it ali
my Stella and that man; when the sun.
light softened, when crimson suffused
the waves, when the deep delicious
dusk shut them IN, rocking on from bill
low to billow under the towering of the
great shadowy sails, under the powdery
splendor of the stars, Stella and that
man together!
BY the end of the third day was
wrought to pitch of madness. 1 felt
myself justified in my wrath-openly
defied, my tenderest feelings outraged
l said should never see her again.
abandoned her to her fate. began to
paint then impetuously. Such sea
scenes as swept across my fancy! such
colors as seemed to ripen on my pal.
cite! Such reefs wrapped with foam
wreaths of summer seas glimmerine
| beyond them in the half-risen MOON
like the paved way into heaven, OF
| those same reefs when their horns tore
the angry waters into fleece, stretch
after stretch of storm drowning out the
horizons and the staggering masts, OF
yet again the placid dawn Of ruddy day
about them as the long waves creameC
up the curving shore, and broke il
rainbows round the naked babies wad
NC In, and the dipping wings of Sc;
birds. My pencil seemed possessed o
magic; fame danced before my eyes, /:
respondent shape. Stella should la
ment the day she forsoOk this painte
of pictures for that imbecile wealth
And all at once l turned the canvase
to the wall-my heart was breaking.
The "Flight" had been due on the nit
night tide. Of course, had Stella sig
nified the wish, she would have beel
there-would have been there ever
earlier. The day drew on to night-fall
Other sails flew budding in, pleasure
boats and stately ships and fishing fleet
made anchor, and found haven from
the gathering storm; but there was n
sign of the 'sFlight.'' The roaring cas-
wind came driving all the mists acros
the land; the world was wrapped il
rain. All night the tempest ragged
swept across the gardens, and bea
down the blossoms on the terraces Q
flowers, sent great boughs flyin;
through the air; all night hearts stoppe
with its every fresh gust; all night tn
land shook with its shock; all night tn
sea replied; and when at last da
dawned, great racks of pearly cloud la
off in the low eastern sea, zephyr onl
moved from the south, and all the SAP
phire blazed above and blazed below
as if the storm had been an evil dream
But it was no dream--the coast wa
strewn with wrecks; more than on
corpse among the rocks and weed
looked up with blank eyes to the morn
ing light. There was a glorious sea or
and crowds were out surveying it
splendor. Crowds, too, were wastin
their wonder on the "Flight." Wher
was she? Who had spoken her? Ha
| T.