The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1879-07-05

which had matured into rare and perfec
beauty
He was chum of her brothers snt
Frederetta wondered what Will found il
him 80 attractive. Only few days o
their vacation remained, and then they
would 60 back to the city.
4 Everett Reynolds hsd found his friend'i
home singularly attractive-msde so by
the presence of Fnederetta, whose wsy
ward moods he loved to study, though
she knew it not.
Her book which she had brought along
with her lsy on her lap She threw OF
her hat on the rustic seat. and Everett,
looking at her with half-closed eyes,
Thought within himself, how fair she
looked with the chequered sunlight ca
ressing her low brow and bright brown
nair, her white dress and pink ribbons
investing her with the charms which
becoming dress gives to woman.
Wont you read to me 2" he asked,
at length.
lyon do not admire gennyson ?" lift
ing her lashes to let her eyes upon his
face. Is You always rate him low when
/ speak in his favor"
"You are mistaken. I do admire him,
and I think nothing finer than the
Idyls.'" He took the book and began
to turn the leaves. Frederetts eyed him
anxiously; it came to her suddenly that
more was here than met the eye. he
passed the book to her open at I" Enid"
"Ysu like that ?" she asked; :" the
dutiiul wife who questioned not her
lords right to command, / speak not,
but obey '"-with defiant laugh. "You
will find her like as rare now, a-days az
the brave knight of the Table Round
d" You may sometimes find that mel
Their are as rare as you suppose I; but
please 20 on" and she did SO until COM
ing to the Insults beaped upon the gen
tie " Enid" through the jealousy o b r
husband, she closed the book, saying
apgrily:
That poem always proves too much
or my patience +"
"AhI but, if you want those brave
knights of olden times, you will have TO
wink at such exhibitions OF their lordiy
requirements, and drop your modern
woman's rights ideas. 1t seems they
exacted something in return for their
wonderful deeds of chivalry."
There was an air of sarcasm, quiz
zical tone, that nettled her; but she
concealed the feeling, and said, laugh
ingly:
You and cannot discuss this ques'
tion without quarreling. Suppose we
drop p
Sand go you are not going to finish
Enid p" He reached for the closed |
book Do you ever read MaudT"
"Yes. But why do you like such
sentimental nonsense 7"
He turned to it and read the part
commencing:
aCome into the garden, Maud,
For the black bat, night, has TOWN."
She had never heard him read before,
and glad pleasure filled her heart to hear
her tavorite poet 80 correctly and finely
as ne went on
"There has fallen splendid tear
From the passion flower at the gate,
She is coming, my dove. my dear
She is coming, my life, my fate"
Frederetta comprehended that this
man understood more fully than she this
exquisitely wrought description of the
grand passion that swsys the world as
the rich, mellow voice glided over the
stsnzas, and heart vibration quivered |
in the words as he ended:
She is coming, my own, my sweet,
Wege it ever 80 airy tread,
My heart would bear her and beat
We're it earth in my earthy bed,
My heart would hear and beat
Had it lain for century dead;
Would start and tremble under her feet,
And blossom in purple and red.n
There :" he said, " find me g finer
piece of sentiment than that. You know
the rudden transition the poem makes
from this brightly wrought ecstasy of
passion to the depth of wild despair.
One catches rare glimpse of the ex-
tremes of happiness and misery in q
human soul. But can never fu Nv de-.