The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-10-10

STELLA.

tle lool VI tlt sufuDS, WueIe Iuo WIuu
was blowing the other way, the sea
rustling up the shingle far below in the
soft melancholy summer night.
Summer night should not be melan-
choly, except as melancholy always fol
lows on the trail of exceeding beauty in
our sensation 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 was a
desolation since Stella went to sea.
If she had not gone as she did, | 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 luxurious seaside life? She was a
village maiden, and had not been so
much admired in the country town,
where redder color and blacker eyes and
thicker hair were more to the rustic taste.
But when | went to Hillside as the head
quarters 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 mi ight
have if it just began to breathe and blush,
and silky hair soft as a child's, with
tendril-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 pic
lures would shelter two, and meanwhile
we kept the story of our passion to our
selves-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
boarders of Hillside, but now the owner
of a villa all peaks and gables and
verandas, set amidst lawns and fountains
and vases overAowing with flowers, on
the edge of the sea-a palace masquer-
aiding 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 I fol-
lowed down behind her, and established
mysef-Newport was one of my old
haunts, and l had known how to be
happy there once. did not know how
to be happy there now. l had scarcely
moment of Stella to myself.
II I went to Mrs. Rittener's in
the morning, throng of be-rib-
boned damsels sat on the wide porches en-
circling Stella; they learned a song, they
practiced new dance together, and,
with group of dandies, young million
aires, and attaches 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, dansantes, bathing,
driving, yachting, filled one day after
another, and Stella was the joyous thing
round which everything seemed to circle.
1t was new life to her. She knew it
did not belong to her; that it was leaf
borrowed from the existence of others;
that she must 60 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; saw her like butterfly lowering
over bright flowers, as light, as purpose
less, 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 morn
ing, from my own window, | could see
her alone on the lawn in her white gown,
strolling to lean over the sea, or filling
her arms with flowers; but it would have
been out of the question to 90 to her
then; and late at night, if I fingered
until others had departed, was harassed
by Mrs Rttener, who knew nothing of
any relation between us, and who disap-
proved of poor artist while there was
such a 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 jeunesse epuisee, his title, cas-
ties, Jewels, and all the remainder"
to any one among them who CHANGED to
be lovely and adrot enough to take his
fancy; or Mr.. Burleigh, the pork con-
tractor, who owned half Illinois; or a
score of others, in fact, to the tried ex-
perience 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 was faith
full to her love, but all of this disquieted
and kept me in turmoil, and there was
no one of all the suitors that so filled me
with disgust as De Luyster.
Utterly worn out in the fierce pursuit
Of pleasure as he was, and knowing all |
lid about him, to see him address my lit
tle,girl was PROCLAMATION; and, when I fu-
riously watched them in the waltz, the
light touch of his hand seemed a sacri-
lege. For some inscrutable reason, or
rather from my very reverence for her, |
could not speak freely ON the matter; l
could not even harbor the idea of max
ing him the subject of second thought
in her innocent mind. II glances could
have killed the man, he would have been
stabbed to death; the rest / endured in
silence.
And it asked for endurance, to see her
flashing beside De Luyster rs he drove
his four-in-hand; to see her strolling with
him in moonlight, and pausing in the