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

board the Flight.
"Not goingY' cried Stella, coming
down to me in her blue yachting dress
and broad hat, with the fair hair waving
round her sweet face-a sea-nymph in
, disguise.
certainly notw I said. "And I
should greatly prefer that you remained
at home."
"Tg' she cried, in gay astonishment.
"Why, how could l, dear? l couldn't
you know. The sail is given for me. l
wish you would CO."
"Go" | answered her in scorn.
She looked at me in MANAGEMENT. "Why
do you speak SOP she said.
"What right has that man to give the
sail to your that" l paused, remem-
bering myself.
"Please tell me what you mean," she
said gently.
81 mean nothing except to insist that
you shall not join that party"
at is absolutely impossible for me to
do so, she said, with little gasp. "lf
you had spoken before; not 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 fellows
addresses. / 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 dignity that
for moment quelled me. 81 can not
see" she resumed, breaking the short
silence, the surprise not yet all gone
from her eyes, "why yoI will not go
yourself. Just think how perfect it is,
DEAR" and her face began to kindle,
sweeping out under the great white
sails in the sunshine, beneath blue sky
and over blue sea, with music and dane
! ing and the glorious wind-and sunset at
sea-and the little young moon sailing
: along beside us; and then the starlight,
dear, when the dark is overhead and un-
derneath, and we seem TO be floating sus-
pended in mysteryl And then, at last,
the sunrise, after the dawning, all purple
and rose, and all the dewiness of morn
ing at sea. was out once with Mrs.
Rittener. Oh, darling, do comew
, ''Never" cried, like the brute was,
rage and bitterness getting the better of
everything else as thought of her with
that wretch in all those scenes. "Never.
And if you persist in going, warn you
now that it is the last request. 1shall con-
slider everything between us at an endw
And before another word could be said,
Mr.. Rittener and De Luyster and Flor
ence and Percival were at our side, the
servants were hurrying down with lug
gage, the horses were prancing at the
gate. There was moment of confusion,
some protestations, fancied, some out
cry, and then, whether she would or not,
surrounded by the others, and all taken
for granted, she was in the carriage, and
they were off.
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 were blue, but the world was
wilderness. | could see nothing but the
great yacht bending and bowing over the
waters, shining phantom by day, pale
ghost by night; visions of the luxurious
life, the dance music, the flowers, the
feasting, and in it all my Stella and that
man; when the sunlight softened, when
crimson suffused the waves, when the
deep, delicious dusk shut them in, rock
ing on from billow to billow, under the
towering of the great shadowy sails, un-
der the powdery splendor of the stars,
Stella and that man together!
By the end of the third day was
wrought to a pitch of madness. I felt
myself justified in my wrath-openIy de-
fed, my tenderest feelings outraged; l
said should never see her again. | aban.
doned her to her fate. | began to
paint them impetuously. Such sea
scenes as swept across my fancy! Such
colors as seemed to ri pen on my palette!
Such reefs wrapped with foam-wreaths
OF summer seas glimmering beyond them
in the half risen moon, like the paved
way into heaven, or those same reefs
when their horns tore the angry waters
into fleece, stretch after stretch of storm
drowning out the horizons and the stag
gering masts, aud yet again the placid
down of the ruddy day about them as
the long waves creamed up the curving
shore, and broke in rainbows round the
naked babies wading in, and the dipping
wings of the sea-birds. My pencil seemed
possessed of magic; fame danced before
my eyes, rtsplendent shape. Stella
should lament the day she forsook this
painter of pictures for that imbecile
wealth. And all at once | turned the
canvases to the wall-my heart was
breaking.
The Flight had been due on the mid
night tide, OF course, had Stella signi-
fed the wish, she would have been there
would have been there even earlier.
The day drew on to nightfall. Other sails
drew huddling in, pleasure boats and
stately ships and fishing fleets made
anchor, and found haven from the gath
erinp storm. but there was no sion of tho