The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1880-09-12
STELLA.

the universe between Vega Lyra and me. |
lay out there among the rocks at the foot of
the shrubs that the wind was blowing the
other way, the sea rustling up the single
far below in the soft, melancholy summer
night
II she had not gone as she did, said to
myself when the first fire fell but what was
one to expect from young girl suddenly
launched on the luxury of the most luxurious
seaside life She was village maiden, and
had not been so much admired in the coun-
try town, where redder color, blackcr eyes,
and thicker hair were more to the rustic
taste. But when | went to Hillside as tile
headquarters of my sketching ground, IL
seemed to me that faircr hues and finer
lines and more ethereal beauty never
found-delicate as some chiseled statue
color such as that statue might havcif it Just
began to breathe and blush, and silky hair,
soft AS a cl,ild's, with tcndril-lke 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 pictures would shelter two and mean
while we kept the story of our passion to our
selves--the sweetest secret.
In the second year Stella went to visit
friends at Newport, once the summer board
crs OF Hillside, but now the owners of villa
all peaks and gables and verandas, set
amidst lawns and fountains, and vases
overlooking with flowers, on the edge of
the sea-a place masguerading as a cottage.
shadow then seemed to overspread the
heavens with its evil wings, and the gloom
of twas scarcely lifted by letters that came
telling Of the gay life. One day l followed
down behind her, and established myself
Newport had been one of my favorite old
haunts, and had known how to be happy
there once. did not know how to be happy
there now. | had scarcely Il moment of
Stella TO myself. If Invent to Mrs. Riltcner's
in the morning, a tlrong of beribboncd dam
sells sat on the wide porches epcircling Stella;
they learned n song, they practiced new
dance together, and with the group of dan
dies, young millionaires, and the attaches of
foreign legations, they did little of the
Boccaccio. and Vatican life. In the after
noon found the horses at the gate. Break
fnsts, tltes champGtrcs, matinees, dansantcs,
bathing, driving, yachting filled one day
after another, and Stella was the Joyous
thing round which everything seemed to
circle. 1t was a new life to her. She knew
it did not belong TO her; that il was leaf
borrowed from the existence OF others that
she must go back to quiet duties and re-
stricted pleasures.
But IL, of course, did not recognize this.
| | saw her like II butterfly lowering over
| bright flowers, rs light, rs purposcless, as
| lovely, dancing in the beams, drinking the
perfume all Ia toiic, and every day of it
maddered me one degree more than the last.
Early in the morning, 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 up with flowers; but it
would have been out of the question to go to
her then, and late at night, if | should linger
until the others had departed, l was har-
raised by Mrs. Rittener, who knew nothing
Of any relation between us. and who, disap-
| proved of n poor artist while there was such
Il parti to he had as young De Luyster, the
wealthest hlase young bachelor of New
York;or as the old Count Montmorenci, who,
fascinated by the beauties of America, was
about to give his jeuncsse cpousce, his title,
castles, jewels, and all the remainder" to
any one among them who CHANGED to he
lovely and adroit enough to take his fancy;
or Mr.. Burleigh, the great pork contractor,
who owned half Illinois; or n score of others,
in fact, to the tired experience of each Of
whom Stella was like some spirit wandering
out of Il strange land, just ALT for moment
among them. knew in my heart that Stella
was faithful to her love, but all of this dis
quiet,Ido had kept mo in n turmoil, and there
was no one of all the sutors that so filled III,
with disgust as De Luyster.
Utterly worn out in the fierce pursuit OF
pleasure AZ he was, and knowing all | did
about him, to see him address my little girl
was profanation, and when | furiously
watched him in the waltz, the light touch o
his hand seemed sacrlege. II glances coult
have killed the man he would have beer
stabbed to death; the rest | endured il
silence.
And it asked for endurance to see he
| unu l,yh nsiI. Ia Vuv far In Il
his four-n-h hand, to see her strolling will
him in the moonlight, and pausing in tn
pauses of the music To listen TO tho nnirmu
! OF the sea, to see him hand her to the iecl
of his yacht MS If she were its gueer-n
matter if crowd were with them, it Away
seemed to me then that she was there on tin
wide sea alone with him.
It was concerning this accursed yacht tina
all the trouble arose. Mrs. Rittcner am
her retinuc of youths and maidens were :
60 out with De Luystcr sailing along tn
. coast some days.
Not going!' cried Stella, coming dow
to mo in her blue yachting dress and broa
hat, with the fair hair waving around he
sweet face--a sea nymph in disguise.
Certainly not !" said ]. "And shout
greatly prefer that you also remain a
home"
81 7" she cried, in gay astonislimcnt
"Why, how could !, dear couldn't, yo
know. The sail is given for me. wis
You would CO."
"Go!" answered her in scorn
She looked at me in amazement 'Wh
do you speak so 7" she asked. ,
"What right has that man to give III
sail to you f-that-" paused, remembe
ing myself.
"please tell me what you mean" 81
said, gently.
- mean nothing, except to insist tn;
you shall not Join that party. | won't hay
you compromised by this fellows addresse
| will not have the good name of my iutul
wife"
"Your future wife can take care of IA,
own good name" said Stella then, softly an
gravely, with a lovely dignity that for
moment quelled me. 81 cannot see," 81
resumed, breaking the short silence, Il
surprise not yet all gone from her. eye
why you will not go yourself. Just thin
how perfect it is, dear" and her face bega
to kindle, " sweeping out under the gre
!, white sails in the sunshine, beneath bl,
sky and over blue sea, with music and dan
n ing and the glorious wind-and sunset
sea-and the little young moon sailing aloi
beside us, and then the starlight, dear, VIII,
the dark is overhead and underneath, al
we seem TO ba floating suspended in my
I, terry! And, then, at last, the sunrise aft
!. the dawning, all purple ana rose, I
d, the dcwiness of the morning at sea. | "
70 out once with Mrs. Rittener. Oh, darlin
:, do como -
~ Neverl" cried, like the brute W,
rage and bitterness getting the better
everything else as thought OF her with ii
II wretch in all those scenes" never! A
if you persist in going, ! warn you now it
the last request shall over make of you.
shall leave the place and shall eonsiC
y. everything between us at an end a
-. before another word could be said, Mrs. u
- tener and De Luyster and Florence and 7