Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-08-07

"Cruel to wake me, he murmnred. 81
was dreaming of another world.V
"You might have been in it" said
Mauvain, "but for me. A deeper swell
ing of chance wave, and you would have
glided into the sea"
"And so through water to another state
of being. An easy mode of transition,
which one would choose if one had the
power; but there consciousness sets in.
| It is dangerous, too, they say, to sleep
with the moonlight on your face and
have been doing so. Madness might visit
the sleeper, a different kind of madness
from that which we endeavor to hide from
the knowledge of the world. Give me
cigar, Mauvain. So, you did not wish to
lose me.
'Life on the isle," replied Mauvain,
initiating unconsciously the INDECENT tone
of his friend, .'would be intolerable with
out kindred soul such as yours to sympa-
thize with.
'Or play upon. Eh, Mauvain' Con-
fess. You have used men,"
Having the right.
Undoubtedly. Who has ever disputed
| it? You should have been a king, and
your right would have been divine. No
tice how still the air is. 1t scarcely dis
turbs the smoke from our cigars, which OF
it's own volition ascends and spreads until
it Is merged into invisible ether. 1t is
pretty while it lasts, and gives ample time
for fancy in the way of faces. Here IS
face RANTS. 1t ia impossible for you to
see it; raise one for yourself. My Rant
twists and curls and grins with impish
malice. Ranf was strong man-strong
in character, 1 mean. Between you and
him some passages have taken place. lie
saved you life, believer"
s'He rendered me service at critical
time paid him for it. )"
GAS you always do. You pay, and
there's an end. Blood, brain, heart, are
so bought and fairly paid for-even the
soul may be included, for it is customary
to pay for prayer. What can have induced
a being like Rant to jeopardized his life for
you He is not too fond of his betters."
''You forget he was my servant"
"He is free now. All men are equals
on the Silver Isle. A state of things we
have flown from never thought of that.
Sol RANTS face has curled itself away
not the thinnest line remains. And here
comes perfect cluster of faces, women's
faces, all beautiful A vision of the women
of the isle, enchanting in the prospect it
holds out. To think that smoke-color
should be capable of such variety and WV
illness am becoming resigned to the
loss of a worn out world. There was
nothing new in it, Mauvain day after
day, week after week, the same. Here we
have the chance of something novel in
sensation"
"What you sigh for, said Mauvain, in
a tone of quiet contempt, "may happen,
and then you will taste joy it is impossi-
| BILE can ever have enjoyed.
"You have faithful memory This
jangle of faces has disappeared, and in the
curling wreaths | see one whose counter
part cannot be found in the Silver Isle, it
is SO strangely familiar. What name to
attach to it there have been SO many ?
Whose name? Whose name? Am l
grown suddenly old that cannot recall
the name of one 80 fair 2"
"As you say, Harold, there are SO many T"
"But this one, of all others. Simple,
childlike, with no knowledge of the world,
friendless and alone. Tut I! tut tut l
have it on my tongue, and it will not
come"
"Why trouble yourself about her! She
has forgotten you, as you have forgotten
her."
81 have never forgotten her; but age
plays tricks, Do you not find it 30? You
are older than /, and therefore better
Judge. All! / have it Clarice p
Mauvain ficked the ash off his cigar.
"Clarice. Yes, she was fair, and may
have deserved all your encomiums. F"
"She did, as you know"
/ "You are dictatorial, without possessing
the right. I never had faith in woman
&c am in a strange mood, Mauvain l
cannot brook contradiction, Clarice was all
l have described"
"To please you, granted. What them"
Merely that the age of chivalry never
"And women, women. You have fin
ished your rhapsody, 1 presume.
81 extingush it with this cigar. He
threw his lighted cigar into the sea. The
light hickered for moment, and then was
extinguished. "And So its brief joy
slain, it drifts as and others have drifted,
into the unknown. od-night, Mauvain. ,
Goodnight, mad-brain.
The next morning boat was rowed to
shore, and messenger landed, bearing a
letter, which he was instructed to deliver
to some person in authority. 1t ran as fol-
lows
"Dear Friends of the Silver Isle: A
cruel destiny compels me once more to
seek shelter among you. My country is in
the hands of lawless rabble, who have
torn down the sacred symbols of authority.
Had opportunity offered, / would have
chosen to die by the side Of my king, but
l was debarred that happiness. Compelled
to fy-the choice of an honorable death
not being mine-my thoughts travelled to
the peaceful land in which passed some
happy years. l feel that shall be well
come. The house l built upon your isle
will shelter me I; l desire to retire to it, and
seek, for little while, rest and seclusion !;
and when my mind, disturbed by recent
events, has recovered its balance, l shall
mix among you as Of old, and take my
share in the duties of citizenship. | have
with me few relics which l saved from
fortunes wreck, and these shall convey
to my house when it is ready to receive