River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-04-15

stone In a brook. And L felt that II
ever | came to love any body it would
be her. | jumped out of bed, from
which / had not vet dared to stir, and
went toward her, conducted by some
instinct in me which | could not ex-
plain. found myself at her knees, one
of her hands III mine, talking with her
as if had known her for twenty
years.
But strange prodigy, while speak
ing TO her, / marked the music with a
movement of my head. 1t had not
ceased to play, and, although it was
for me the height of happiness to talk
with such beautiful woman, my feet
were burning to dance with her. Still,
| did not dare to make the proposition.
1t seems she understood what | wanted,
for, raising her hand toward the dial of
the clock, she said:
"When the needle shall be there, We
will see, my dear Theodore"
| know not how it happened, but
was in no way surprised to hear myself
called by my name, and we continued
to talk. At last, when the appointed
hour struck, the silvery voice vibrated
once more in the chamber, and said:
""Angela, you may dance with the
gentleman. if you please; but you know
what will be the result"
'No matter" replied Angela, in a
pouting tone.
She passed her ivory arm around
my neck.
"PrestisSinso |" cried the voice.
And we began to waltz. The bosom
of the young girl touched mine, her
velvet cheek SKINNED my own. Never
in my life had | experienced such emo
ton; my nerves quivered like springs
of steel, my blood flowed in my veins
like torrents Of lava; heard my heart
as if a watch were tickling in my ear.
Still this state had nothing painful in
it. | was in a flood of ineffable Joy.
and | could have wished to have re-
manned always as / was, and, remark
ably enough, although the orchestra
had tlipled its quickness, we needed no
effort to followit.
The bystanders, astonished at our
agility, cried bravo, and clapped their
hands with all their might without pro-
duclng any noise.
Angela, who until then had waltzed
with surprising energy and precision,
seemed suddenly to become fatigued;
she hung on my shoulder as If her
limbs had failed her; her little feet,
which a minute had barely touched
the floor, rose slowly as if they had been
weighted with lead.
angela, you are weary" | said to
her; "let us rest"
"Yes," she replied, wiping her brow
with ner handkerchief; but while we
have been dancing they have all sat
down; there is only one chair, and we
are two"
"What does that matter, my angel?
/ Will take you on my knees"
III.
Without making the slightest objec-
ton, Angela sat down, threw her arms
like a white scarf round my neck, and
hid her head in my bosom to warm her
self little, for she had become cold as
marble.
know not how long we remained
in that position, for my senses were
all absorbed in the contemplation of
this mysterious and fantastic creature.
| had no longer any idea of time or
place; the real world no longer existed
for me, and all the bonds which bound
me to il were broken; my soul, olsen
gagged from its earthly prison, was float
ing in vague infinity. | understood that
which no man can understand; the
thoughts of Angela were revealed to me
without her seeming to speak, for her
soul shown through her body like
lamp of alabaster. and the rays from her
breast pierced mine.
The lark sang, pale light played
among the curtains.
As soon as Angela saw it she rose
precipitately, made sign of farewell,
and after few steps she screamed and
fell.
Seized with terror, / sprang forward.
My blood freezes at the mere thought;
found nothing but the coffee-pot
broken into thousand fragments.
At the sight of this, persuaded that |
had been the sport of some diabolic de-
fusion, 1 was so overpowered with
fright that tainted.
When | became conscious again was
in my bed; Arrigo Cohic and Pedrino
Borgnioi we're standing at the head.
AS soon al opened my eyes, Arrigo
cried:
CAL at lastl For the last hour /
have been rubbing your temples with
eau de Cologne. What on earth have
you been doing in the night! This
morning, seeing that you did not come
down, / entered your room and found
you stretched full length upon the
floor, dressed in an old Louis XVI.
costume, and pressing in your arms a
fragment of broken porcelain, as if 1t
had been a beautiful young girl"
''Pdrdieu! it is grandfather's wedding
coat" said the other, lifting up one of
the tails of rose colored silk with a
green figure. There are the strass and
filigree buttons that he used to boast
about. Theodore must have found it
in some corner, and have put it on for
fun. But what made you faint? ad-
ded Borgnioi.
THAT is all verv we'll for young girls
with white shoulders; you unlace her
corsets, lake of her necklace, and it is
good opportunity for them to shipper
and give themselves airs"
SIT is only weakness" | replied, dryly;
81 am subject to these fits"
rose and Invested myself of my
ridiculous costume.
At breakfast my three companions
ate heartily; hardly tasted anything.
The memory of what had passed dis
tracted me.
After breakfast as it was raining
steadily, there was no possibility OF go
ing out; each occupied himself as best
he could. I took out my sketch-book
and began to draw.
The almost inpercephble linaments
traced by my pencil, without having
thought in the least what was drawing,
resembled with marvellous exactitude
the coffee-pot which had played such
an important role in the scenes of the
night.
at is astonishing how that head re-
sembles my sister Angela" said our host,
who was watching me draw.
Indeed, that which just now had
seemed TO mo coffee-pot was in reality
the sweet and melancholy profile of
Angela.
"By all the saints in Paradisel Is she
dead or alive?" ! cried in trembling
voice, as if my life had depended on his
answer.
"She died two years ago from inaam-
nation of the lungs, caught coming
| home from ball.
! IL Fr,ffr