Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-02-25

Fer TO New orleans before ne T. turned, an
he took the steamer Beautemps at St.
J Louisiana it was thirty years before
heard from him how it happened. But
the world is full Of tom ues, and heard
| it, all the same, on the four winds that
| blow no one knows whittier.
| There had taken passage on that fatal
steamer wealthy planter of Louisiana
with his wife, an invalid French lady, and
their young daughter Adele. She was
lovely little thing, this Adele, and she sang
like bird. MaskeIyn heard her singing
nne evening, and passionately fond of mu-
| ic, he soon made her acquaintance. and
| was sinaing with her. She was as chlldlike.
| TOO, as she was young and pretty; she had
soon confded to him all her affairs, and
The, secure in his plghted love, and never
dreaming of misconstruction or trouble
ebecame her hourly associate, and took
pleasure in her innocent companionship.
| One afternoon they sat in their accus-
omed seat, reading, as it CHANGED, from
be same book. In their occupation and
their talk they had taken no notice of the
excitement Of the people about them, and
if they knew they were racing the Charon
20 they had been doing half the week. and
thought nothing of it. And all at once
slIfiek of countless voices rent the air.
there was shock and an explosion, as if
the bottomless pit had broken through the
bed of the river. The air was full of fly
ing beams and falling men and women;
the river was full of them; and they were
among them all, afoat but alive.
Afoat, in the branches of huge tree
that was sailing and swirling down the riy-
or, and'in no immediate danger of destruc-
ton, but exhausted and unable to do more
than keep the breath they had for awhile.
If Others had been saved, they had reach
ed one of the banks, or had been picked
up by the Charon's boats. The quick
Southern dusk was upon them before Ad-
Gle had done more than open her eyes and
shut them again. Neither she nor he had
been seriously hurt, but they were abso-
lutely alone in the thick night and the
rushing river. What else could they do
than comfort one another, poor children,
sitting side by side in the cradle made by
the big branches, and trembling at all the
dark, unknown tumult of the torrent. till
suddenly with shock that might have
wrecked them had not their clothes been
caught on the branches, they were anchor
ID on mud-spit, and the stream was
weeping by!
The morning dawned redly over the sea-
like river. Flat boat and raft aud steam
er went along; but no one saw the signals,
or seeing, no one needed them. Another
weary night, famished and faint, but keep
ing each others courage up; and at noon
If the next day they we're taken off. But
in the two days and nights Maskelyn had
earned that she loved him. And when,
N turn, she learned that her love was in
vain, it was only by force of arms that he
indered her from seeking the watery
death from which he had rescued her,
The poor little passionate tropical crea-
iurei
He saw her, however, no more for a
month after the time that he left her at
ner fathers door in New Orleans. where
he found the blacked-robed parents, who
mad themselves been saved, but who had !
thought their child lost, received her as
one raised from the grave, and would have
given Maskelyn their all as her preserver
SUIT Maskelyn did not present himself |
here again; and it was not until his re-
turn from trip through the neighboring |
region that Adele's father was able to find |
him and to beseech him to accompany him |
If he would save his child a second time
from death. And he found her on the |
brink of madness.
Compelled by their kindness and their
grief, he could do nothing but remain, and
i'd his efforts to theirs 1t was superb !
home; wealth and art and climate could
hardly do more to make it perfect. Per.
haps the sense of its ease and luxury were 7
delicious to the tired and penniless young !
man. And then there were always flow
ers, music, painting. servants moving like !
shadows, cordial warmth and blessing; and
the lovely young creature whose trouble,
in his presence was beginning 20 tighten.
Alb, yes, you see am excusing Maskelyn
trying to make you excuse him. But it I
was all to be foreseen. Three against one?
1t was the world against one. For here
at home Was an obscure young woman,
with her barely comfortable support; and
there, on the other hand, were beauty
wealth, distinction, and all the promotion
and success that come in the train of such |
things.
r But it was none of these that weighed
sufficiently with Maskelyn. 1t was the
one thought that his own action, his own
thoughtlessness, his imprudence, had slim
ulated the passion that was driving the
pitiful young girl to a madhouse: He felt
that the sacrifice of his own dreams of
Happiness was triae in his way of expia~
ton. And for me-pray do not smile at
the idea-he somehow subtilely felt that
he and we're as one; that / could only
desire and urge him to absolve himself
from any wronsdoing in the affair; that
it would be my wish-as it is my wish
that he should not suffer lifelong bur-
den on his conscience whether that con-
science was morbidly sensitive or not, for
the mere sake of our own present content,
which meyer would he content, in fact,
while he was restless under an accusing
spirit and was wretched in his want of
ease.
And so he married Adele:
Perhaps it would have been better had
he written We the story Of il, and pot have
left me 70 my inaginings, But be thought
the couFse kindest to me was to let me
think him Q villain, and be healed Of my
hurt the sooner. Andthen, too-youlmust