The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1882-05-12

1
they left the train, rs | did, and w
waited together for the Chicago trail
for Cairo. There was a crowd waiting
little room, aud no supper. managed
, to procure some oysters and bottle o
clartt wine, which begged my fellow
voyagers to share. In few hours W,
were on a magnificent New Orlean
steamer How SPLENDID and how com
Portable she seemed to us after our day
and nights of rough, noisy railroad,
need not tell The long, bright saloon
the luxurious furniture of the ladic.
cabin--the home-look of the piano fort,
and centre table with vases of hower
and pretty children-the nice tabl,
set for parties of eight or ten, will
each passengers card on his plate. anc
clean, active coored woiters-all thi,
comfort, going under full head of steam
down the mighty Mississippi while the
banks grew greener and the air grew
warmer, day by day, rs we approached
the tropics, was something very en-.
ljoyable after the frost and snow, and
hard travelling of the North.
'By seine good fortune, as then
thought it, found myself tick4ted at
the side of La Signora at the table. BY
an attraction | did not attempt to resist,
| was near her often. She sang as if
all the beauty of her matchless form
had found expression in music. She
played ont only with skill, but with
soul-with passion; and that, take, is
what we call genius. The General was
polite, he could not be cordial was
blind, or | should have seen how he
idolized his wife. When was leaning
over the pano-forte, reveling in the
luxury of her music, he walked the
cabin reading, or smoked his cigar on
the deck. We sang together--we
played chess | did not mean to be dis
honorable, but | behaved badly. The
General ate but little; he drank, not
much, but more than at first, and he
smoked nearly all day.
II do not think In Signpra was given
to flirting. Nor do believe with all the
vanity you give me credit for, that she
really loved me. No; was fascinated,
charmed, and as young men are apt to
be, very thoughtless and selfish. She
was pleased with me. We had tastes
in common; and what woman ever fail
ed to be tla,tered by admiration
80 the days passed on One day, as
| was walking along the guards over
heard them talking. 1t was in French,
now.
"1 thought you did not like these
American gentlemen said he
"'No, not in G, neral she replied
very quietly 'but he is an exception
"A few days Later chanced to hear
an angry exclamation from the Gen.
eral. | knew was the subject of it.
She made naughty reply. Never had
she seemed so magnificent as on that
evening. We sang; and when the lit
tie band of negro walters came into the
cabin to play, We danced. Never did
| see so sad face as his-when, after
a long and exhilerating waltz, in which
| seemed to swim in a sea of ecStacy,
led her tenderly and gallantly to a
sofa-such sad, despairing look! 1t
sank into my heart; but | was full of
happiness and drove it away. | had
done nothing more than had been done
every day in our society. 1t was a
mere filtration.
The more saw La Signora, the
more self possessed she seemed to ME to
be in her honor and purity. She yield
ed for once at least to the custom OF
the society in which sh. lived and was
indnlging III an innocent Irritation.
'lt was easy To imagine more. The
general say us often from distance,
as he entered the cabin. My manner
was free and impassioned. She was
kind and gracious, and innocently but
most ,houghtlessly happy, as she was
gifted and beautiful She should have
Known should have known-that
the Consciousness of his age might have
ranked in II sensitive spirit.
She loved and honofed him and trus
ted him too much.
"My good General, she would say
| 'he is little cold and austere in socie
ty but such good child
"We passed those long, and desolate
shores, through whose forests the de
vastaling flood PUSHES ever, ever on
One morning our steamer rounded 10
ard made II landing at Natchez The
night before we had been very gay
The General, as ! said good night, and
kissed the j"weled white hand kindly
held out to me, was more pale anC
| ,rhaStl, than | hn1 I,
was not at break fast next morning.
saw him rapidly pacing the hurricane
deck.
LA Signora and ] had a bargain t,
lgo on shore together and try to ge
some flowers. The weather was lk,
June, and she saw the roses in blossom
with a child's delight,
81 don't know why it was; but IN,
heart was heavy, as we walked owe
the gang plank at the Natchez landing
| remembered the pale, sad face, Bu
| was too intoxicated with the beaut
that seemed to envelop me, like an al
mOsphere, to have the impression last
| "We got our roses aud came o
board. As we entered the cabin tn
I black chambermaid met us, wringin
her hands and wild with consternatio,
so massa o mistrtss she eNclain
. ed, 'whars de captain Thar's a ma
, overheard! | know it's a man. The
/ needn't tell me it's billet of WOO,
, Don't | know man when see him ?
/ Il did not believe her-stii with a
undeiinei apprehension which seized t
/, both, we ran aft. The moment we @
. To the nursery windows in the sterl
h there rose from the boiling flood, f,
down the stream, but near enough {
be seen distinctly, the pale face of II
| General! He threw up his arms al
4 sank beneath the surface never to |
4 seen again.
n "With wild shrek she sauk into
G swoon, The women took her from N
e arms and bore her to the stateroom.
d rushed on deck, The alarm had bee
n piyeu-tbe Vawl Was nnllino dou