Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1882-08-26

4 given to Irritation Nor do / believe
with all The vanity you give ma
credit for having, that she really
loved me. Nc, | was fascinated,
charmed, and, as young men are
very apt to be, very thoughtless and
selfish She was pleased with me.
We had tastes in common and what
women ever failed to be iattered
with admiration ?
So the days passed, One day, as l
walked along tine guards, | heard
them talking in French
II thought you did not like these
American gentlemen, Y he said.
"No, not in general" she replied,
very quietly, "but be is an excep-
ton
\ few days later, | CHANGED to hear
an exclamation from the general |
knew I was the subject Of it. She
made a tart reply. Never had she
seemed 60 magnificent as on that
evening. We sang; and when the
little band Of negro walters came in
to play, we danced. Never did | see
so sad a face as his-when after
long and eXhilarating waltz,in which
I seemed to swim in asea ofecstacy,
led her tenderly and CALAMITY to a
sofa. Such a sad, dispairing look .
1t sank into my heart, but was full
of happiness and drove it away. l
had done nothing more than is done
every day in society. 1t was mere
Irritation. l swear to you, l had not
the thought of anything more. |
do not know what l might have
thought or wished, or attempted had
there been any encouragement, but
there was none. The more I saw of
La Signora, the more self-possessed
she appeared to be in her honor and
purity She yielded for once at least,
to the custom Of the society in which
she lived, and was indulging in an
innocent 1irtation.'
It was easy to imagine more. The
general saw us often from q distance
as he entered the cabin. My man
ner was free and impassioned. She
was kind and gracious, and, inno-
Gently, but most thoughtlessly happy,
as she was gifted and beautiful. She
should have knoWn-I should have
known that the consciousness Of his
age might have ranked in a sensi
tive spirit.
She loved him and honored him
and trusted him too much
"My good general, "she would say,
che is a littlt cold and austere in So
ciety, but such a good child"
We passed these long, desolate
shores through whose forest the
devastating floods rushes over, ever
on. One morning our steamer made
landing at NatcheZ The night
before we had been very gay. The
general--as l said goodnight and
kissed the jewelled hand kindly held
out to me--was more pale and CHASTITY
than I ever had seen him. He was
not at breakfast next morning. l
saw him rapidly pacing the hurricane
deck.
LA Signora and | had a bargain to
20 on shore together at the landing
and try and get some flowers. The
weather was Ike June, and she saw
the roses in blossom with a chiid's
delight.
| don't know how IL was, but my
heart was heavy, as we walked over
the gang plank at the landing l
remembered the pale, sac face But
was too intoxicated with the beau
ty that seemed to envelope me, like
an atmosphere, to have the impress
sion last.
We got our roses and came on
board. As we entered the cabin the
black chamber maid met us, wiring
ing her hand and wild with fright.
"Oh, massa, o mistress I" she
exclaimed; "whar's dc captain ? A
man is overheard l know it is a
man. They needn't tell me it is a
billit Of wood Don't know man
when l see him 2"
l did not believe her-still with
an underlined apprehension that seiz.
ed us both, we ran aft. The moment