The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-02-18

4 - = Va n RdDEIS, WA1Eu i
loaned them. / brought a glass Of wa.
ter, when there was none in the cars
was lucky enough to have some nice
oranges, and the lady was thirsty. As
the day went on the general grew neigh
Doriy He spoke very little English.
HIS lovely wife would talk nothing else.
he changed from Spanish to French,
out she refused to speak more than q
word or two of either, and kept him to
his English, which it was evident she
was determined he should learn.
s.She was English by birth. I knew
It from many indications. A high-bred,
weli-bred-English lady, Of the most re-
fined and delicate type-more Celtic
than Saxon; and more American than
English, according to common notions,
in her appearance.
AT Sandoyal, the junction of the st.
Louis road and the Illinois Central, they
| Left the train, as l did, and we waited
together for the Chicago train for Cairo,
There was crowd waiting. little room,
and no supper. managed to procure
some oysters and a bottle of claret wine,
which begged my fellow-voyagers to
share
I'm few hours, we were on mag
nifeent New Orleans steamer. How
splendid and how comfortable she SEEM
ed to US after our days and nights of the
rough, noisy railroad, need not tell.
The long, bright saloon-the luxurious
furniture of the ladies' cabin-the home
look of the piano-forte and centre-table,
with vases of flowers and pretty child
ren-the nice table set for parties of
eight or ten, with each passengers card
on his plate, and clean, active colored
Tors Ill Al e. e.
full head of steam down the mighty
Mississippi while the banks grew green
er and the air grew warmer, day by day,
as we approached the tropics, was some
thing very enjoyable after the frosts,
and snow, and hard travelling of the
North.
by some good fortune, as / then
thought it, I found myself ticketed at
the side of La Signora at table. By an
attraction did not attempt to resist, I
was near her very often. She sang, as
if all the beauty of her matchless form
had found expression in music. She
played, not only with skill, but with
soul-with passion; and that, l take it,
is what we call genius. The general
was polite, he could not be cordial. I
was blind, or / should have seen how he
idolized his wife, When I was leaning
over the piano-forte, reveling in the lux
ury of her music, he walked the cabin,
reading, or smoked his cigar on deck.
We sang together-we played chess.
did not mean to be dishonorable, but
behaved badly. The general ate but lit
tie; he drank, not much, but more than
at first, and he smoked nearly all day.
81 do not think La Signora was given
to Irritation. Nor do / believe, with all
no hot
she really loved me. No; / was fasci-
mated, charmed, and as young men are
apt to be, very thoughtless and selfish.
She was pleased with me. We had
tastes in common; andw what woman ever
failed to be fattered with admiration?
80 the days passed. One day, as
walked along the guards. overheard
them talking. 1t was in French, now.
- 4 thought you did not ike these
American gentlemen said he.
:. No, not in general she replied,
very quietly; but he is an exception
"A few days later, CHANGED to hear
an angry exclamation from the general.
/ knew / was the subject of it. She
made a naughty reply. Never had she
seemed SO magnificent as on that even
ing. We sang; and when the little
bands of negro walters came into the
cabin to play, we danced. Never did /
see SO sad face as his-when, after a
long and exhilarating waltz, in which /
seemed to swim in a sea of ecstacy, I
led her tenderly and gallantly to a sofa.
Such sad, despairing loeki 1t sank in
to my heart; but was full of happiness
and drove it away. I had done nothing
more than is done every day in our So
ciety. 1t was q mere Irritation. l
swear to you, had not the thought of
ANYTHING more. / do not know what /
might have thought, or wished, or at
tempted, had there been any encourage
ment; but there was none. The more
saw of La Signora, the more self posses
sed she seemed to me to be in her honor
and purity. She yielded, for once, at
least to the customs of the society in
which she had lived, and was INDUCING
in an innocent dirtation.'
1T was easy to imagine it more. The
general saw us often from distance,
as he entered the cabin. Ny manner
was free and impassioned. She was
kind, and gracious, and innocently, but
most thoughtlessly happy, as she was
gifted and beautiful. She should have
known| should have known-that the
of his age might have |
ranked in sensitive spirit.
'.She loved and honored him, and |
trusted him too much.
- MY good general, she would say, |
he is a little cold and austere in society; |
put such good childr
I've passed those long, desolate |
shores, through whose forests the de- |
flood rglshes ever, ever on. |
One morning our steamer rounded to, I
md made a landing at Natchez. The |
hight before, we had been very gay. /
The generals said good night, and
Kissed the jeweled white hand kindly |
leld out to me-was more pale and
chastity than ever had seen him. He
vas not at breakfast next morning. /
aw him rapidly pacing the hurricane
leck.
LA Signora and had a bargain to |
20 on shore together at the next land
ne, and try to get some flowers. The
Weather was like June, and she saw the
oses, in blossom, with child S delight.
81 don't know how it was; but my
leart was heavy, as we walked over the
lang plank at the Natehez landing. |
emembered the pale, sad face. But /
Vas too intoxicated with the beauty that
eemed to envelop me, like an atmos-
here, to have the impression last.
I'VE got our roses, and came on
oard. As we entered the cabin, the
Jack ehamber-maid met us, wringing
er hands, and wild with CONSERVATION.
g o massa! O n1istressh she exclaIm-
d swhar's de captainp Thar's a man
I know it's q man. They
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