The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-06-10


ed place 1t might. perhaps, have been
dangerous. She did not seem to notice
IL. She stood for some minutes in 81
lence, then heard again bitter weep
ing, passionate sobs, long drawn signs.
| heard q smothcred cry of "Oh, Heav-
EN- oh, Heaven! have Pity and then
a sckly CLEAN of light came from the
sky, and by its light | saw that she took
the bundle from under her arm. !
could not see what it was or what it
held, but she bent her head over it, she
kissed it,-ah; with what passion of
tears, kissed it,-sobbed over it with
passionate sobs, then raised 1t above
The ratings and let it fall slowly into
the water.
There was a slight splash, no other
sound. AS she raised the bundle | saw
distinctly that it was something wrap
ped in a grey and black shawl.
| swear before Heaven that no
thought Of wrong came to my mind; |
never dreamed Of it. | had watched her
first because the rare grace OF her tall
figure and OF her walk came to me as
a surprise, then because she was evil
IDENTITY in such bitter sorrow, then be-
cause she seemed so DESTROYS of being
alone. but never did one thought cross
my mind that there was a shadow of
blame-or wrong; should have been
far more on the alert had thought so.
| was always of dreamy, sentimental,
half-awake kind Of mind; | thought of
nothing more than woman, desperate,
perhaps. with an unhappy love, throw
ing the lOye-lettcrs and presents Of
faithless lover into the ea-nothing
more. repeat this most emphatlcally,
as should not like any suspicion OF in
dolence or indifference to rest upon me.
4 slight splash,-not OF anything
heayy,-nO other sound; no cry, no
word-a moments pause in the running
of the waves, then they went on again,
gaily as ever, washing the wooden pill
lars, and wrca,hing them with fresh
seaweed. The tall figure, with the head
pent over the rail, might have been
statue for all the life Or stlr there was
within her.
Quite quarter Of an hour passed,
and She did not stir began 10 wonder
if she were dead her head was bent
the whole time, watching the waves as
they ran lurrying past, Then the lady
moon relented. and showed her fair
face again; a flood Of silver light fell
over the sea each wave seemed to
catch some of il, and break with thou
sand ripples OF light, the white cliffs
caught tit fell On the old pier, and
the tall black figure stood ont IN bold
relief against tie mOoulit SKY.
was almost startled when she turn
ed round and | saw her face quite
plainly. The same light that revealed
her pretty little face and figure. threw a
deeper shade over me. She looked anN-
lousy up and down, yet by a singular
fatality never looked at the corner Of
the wooden building where | sat. |
have often wondered since that ! did
not cry out when saw that iatc,-so
wonderfully beautiful, but so marble
white, so sad, 50 intent, so earnest, the
beautiful eyes wild with pain, the beau
tiful mouth quiYering. can see ltnoW,
and shall see il until die.
There was Il ioW, broad brow, and
golden brown hair clustered upon it,
hair that was like crown; the face
was oya-shaped, eXquisitely beautiful,
with short upper lip, full lovely UNI
der one. and perfectly modelled chin,
But IL was the face Of "a woman almost
mad with despair.
"Oh. Heaven if | dare-it | dare"
she cried. She flung up her hands with
the gesture OF one who has no hope;
she looked over at the sea, once more at
h9ea PIER qt t,iI li. Si2YSf heard the words.
"Oh, Heaven If ! dare-if ! dare"
She then walked slowly away. and |
lost sight Of her under the silent arches;
but could not forget her What a
face.-what beauty what passion. what
pain, what love and despair. what good
ness and power, What face. When
should ever forget it,
lnptlIed by curiosity, went to the
ratings, and stood whore she stood. |
looked down. How deep and fathom-
less il seemed, this running sea. What
was il She had dropped there? In my
mind 5 eye saw most pathetic little
bundle made Of love letters; ! pictured
them tied with a pretty faded ribbon,
there would be dried flowers, each one
a mementO Of some happy occasion. !
could fancy the dried roses, the wither-
ed forget-me-nOts, the viOlrts, with
some faint odor lingering still around
them. Then there would be a valen-
tine, perhaps two or three; a photo
graph, and probably an engagement
ring. She had flung them away into
the depths of the sea, and only Heaven
knows what hopes and love she had
flung with them. could understand
now what that cry meant-"lf | dare
if dare"
It meant that if she dare she would
fling herself into the sea after them,
How many hopes had been flung, like
hers, into those black depths.
Then came to the conclusion that |
was, TO say the least Of it, a Simpleton
TO waste SO much time and thought
about another persons affairs.
remember that, as walked slowly
down the pier, ! met several people, and
that felt a glow OF pleasure at the
thought that some people had the good
sense 10 prefer the Chain Pier. And
then Invent home.
! game of billiards, long chat in
the SmOklng-rCom, ought to have dis
tracted my mind from the little incident
| had witnessed, but ii did not. My
bedroom faced the sea. and | drew up
the blind 50 tina, might look at it once
more. The beautiful sea has many
weird aspects, none stranger than when
it lies heayng sGiIenly under the light
Of the moon Fascinated, charmed,
stood and watched il, The moon had
changed her mind, she meant to shine
now; the clouds had all yaniShed the
sky was dark and blue; the stars were
shining, lint tho wind had uuirkpnn1