Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1883-05-17
POMONA:
A Fantasy of Flowers and Music

/ n VI FloWbTb anu
"Where have | seen that face be.
tore?" thought Robert Marlowe, sud.
donly closing his eyes in the midst OF
the melodies with which he was max.
ing the air heavy.
A young girls face. "It's Pomona
herself, he thought dreamily-"only
she wears that yellow flower"
"Pomona!" young Marlowe's music,
that had been wild and high, with b..
seeching notes in it, now changed. 1t
was cool and sweet and dewy, like a
morning late in April, in an apple
orchard, where the short grass was
starred with dandelions. lie wOve
chords that were as soft winds stirring
in the bOughs pink with clustered buds;
other chords were like trcmulous but
ter1ies, soft-colored blue and gold in
the orchard bloom!
All this the young musician was say
ing to that one sweet girl face. 1t
seemed TO Robert that those minor
notes were voice that cried tcndcrlv,
Pomona, come! Pomona! Pomona!'
The audience, which had before had
a wild excited air of listening, now
seemed to have dropped into n mood
OF peaceful content. Those who
fancied they knew Robert Marlowe
best, smiled little when they studied
the concert programmes, and said 1t
was only the musicians customary
atfectation that made him label this
one Improvisation, Pomona"
But the young girl, this Pomona,
seated there just above and beyond
him, she seemed to understand. She
was leaning forward, her rounded chin
dropped into one palm, and she was
listening intently. Her face had the
exquisite charm of youth and inno-
cence. Her eyes were large and deep
blue-her hair, wealthy in its bright
brown massed rolls, was hcapcd high
over her forehead, and in its beauty
glowed one great bright yellow flower
II only she had worn that yellow
flower! she should rather have been
flushed Gas radiant forms of holy crea
lures are, seen through sifted light,
Mid flowers and grassy spaceJ
with the petals of Rossett's apple
blooms-Gven as in his perfect vision
of Fiametta, he saw, rejoicing,
Along her arm the sundered bloom fall sheer I!
Still, Robert fancied that as the soft
cry of Pomona" rang out, this young
creature stirred with the beautiful
movement of bird Just starting from
the bough. In the tumult of his capri
cious mood he brought the fantasy to
an end with chords that sounded like
angry winds sweeping down sheltered
meadow-paths, rain fell amid rustling
boughs, a bird flew with frightened
cries against the lightning that, sword
like, pierced the gloom.
Pomona drew back frowning, and
then the music suddenly ceased, and
the musician rose amid thunders of
applause that shook the building. But
Robert was dissatisfied with this finale:
at was all owing to the discord of
that one yellow flower" he thought, as
the curtain fell.
Once off the stage he rushed across
to the other side, to the box where his
friend, Allan Seymour, sat.
"Tell me-" he exclaimed, eXcitedIy,
"who is that beautiful girl over there
the one with the yellow flower! who
is she; what is she! She spoilt my
th9me." "
Allan Seymour smiled coldly. "Ah,
you felt her influence then? could
sec she was guiding you. That is
Pomonan
"Pomonam Robert started. SIS
that really her name! What do you
meanp"
"Morra painted her as 'Pomona;'
yes, we all call her Pomona. Haven't
you seen her pictures? No, you've
been away so long! Pomona! Pomona!
all the poets and artists rave and are
wild about her. I'll take you there to-
night. No more, nowr'
In his walk that evening Robert
Marlowe strove to recall where and
when he had seen that young girls
face, and where it was he had heard
that voice which had echoed so un-
ceasingly through his music this day,
lne voice pleaulng "KODert! Robert!
come"
Who is your lady of love, 0ye that pass
sng'ng' M r,.
All az once llke hgnt shlning on
,,, n,nl' memory awoke' 0ne hlsht he
,n's %ns hurry nurlyins nonewaru . along suour,
oan s'rect, where eartn was cool ana
gper,n g, ,',l nnu swee. @ as IN 1ne country is IN
a,pPle-p'9ssoiii uays' me uay hau Deen
oma andN onn, an, smowery, ,o WIN gusts OF wlnd,
anu ocoi watcI-urops always on the
plum uhu apple pougns' just as he
was oPposi.e mouse pullt high on
sloplng grounu' uoor opened and
youns glri ,; cnlhe y. gu. @ on % .ne piazza, car,
lylng canulc ',; IN one nanu. She $1,000
u m1nlenV' Pcciihs over lnto the ousky
gatGsen o1lIw, % -, anu tneh she Called