Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-10-27

tlarge range of vision as if it required an effort
to make myself perceived by them. hesitated
to make the effort worshipped from affair."
When'she spoke to me my heart beat so had
hardly voice to answer; when she touched my
hand it thrilled me through and through. And
| asked no more. l thought of no more for
awhile than just to continue so forever; to see
her from my window walking under the long
aisles OF the 1ow-branched orchard, like some
medieval pictures to walk beside her some
times; now and then to venture reading from
the same page with her: now and then to be her
partner in the dance. That Rosale should be
about with me, riding here, strolling there,
walking to church. reading with the old pastor,
| in whose charge there was fiction that was
and SO, in way, studying with me-that was
all matter of commonplace; she was sweet she
! was fresh, she was charming. But what was all
that when an angel was in the room?
| 'One night was on the gallery just outside
their drawing-room. looking in at the long win
dow and Alicia was singing. All, how delicious
was that voice! The Cherubim and seraphim
who continually do sing if 1 ever hear them,
will not sing SO sweetly. I wonder to whom
that voice is singing now! Beside her, that
| night, was this scamp who had come to the
place more than once. proud. commanding fell
| low III his uEdress uniform, a man whom her
father plainly intended she should marry. l can
see the scene nOw-the rich and dimlv lighted
room full of purple shadows. the air laden with
the scent of flowers Alicia in her white drapery,
| more mystical. more beautiful more holy as she
sang, than If revealed in the glow of her beauty;
outside the violet depths of the sky, and the
moon just falling. like some great golden flower,
low In the west; and as Alicias voice became
silent, choir OF bell-tOnes coming far and fine
and free across the water, like echoes of her song
| In heaven. My heart swelled with fullness of
! rapture; life seemed too rich, too sweet, too
sacred and then saw that man stoop and kiss
| her brow. The action turned me to stone for a
! moment till he came saunterng to the window.
| and knew no more what was doing than that
bronze Perseus in the corner would il he moved.
| l lifted the hand that had seemed stone and as
| he passed me | struck him on the mouth the
mouth that had done the proclamation.
| And Mr.. Fernalde was quiet little while.
| land that was the end of all things" he re-
sumed. "The fellow laughed at me for a mad
boy. Her father launched one of the thunder
| bolts. and forbade me the house. What strick-
en- day and night of wretchedness. what week
of hopelessness, of humiliation! But perhaps
Alicia felt otherwise. Why should I not dis
cover? Why should suppose she had any other
| sympathy with that creature than the sympathy
of the star and the worm? And if my glad per-
| adventure were true why then we could fly
from these places that should know no more;
the world was before us, heavens gates were
| open to us. And l wrote. my hand trembling at
its sacrilegious daring, just dozen lines with
out address, without signature. She would
know what it meant. And sent it by the par
sons boy. And l waited for her, living on the
grass beneath the orchard trees. in the deep
| gloom just gilded by the influence of the unseen
moon. There came the rustling of garments. the
| tripping of foot; my heart beat. my eyes grew
dim Was it she coming up behind me, as lay
| lifted on my elbow, kneeling and putting her
arms about me. raining swift kisses on nv face?-
wild, sweet kisses in that shadow; wild, passion
ate whispers in that silence! And then great
pang smote me, and l rose and went out with
her into the less dim darkness-and it was Rosa
| lie.
''She never knew" said Mr. Fernalde. ':she
does not know to-day that died that night l
| can't say how l lived through those moments
even They were but moments she had stolen
away. She had to return at once. We parted
| at the loot OF the mOck-Orange walk, and went
to my bed and lay there in a trance of despair
Perhaps sunlight brought some relief The par
son told at the breakfast table the news that
Alicia was betrOthed to the army officer had
seen over the hedge | wrote word saying
was called away. and Twas gone week or more.
| But in that blank must have something to love
| me-tO have an interest in. Better ROsalie than
the absolute negation of those days. She thought
| nothing OF my absence after my return. She was
as full OF romance as flower of nectar. And to
sum it up. if she was not the rose, she had lived
with the rose One day we married. and
mere we are long life. happy life and have
never regretted the day in it that made her
my wife. After all. one cannot marry among the
| do you say? Not love her. nv child?
You never were more mistaken. ! love her
tenderly, absorbingly. She is perfect fyo-
man-she has been a perfect WIFE She has made
|
while the old hope. the old dream of a passion
arises and sweeps before me in its bloom and
| light. 1T is because it means youth to me-that
| youth which we do not know till we are old-is
| itself the ideal that it holds up for worship
Yet perfect as my wife is fifty years of this
| smooth life with her wear something of the
! commonplace, and if across their dead level of
same content sometimes CLEANS the shining of
Alicia face. it is not in any dislOyaty to her.
| l often wonder what became of the lovely
| creature. Once IcOud not have spoken of her
AT seldom times, when sit alone by the fire,
| she comes and sits beside me- and CLEANS of
light and shadow make face with her sweet
| ness, her beauty. her pensve and ETHEREAL
grace. Dear girl! suppose she sleeps in her
grave by this, but she is shaft of the light of
| heaven in my memory"
And Mr.. Fernalde rose walking to the win
| dow, just as the screen began to trembe and a
| smothered cough, and then an undisgused one
betrayed to me- if not to him, that Mrs. Fer
Made had heard the chief part Of the mono
| lOgue.
"And had heard it in fragments and Sec
tons more than once BEFORE" she afterward
told me, with her pleasant smile 81 know it
means nothing-that he is just as wholly mine
as am his-that our love is the imperishabe
sort-that we are welded into one by fifty years
| together. And perhaps it was ignoble of me to
break the pretty bubble. to take away his little
| ideal, with which lie has found comfort when
ever would have my own way too much. Yet
| l thought it was about time.
| came
bustling round the corner of the screen that
| morning.
| s'There is such a gale blowing outside" she
said, :that the dust really rises in the house tit
| to choke one"
You haven't caught cold. Rosalie?" said her
husband turning in concern.
mot the least. but l shall if the hall-door is
| open another moment. There she comes now.
Make haste. and bid Alicia goodbye, my love-
She is just gOng'
| 'Whoi" he cried, suddenly openinp his eves
| like lamps in their deep settings.
| ''Alcia-Mrs. Tallafero-dear. She married
again. you know. Oh. it has been fine iest.'
she cried with her low laugh, Ito think that YOU
| should not have recognized Alicia in all these
| weeks and mOnths!"
MIR. Fernalde was silent for few moments.
looking at the sweet little lady before him, with
her color like the half-tarnished rose with the
soft brilliancy of her placid SMILE Then he
crossed over the hearth before me, and he took
| her hands and bent down and kissed her mouth
'My Rosalte." said he, will you not make
my adieux to Mrs. TaaferO yourself! Tell her
tell her have gone to the funeral of an old
| friend"
| Reserve POvUor NoDoSSs<x,