The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-05-31
AN INTERLUDE.

or on my heels. At times l almost be-
ieve it was a dream. and yet that is
impossible, because no dream was ever
so vivid, SO circumstantial; even in my
most animated visions of the night I
have ever an underlying conscious
ness that they are not real, but this is
as living to every sense as if the whole
occurred but yesterday.
/ even told the story to Charley Cav
endish and he could make nothing of it;
SO now in despair I have determined to
put it all in the papers, for she may
see it and make some sign, or some one
of the great reading public may possess
information that wouId be of use to me.
In that case they would confer an ines
Unable favor by communicating with
G. r. c., Box 800, General Postofice,
London.
This is the story: In the latter part
of May, 1881, Maud started up to town
on the 8: 80 train; we were going up to
look at the Levison-Gele's house in
Park lane, for the house we had last
season didn't suit us, and the Levison-
Cores being small and well situated,
and they going abroad for year, we
wished to rent it.
When we had done about half the dis
tance Maud was threatened with nerv-
ous attack Gn selecting sister besure
to gst one with nerves, that's my hearty
advice).
Well, as I was saying, she was
threatened, or said she was, and at the
next station insisted upon getting out
and taking turn in the air. I warned
her of the danger, for twas little way
station and the train only stopped there
a few minutes, but Maud was an
amount of obstinacy which donkey
might well envy, and go she would and
did.
Just as I anticipated, when we
were at the far end of the
platform, the whistle sounded and
the train pulled out and left u.s.
I looked blankly at Maud, and then
rushed off to the station master. There
would not be another train till 6 in the
evening; very few of them stopped
here. When [ sulkily carried this in
formation back to Maud all the threats
which her nerves had made were
promptly carried into execution. What
was to be done? Something must be
done for her, and that at once. She
was usually unable to travel for several
days after one of these attacks. Another
frantic appeal to the stationmaster.
Knew of little village about two miles
away, but didn't know of any way of
our getting there, except by walking.
Just at this juncture, as was about to
sprinkle dust upon my head and lift up
my voice to weep, an all-merciful Provi-
dence sent one-horse fly jolting down
the road, into which unceremoniously
bundled Maud, weeping and clutching
me, and village ward we hied.
Luckily we found clean little inn and
motherly old 1andlady, who "did for
the poor dear" with all manner of hot
fannels and brandy, and the bald, dap
per little village doctor, having taken
Maud in hand, I took cigar and started
out for stroll to soothe my nerves, de-
cidedly unsettled by this contretemps.
The village was not particularly in
teresting, so turned my steps toward
o wood about o mile or more distant.
The day was perfect; the sky of that
gentle, clear blue that makes one think
of maidenhood, and shy little breeze
stirred amid the leaves and touched my
cheek like the light caress of hand.
Most jovially sang the birds, and the
sunshine filtered goldenly down through
the yellow-green leaves of spring. In
short, everything was most uncommonly
rural and jolly, and I got off several
neat things, all to myself, in the way of
spring poetry-not original, you know,
but quotations such as
"Along the crisped shades of bowers
Revels the spruce and jocund spring."
and, "For, 10 the winter is past, the
rain is over and gone, the fig tree put
teth forth her green figs, and the vines
with the tender grapes give good
smell"
/ had gotten that far and was just
remembering that there weren't any
figs, or grapes either, when a turn in
the path opened before long, verdant
vista, at the end of which was O fallen
tree, and seated upon the tree-a fe-
male.
1t is quite impossible for an ordinary
individual like myself to attempt to
tell you how nice that female looked.
She had her back turned to me, but
such a satisfactory back! just no end
She was very young, because it was SO
rounded, yet so slender, and she was
arrayed in pale, soft yellow gown.
It was plain to see she was "cu1t-
ured," because the gown was 80 short in
the waist and so puffed in the sleeves.
She was clasping one knee with
both hands, and her dark head
was bent forward intently; the sitting
sunshine swayed back and forth
through the moving leaves, casting
tremulous, lace-like shadows over her
she was the dominant note in this
vernal symphony, the highest light in
this yellowgreen picture of spring.
All the mad life of the lusty young
year seemed racing through my veins.
One knows when young mems fancies
form in this season. So, / forgot the
realities, and wandered off into q little
arcadian idyl, where Phyllis and Cory
don tended opera bouffe sheep, and
never waited for the formalities of an
introduction. l got off some more
spring poetry. I remarked confiden-
tlally 20 mySel1 tnat
"The arch of the leaves was hollow,
And the meaning of May was clear"
And then stole noiselessly over the
soft, damp moss nearer and nearer,
until | stood just behind ma belle dame
She was very interested in her book Oh
she must have heard the loud throbs oil
my heart. She was reading Chastelard
could see it over her shoulder, and
Chastelard was saying:
Voyez CONNIE Avril fait ramour aux fieurs
Dame d'amour, dame aux belle couleurs,
Dieu vous fait belle, amour vous fait refine
And, indeed, she herself had God made
beautiful!
/ could see her thin nostrils quivel
with the quick breaths that heaved hel
maiden breast. l saw the blue vein:
in her tamnla and her liftIa mink ea1