Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-05-29

dence was asked or given. On every
other subject we were free as sisters
this one, by tacit consent, was avoid
ed.
All this time my own spirit groaned
under an unsatisfed longing, My
cousins secret attachment Interested
me its mystery gave me mental occu-
patton. Instead of disliking my rival,
as | otherwise should. / took from
him my ideal; the navy, with all It's
wild and dangerous glory, became IN
verted with a charm, the sea ever
sparkled before my imagination, and
1 blue jacket was interviewer with all
my dreams of romance.
/ 1t was while my mind was in this
morbid state, disconnected with the
! blessings of a favored lot, and yield
/ ing to the idolatrous wishes of per-
verified natare, that my gay friends
arranged a party Tor water excur-
Sion. would have been delighted if
nv beloved cousin would have shared
| in this pleasure; but from the society
of the world by her fathers strict
/ laws she was prohibited. In fashion
able life / had never enjoyed her dear
companionship; her attendance 1t
would therefore have been vain to
solicit.
What need that / should describe
! the party, the scenes or the occurren-
ces Of that day. | cannot! they swim
before my memory as an indistinct
vision. the only clearly defined por-
ton of which is lordly form, dark,
proud, intellectual eye, and a voice
whose flexible chords thrilled through
every chamber of my brain. To eX-
plain: some of the officers of a man
of-war. then anchored in the bay,
we're of our company, in one of whom
! I recognized the ideal of my dreams.
Ny heart trobbed, my nerves became
painfully agitated as | found myself
the object of his gallant attentions
and, on that gorgeous summer day,
while floating over the blue tide OF
the beautiful Chesapeake, | drank my
first deep draught of love.
And now, without thought, reilec-
ton, or concern, gave myself up to
this sweet enthrallment. Mr.. KIN
lock had not long to stay in Balti-
more, his ship being under sailing
orders; how, then, could refuse my
self the pleasure of seeing him every
available opportunity Swiftly the
days fed happiness intense, almost
insupporiable, was mine, for | had
the blessed assurance that | was loved
loved to the full measure of my
yearnlng; he who had won my heart
delighted to open his own and show
me the place | occupied at first and
sole sovereign there. 1t was enough
! dazzled, intoxicated, enraptured, earth
shown as if illumined by thousand
suns, my pathway glittered as though
paved with gems. Nor was one care
| for the endless future mingled with
my present joy What signilied it to
me that my lover knew not my faith
ers Code That he bowed al no shrine,
worshipped no deityl My own heart
was equally carnal, and my soul,
with all its bright intelligence, was
PROSTATE before an earthly idol.
Love knows not the measure of
time When skies are fair and winds
propitious the bark of Cupid ghdes
swiftly on, and days become as years
in the progress the happy voyagers
make in heart intimacy. Ii was so
with us; and during the few weeks
from our first meeting to the day ON
which his gallant ship lifted her an
Choir, Mr.. Kinlock and | had lived a
whole age of bliss.
He was now gone, and | returned
again to the ordinary social routine !;
bat how changed the aspect of my
life, how tame and dull and common
place the world appeared without him
How had | lived before | knew his
lovel how should | live again if de
prived of it2 But this impossibility
was not to be thought of, and / put
away the dread query unanswered
My visits to Charlotte were resum-
ed. Few and hasty they had
been of late bat she OWNED the
cause, and her loving heart sym
pathzed in my new-found happiness.
Yet no word of confidence passed be
tween US. could not tell my tale of
Joy to her whose spirit groaned under
the burden of a secret betrelhal an d
" ibNt lOllNlN way was NCANAoliA NASVAtNt
by the sight of him who was her all,
What a strong bond of union must
have existed between our spirits
that gentle girls and mine-that,
without any outward communication,
our experiences were known to each
other. OF the state Of her heart |
had long been aware; and when she
strained me to her bosom, a flood of
tears gushing from her eyes, felt
that she had been reading the happy
story of mine, and no word was nee
essary to assure me Of her tender in
terestS in it.
Weeks, months passed, in which |
was only fed and sustained by the
letters which came from time, to
time, bearing postmarks from every
port at which my lover touched in
his cruise These warm, wild epstles,
whose every burning line became
stereotyped upon my brain. excited to
more VIVID glow the flame within
my breast, and gave increased fervor
to my passionate idOlatry.
Sull, | was not so occupied with
self as to prevent my seeing that the
health of my sweet cousin was not as