Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1885-08-29
GOALS OF FIRE.

] loved my VIE. VINO WOulu moi
haveloved her? Arose trimming with
smbeams, the blind felt her beauty
and turned to breathe its fragrance.
Never, from the moment | first saw
her, has she ever heard an ungentle
word from me. leone Of cold, silent
family; but in her presence my heart
turned into fire and my tongue into
music.
What a strange thing is the light OF
beauty. In youth, how much strong
or than the light of truth! There are
fishes in the depths of the ocean whose
only light is phOsphorescence. The
sunbeams turn black before they reach
30 deep. So unreal but so beautiful is
the light in which lovers move.
met Alice in the White Mountains,
and one would search far to find a
more ideal mountain maiden. A
form light and graceful as the mist! a
breath and voice as fragrant and mu-
steal as the mountain pine! glance
that, like the wing of the eagle, bore
the soul to the stars,
had become betrothed to her i'm n
romantic spot-on the summit of the
''Maiden's Leap a low peak among
the White Mountains, around which
losses a sea of giant, rocky pillows.
We lived in New York, and the first
year of my married life knew nocloud
except that which the art of fancy
sometimes conjures upin a sunny sky,
to tame the excess OF light. Alice had
many friends of both sexes who ad-
admired her beauty and versatile con-
versatiOn. had but little love forso-
ciety, but / was proud of her success
and encouraged her to become u lead
err of our little set. Among our init
mate friends was young lawyer,
John Manwaring, rich, hand
some and talented. No thought OF
jealousy in connection with him
ever entered my head; indeed, my wife
was jealous of my love for him, and
often used to say, pettishly, that she
believed | cared more for him than for
her. She often quarreled with him on
pretexts so frivolous that | was
ashamed of her, and had to apologize
for her rudeness.
One day Alice and I were going to
walk in Central Park. | had stopped
n moment to talk to a policeman, and
Alice was few rods before me. As I
was Fastening to Overtake her, ribald
broker whom had met in Wall street
touched me on the shoulder and, nod
ding his head toward my wife, said,
with pleasant smile:
mo chance for you there, Schuyler;
Manwaring has got ahead of YOU" -
There are some words that carry n
collateral conviction to the heart that
all direct arguments would fail to Sc
cure.
A moment before this Jest / would
have staked my life on Alice's truth;
but as the poisonous words bit into
my heart, knew that from the begin
ming had been betrayed.
said nothing to Alice-I was, per-
haps,a little more polite. remember
looking at her wedding ring and whis-
pering softly:
"Alice, you have never had this ring
off your finger?'
At which she bushed and cast down
her eyes.
That same week Manwaring was to
visit Cuba.
Itold him that | wouldgo with him,
that wanted his opinion in the pur-
chase of cigars, and that his society
was always SO agreeable to me.
Why could he not read my heart?
Sword to sword, knife to knife. hand to
hand, was wild to find myself in some
country where lives pay for wrongs.
Manwaring was in a strange humor
during the voyage. Twice we were
caught in storm. Despite the cap
tain's warning, on both these oc-
casions Manwaring insisted on remain
ing on deck. In the height of each
tempest, | stole beside him and
looked into his face. He trembled.
\ touch. and could have hurled him
into the black and seething whirlpool,
and no one the wiser. But | felt no
temptation to play a treacherous
part. That left to baser natures.
He should have fair play to the small
lest chance.
When We reached the harbor OF
Havana, we were detained day BY
the health officers. Manwaring, to
pass the time, insisted on taking a
swim. The capt ain tried to prevent
him. Sailors" he said, ''were for
hidden to 60 into the water for fear OF
sharks" But Manwarlng had grown
still more nervous. Hew now never
at rest, and the captains reasons
failed to diSsuade him. At lenght a
yawl was manned; we stepped on
board, and Manwaring undreseed and
dove into the water. He swan but a
few yards from the boat, and
had been in the water but
five minutes, when one of
the sailors shouted, Shark"
Manwaring, though an expert SWIM
mer, seemed paralyzed by the word
Already hall his short minute of sal
walton was gone. "Quick, or you are
lost" shouted the boatswain. He was
sinkingfrom terror.
"Ha" thought, grimly, "this en-
plot has been planned to impress me
with your courage; it has miscar-
ried."
Then an inspiration ofrevenge seized
me. caught q rope in one hand and
leaped into the water. In a few Sec
onds had clasped acknowledgement
The waist the sailors pulled bravely.
! was just in time, for, as was lifted
asst from the water, a huge man-eater
Indignantly at my legs. i do
rot think | am a coward; but TAINTED
away,