The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-10-23

first because the rare grace of her tall
figure and of her walk came to me as
a surprise. then because she was evi-
IDENTIFY in such bitter sorrow, then be-
cause she seemed so desirOus of being
alone. but never did one thought cross
my mind that there was a shadow of
blame-Or wrong: l should have been
far more on the alert had | thought so.
| was always of a dreamy, sentimental,
half-awake kind of mind; | thought of
nothing more than q woman. desperate
perhaps. with an unhappy love, throw
ing the lOve-letters and presents of a
faithleSs lover into the sea-nOthing
more. | repeat this most emphatically
as | should not ike any suspicion of in
dOlence or indifference to rest upon me.
\ slight splash,-not of anything
heaVY,-nO other sound; no cry. no
word-a moments pause in the running
of the waves, then they went on again,
gaily as ever, washing the wooden pill
lars, and wreathing them with fresh
seaweed. The tall figure, with the head
bent over the rail, might have been a
statue for all the life or stir there was
within her.
Quite quarter of an hour passed,
and she did not stir. | began to wonder
if she were dead; her head was bent
the whole time, watching the waves as
they ran hurrying past. Then the lady
moon Telented, and showed her fair
ldtt dGsAlIls q lIAbtl VI cllNtI llGII Itll
over the Sea,-each wave seemed to
catch some OF II, and break with a thou
sand Tipples Of light,-the white cliffs
caught tit fell on the old pier, and
the tall black figure stood out in bold
relief against the moOnht sky.
| was almost startled when she turn
ed round. and | saw her face quite
plainly. The same light that revealed
her pretty little face and figure, threw a
deeper shade over me. She looked anx-
iOuslv uR and down. yet by a singular
fatality never looked at the corner of
the wooden building where l sat. I
have often wondered since that | did
not cry out when | saw that face,-sO
wonderfully beautiful, but so marble
white, SO sad. so intent, so earnest, the
beautiful eyes wild with pain, the beau
tfUl mouth qulveTing. | can see it now,
and | shall see it until | die.
There was low. broad brow. and
golden brown hair clustered upon it
haIT that was like a crown: the face
was Ova!-shaped, exquisitely beautiful,
with short upper lip, a full lovely un-
der one. and perfectly modelled chin.
But it was the face of a woman almost
mad with despair.
"Oh. Heaven, if | dare-if l dare!''
she cried. She flung mp her hands with
tie gesture Of one who has no hope;
sIe iuu"cd over at the sea, once more at
the pier. then slowly turned away, and
again quite plainly | heard the words.
"Oh, Heaven. if | dare-if l dare!'
She then walked slowly away. and /
lost sight of her under the silent arches;
but could not forget her. What a
face!-what beauty, what passion, what
pain, what love and despair, what good
ness and pOWerl What a face. When
should | ever forget it?
Impelled by curiosity. l went to the
railings, and l stood where she stood. l
looked down. How deep and fathom-
less 1t seemed, this running sea. What
was it she had dropped there? In my
mind $ eye | saw most pathetic little
bundle made of love letters: ] pictured
them tied with a pretty faded ribbon:
there would be dried flowers, each one
mementO Of some happy occasion. |
could fancy the dried rg.es. the wither-
ed fCrEtt-me-nOJS. the vioIets. with
some faint Odor lingering still around
them. Then there would be valen-
tine. perhaps two or three; a photo
graph. and probably an engagement
ring. She had flung them away into
the depths Of the sea. and only Heaven
knows what hopes and love she had
flung with them! l could understand
now what that cry meant-''If l dare
if | dare,'
1t meant that if she dare she would
fling herself into the sea after them
How many hopes had been flung, like
hers. INTO those black depths!
Then | came to the conclusion that |
was, to say the least Of it. a simpletOn
to waste so much time and thought
about another PERSONS affairs.
remember that, as | walked slowly
down the pier, | met several people, and
that | felt a glow of pleasure at the
thought that some people had the good
sense to prefer the Chain Pier. And
then Iwent home.
& CrarYoa pf hi1liardc ICvcr
the smOking-rOOm. ought to have dis
tracted my mind from the little incident
l had witnessed, but ii did not. Nv
bedroom faced the sea- and | drew up
the blind 50 that | might look at it once
more. The beautiful sea has many
weird aspects, none stranger than when
1t lies heavIng Sullenly under the light
of the moon. Fascinated, charmed. |
stood and watched it. The moon had
changed her mind. she meant to shine
now; the clouds had all vanished: the
sky was dark and blue; the stars were
shining; but the wind had quickened.
and the waves rolled in briskly with
white sllvery foam marking their pro-
gress.
The Chain Pier stood out quite clear
and distinct in the moonlight. very fair
and shapely it looked. Then | went to
sleep and dTeamt of the white, beauti-
ful. desperate tace-Of the woman who
llctti- 1 bCiltN tl. ttlIbN II iiSI lDNt-lttleES
INTO the sea The wind grew rOu-her
ana the sea grew angry during the
night. when at times | woke from my
sleep | could hear them. Ali long be
fore tins the luve-ieiterS had been de
StrOyed-had been torn by the swift
waves; the faded flowers and all the
pretty love tokens were done to death
IN the brisk waters. | wondered if. i'm
thought, that beautiful, desperate wom-
an would go back to that spot on the
Chain Pier.
The morning following dawned bright
and calm; there was a golden sunlight
and blue sea; why the color of the
water should change so greatly, | could
not think. but change it did. | have
seen it clear as an emerald. and | have
seen it as blue as the lakes and seas of
Italy. This morning it wore a blue
dress, and thousand brilliants danced
on its broad. sweet bosom. Already
there were a number of people on the
promenade; both piers looked beautiful,
and were full of life and activity. 1t
must have been some kind of holiday.
l forget for what the flags were flying,
and there was Il holiday look about the
town. | thought l would walk for ten
minutes before my breakfast | went
towards the Chain Pier, drawn by the
irresistible attraction of the face | had
seen there last evening.
1t struck me that there was an unusu-
al number of people about the Chain
Pier; quite a crowd had collected at the
gate. People were talking to each 9th
er IN an excited fashion. | saw one OF
two policemen, and ] came to the con-
cluSIOn that some accident or other had
happened on the pier. | went up to the
CrOWd-tWO or three bOatmen stood
leaning over the rail.
w hat Is the matter?' | asked.
Matter - TPnlIq1 hara 1l