Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-01-30

knowing she would say To him: "You
are very kind, NJ. Noise; but shall
wait for Maxine Sarraheyrous. He
will come back, am sure. But if he
should not come back, / shall be faith
full to him as though l were his widow.
And am a good girl, resolved to
make my own living" Yes, she was
a good, brave girl-poor Pascaline;
especially brave and good considering
her unhappy situation.
After her little store was burned she
could not work for herself any more,
but had TO work for others-Huch
harder than before, and for much less
money. Now the old mau had to re-
main all alone the whole day, and he
was visibly declining. Two years
passed. and still no news OF Maxine
Sarrabeyrous. Finally the misery OF
father and daughter became SO great
that Noise Dunez was seized with pity.
Besides he was more in love than ever
= excited by the very disdain Of the
beautiful girl, SO fresh and young. he
took courage and approached her once
more.
"Pascaline, l do not now propose 20
you merely because / can offer you
fine social position. But you are Ger
tainly killing yourself with work
and if anything should happen to you
your father would simply die OF hun
ger. Maxine is dead, Pascaline. You
ought, 1 think, to marry me, and safe
your father"
She never answered a word, but
while she cried silently, she allowed
the old man to take her hand. So
Noise went TO father Pascal, and told
him all. The old man shook his head
and responded slowly:
Good! good No hay
pajdros en- los nidos de otono"-
there are no birds in the nests of au
tumn)
But they did not kneel before the
old man and the old man did not
bless them.
Three days before the wedding day,
lust at the moment of the autumn
equinox, the pretty Basque was walk
ing along the lighthouse path. near
the grotto, when a voice behind her
cried
"Pascaline! O Pascaline!"
Trembling like leaf she murmur,
ed: Maxine thee, Maxine ~
and, like wounded bird, fell into
her lovers arms. 1t was indeed he,
still handsome, though thin and pale.
lie pressed her 10 his breast, very,
very tightly.
"It is not true, tell melt is not
true thou will marry Noise Dunez9
1T is true. If do not marry him
my father will die for want OF food.
Why didst thou not come back?'
Because the Spaniards captured
me and kept me in prison. But l am
now free; and | can work.
"But what will become of father
should they capture thee againG"
Speak not of such things, dearest ;
let us not discuss them. [ love
thee"
And he covered her face with kisses,
and he drew her gently towards the
grotto, and she resisted not; and in
the soft light of the great cave they
talked to each other in low, very low
tones, each pressed to the other
heart ia infinite ecstacy OF reciprocal
love. But at last, tearing herself from
his arms, she said:
It's late, late! Let me go now, |
hear midnight striking.
NAY, It's not midnight; It's only a
flight of seagulls whirring by"
A long time afterward she said
80, how the sea roars, what If we
should be swallowed up2"
NAY It's not the sea roaring; It's
only the great chanting of our love.
A long time atterward, she said once
more:
so, Maxine, dost not hear how the
wind raves2"
NAY It's not the raving of winds,
It's Our Lady of Guadalupe passing
by! The last hours of our life
are the first OF our night of love.
Thou shalt never marry the other
now! Lo! love; this is our nuptial
chamber; and the wave shall be our
vast green winding sheetp
And he closed her mouth with kisses
of fire.
They found the twain next day, in
terlocked in the embrace Of death
and that grotto is still called La
CHdHtOTe amour, Inc olu uidh ID
now quite paralyzed He begs for
aims beneath the shadow of the church
walls. He seldom speaks; but from
time to time, men hear him muttering
to himself:
Wool woe. La esperanzd
era rerde q IN b0rrico Ia cOmtoh"
(Hope was green, but an ass devoured
it)-Albert Debit. i'm the New Or
leans Times Democrat.