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

sun, came to me impregnated with
sharp saline odor. Before me the
ocean unrolled its waves upon the line
sand, like green serpent prolongIpg
its shining coils in the sun. Behind
me was the cliff, with its gray assures,
whence iutted out here and there the
trunks of sickly trees, brambly
growths, and meager fulze alants
Sloping inward, almost below the
foot Of the cliff, yawned a mysterious
cavern, spacious grotto dark ana
cool.
was seized by that uncomfortable
emotion with which nature inspires
those alone with her, when a hand
slapped my shoulder, and a laughing
voice exclaimed:
How do you find yourself this
morningT
1t was the old college friend had
UNEXPECTEDLY met the evening before
Gabriel F., naval lieutenant.
"You must have found your way
here by instinct, he continued. ''Pcr-
haps you never suspected that trag-
edy occurred in this place where we
now arc"
"a tragedy here"
eyes in that very grotto. 1t has
become famous. The country folk
call 1t, THE Love Chamber | knew
of the romance at the very time when
is characters performed their parts.
Light cigarette, and let me tell 1t TO
you"
81 listen"
At the time | am telling you about
there was beautiful girl at Blarritz,
named PascaIine, Basque about
eighteen years ci age, tall and slight,
with that peculiar grace so cnarac-
ttristlc of those 1.-the mountain
women. Her black hair CLEANED
under the yellow silk handkerchief
which she always wore fastened about
her head in the most Coquettlsh style
imaginable. Her ruddy lips, slightly
sensunus, showed at every smile rows
of delicate white teeth. Pascalne
was dressmaker, and support ted her
father, great big man, half para
lyzed, who lived III n perpetual revery,
and rarely spoke except to reply With
some peculiarly vague Spanish pro
verb tu any question put to him. Fas-
caline adored the old man, and took
care OF him like child. So folks
used always to say, "Psscaline will
certainly do well, on account OF the
way she takes care Of her father"
Anyhow she had a chance either way,
10 do well or badly; for she had
two admirers. One was Noise Dunez,
rich, old and ugly, who offered her
dine social position. The other was
Maxine Sarrabeyrous, poor, young
and handsome, who offered her his
heart. Maxine was said Ia be pro-
fessional guide in tho Pyrenees. He
was really smuggler. And, as was
only right, Pascalne loved Maxine, 49,
for love always calls for love.
Such was the state of affairs for sew
eral months Noise DuneZ would
often stop at the store and scratch his
nose, and gravely observe;
81 can give you fine social posi-
ton, Pascaline-a fine social posi-
ton"
And she would always reply:
you are very kind and good, M.
Noise, but | love Maxine"
And old Noise would go off numb
ling to himself:
"She'll change her mind after u
while; she'll change her mind.
Bat things at last came TO such a
point that some decision had to be
made. The two young lovers often
look long walks along The cliff, and
people gossipcd about them a great
deal. Unfortunately they were very
poor. A dressmaker cannot save very
much, especially if she has father to
support; and smugglcrs have their
dull seasons But 1t Is a very fine
profession for all that Poor as they
were, however, they loved each other
SO much that they went to Father
Pascal one morning, hand III hand,
and said "Wo love each other and
we want to get married.
The old man shook his head little
and slowly responded:
Very well. very we'll SedmOS
de los poSeoS. Q4et us be Of the
few
The lovers knelt before him: and he
blessed them. The betrothal was
accomplished. PaScaline accompanied
the youth to tho usual scene of their
promenade and that evening they
remained out on the cliffs very, very
late AS the young Basque girl was
returning home full of happiness. with
the JOY of love swelling in her heart,
she met Noise Duuez, who observed
very gravely, scratching his nose as
usual:
II offer YOU Il line social position,
Pascaline a fine social position.
She answered
You are very good and kind, Nj.
Noise; but Maxine Sarrabeyrous and
have arranged everything for the
best this evening
Aud old Noise went off. muttering
AS he always did She'll change her
mind after awhile; she'll change her
mndW
\ few days later Maxine was of.
fered splendid chance to make a
snug little sum. 4 whole cargo OF
goods was to be struggled into Gmpu-
COCA The young c0ntrdbdndistd was
full OF confidence, but the weather
was bad. All day and all night
mighty wind was blowing from the
sea; and the sailors muttered in fear:
1t is Our Lady of Guadalupe passing
by Our Lady of Guadalupe, the
pale Madonna with the green eyes,
who, when she paSseth by, taketh
with her in her ghostly flight all who
are belated upon the vast gray sea.
II will retura in eight days" said
Maxine Sarrabeyrous, as he kissed
the red lips of his sweetheart
But the eight days passed, and then
month-two months-three months
went by and without any news of the
handsome contrubdndiStd. Pascaline
cried from morning until night AS
soon as her work was done, she would
hurry to the cliff, to remain there for
long hours at a time, with eyes Fixed
upon the Spanish coast. All! had
she only been free, how swiftly would
she have departed in search of her be-
trothed, beyond the mountains tower
ing between her and love! But she
could not go-she must support the
aged father. One night cruel rumor
came that Maxine ha6 been killed by
the custom house officers-the gdbe
iouS. And in fact whole year pass.
ed without further news of him.
MisfortGnes never come singly; one
night the little store took fire and
burned down; no one knew how it
happened. Pascaline and her father
were ruined. Noise Dumez, their