The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1885-12-04
POOR LITTLI; GIRL.

POOR LITTLE GIRL.
And the atmosphere in which he
walked was gray.
Such a dull. dead, motionless, mo-
notonous gray! No spirit, no color, no
life in it-such a gray as is found in
the inner corner of 4 building where
the sun never shines.
Rigid self-pusscssion marks the set
of his splendid body, the pose of his
noble head. He is clad in a suit of
plainest black, with cloak aud cowl-
not mournful, but so unlit. Iron
might have been cast to make his
features. Sculptor never brought from
purest marble so stern, so unyiclding,
so chaste an outline. The piercing
eyes wander moi to right nor left seek
ing delights they can not find, nor do
they discover the rough and stony
walking which makes the progress
slow, for they look straight into the
lighted domes of a grand beyond-and
the name Of this man is Right.
And following slowly in his foot
steps trips the light form of Beauty;
the fires of unwakened passion slum-
bering beneath the rich skin, in the
depths of the lustrous eyes. in the
dimples that showed here and there.
as her restless, n~ever-ceasing move
mcnts tossed aside the light garments,
or the cleaning mass OF hair. which,
jealous of the very air that touched
her, sought to envelop her in its own
protecting folds.
The ripe lips had never felt n pres
sure stronger than the bubble of the
gay laugh. the cooling of the gentle
voice which flowed through them.
The flowers of innocent pleasure
were i'm her arms and pressed to the
tender bosom which knew not its own
preciOusness.
Singing birds flew about her, and,
seeking sympathy in the dizziness, had
lighted on the cleaning arms and
shining hair-and she loved them and
vas happy.
She cared not that the delicate limbs
were often taxed beyond their strength,
and the graceful feet strained in their
effort to keep close to the steps Of her
unflinching guide. She knew not that
the road was rough, the atmosphere
dismal. They had started out to-
seiher-that was all-aud she had
faithfully ami unconsciously trodden
in his footprints, her eyes in their ut
most ~joyousneSs V once losing
sight OF his protecting form.
But bark. The music! Low, deli
cious strains fill the air. Tremulous
cadences rise and fall around her,
startling into stiffness the pulsing
senses. deepening the tint in the deli
cate skin. the flash in the eyes dark
depths.
Her companion hears them not, nor
can he see the wonderful things which
now burst upon her astonished vision.
For his thoughts are far away. He
has passed on beyond.
An arching gateway is beside her,
through its bars pour floods of rosy
light that seem born of the ravishing
strains which now burst forth.
One by one the birds. charmed by
the light and sound, leave her, aud the
flowerHdrop around her feet. as the
thrilled arms gradually loose their
hold and are raised III unconscious
alteration of the glory which surrounds
her.
Forms OF knightly men and fair
women move TO and fro in the warm
light. and the sound of voices and gay
laughter fill the air.
Close, so close has she strayed, she
can hear the rustic of the soft gar
ments and smell the intoxicating rer-
fume. In strange fear of the power
that steals over her, she calls to her
companion, who pauses but turns not
toward her. lie will wait. but will
moi come. She must follow him.
And 10! among the throng is q
knight more grand and beautiful than
the rest. HIS form is noble, his mien
grand and lofty. his eye kind and
loving. The strength of Hercules and
the beauty of AdOnis mingle in his
frame, and the tenderness of a mother
speaks in his every motion.
His quick eye has discovered Beauty
as she fingers. and, with a winning
grace and Il voice that has caught its
tones from the music of the place. he
wOos her 10 approach nearer-maynap
to enter there.
But no; she must not tarry, she will
mol stay. Even now her companion is
impatient at her long delay. See! he
beckOns her to come.
But the bright form beside her is so
near. his words burning into her soul,
his loving eyes holding her so close!
A strange Jingle is in the warm
blood! An unknown 1utter in the
bounding streams within her! Shud-
deringly she draws herself apart. She
must away.
In his eagerness he has left all his
companions, and steps, with out
stretched arms, down close to the gate
which separates them.
Ciose-siill closcr--till his lowest
tones can reach her ear. He points
out to her the dull air outside, the
stern, unloving mien of her companion.
So close--his breath stirs the flames
in her ripping hair; sine can feel the
heart-throbs which shake his frame.
His hand is on the very latch! If he
may but open!
Oh, birds that al not speak! Oh,
flowers that can not love! What are
We to her nowp
His eloquence is moi alone in urging
her TO stay. The craving for q light
and glory before unknown, the slum-
boring fires OF passion now thoroughly
kindled, the voices of her W loving
heart that fairly bleeds in the fateful
stru.gles-all join in the mastering
pleaiings of Il love that will not stay.
Yet she moves away. For Il life
that is now death to her she must fol-
low the stern form 50 patiently waiting
her return, wrapped there in the gray
and the gloom. the rough stones be-
meath his feet.