The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1886-09-09

done anything like systematic thinking
and it gave her kind of pleasure now
TO imagine that she was carrying on q
persistent line Of thought. But under
meath il nj. was always that dull ache.
that sickening sensation-he had mar
ried her out of pity. She went back TO
that. As | said. the fact that her
money had assisted that pity did not
occur TO ner.
They had been planning days trip
TO Saulsalito for some time. and at last
Tom announced himself rs able to take
holiday. They left San Rafael early
one delicious morning. Nell and Esther
sitting side by side in the open car
rage with Tom in front driving. It
was barely o'clock when they turned
into the level Ross Valley read that
leads westward out of San Rafael. The
sun was at their backs and the horses
travelled gayly over the hard ground.
The wooded hills rose high and solid
on their left. and on their right were
sun-browned lower eminenccs. with an
occasional rolling gap between. In
front. and far away. lay in blue per-
spective the mountains leading up 10
TamalpaiS. against the palcr blue Of
sky. As they nearcd the turn of the
road by the little San Anselmo station,
old Tamalpais himself burst upon
them. majestic. solemn.thc central and
dominant part Of tho picture. He lies
like giant asleep. The outline OF
face. q massive profile, can easily be
traced in the summit. and, having once
become manifest, remains the most
impressive feature of the mountain.
They drove rapidly down the road,
southwark now. Tom jubilant and Es-
Their breaking every moment into fresh
enthusiasm. while .'little Mrs. Whit
ney' breathed in the exhilaratiOn of
the air. the rapturous beauty OF the
way, with curious duh wonder that
the world should still be so fair. Still
southwark past the yellow fields and
the dusty willows, with an occasional
harsh salute from q brilliant feathercd
blue-jay or a shy trill from an unseen
meadow-lark. The stream that runs
along by the road, through winter and
spring. in trimming gladness. had
dwindled now to its meagre summer
habit, and the dry stones on its edges
stood out bare and ugly, even in that
tenderness of early morning.
A few carts logged past with sleepy
drivers and meditatiye steeds on their
way TO San Rafael. surely, unwashed
tramp plodded unheedingly along the
roadside. and the city bound train
shrieked and whistled by them into the
distance.
Still onward till Tamalpais was far
behind and the low land on their left
became stretch of reedy marsh, with
wandering lagoons that showed more
aud more and finally widened into
San Francisco Bay. The road left the
borders of the wafer and then returned,
wounding and out over little hills and
down again, then round magnificent
curve Of the bay and at last into
Sausalito.
1t was very warm now and they
went directly 10 the Yacht Club House,
where Tom was a familiar presence,
and ordered lunch. After lunch they
sat on the shady veranda overlooking
the bay. Nell in reclining chair, Tom
smoking. while Esther read aloud
from the latest Century. When it
grew cooler and Nell was rested Tom
got 4 little boat and rowed them out
over to Angel Island and back again.
They did not return TO the club house.
but fastened the boat at 4 point con-
siderably beyond and toward the ocean.
Esther was anxious to walk, feeling
the need of active exercise, and Nell
urged her and Tom to go, protesting
that she desired to stay alone awhile.
as she was very tired. 1t seemed to
her that seeing them together would
become uncomfortable if she did not have
moments breathing-time. After
some demur they consented, and Esther
arranged the cushions in the boat and
wrapped her own soft shawl about hel
before they left. Nell watched them
as they began the ascent of the hill
Esther, tall young goddess, erect
and walking with the easy swing tina
tells Of strong, 1.-the limbs and the con
seriousness Of leaping health in ever.
! vein, and Tom, gay. light-hearted. a
her side. they were to be gone two
! hours. She closed her eyes that sh,
} might not see them and took up the oil.
J thread of thought. He had neve
loved her. The pain tugged at he
heart until she pressed her hand Their,
! to hold it still. 1t must have beer
half an hour before she opened he
, eyes again and saw that they had jus1
. reached the summit Of the hill.
: As she watched the silhoucts of thei
figures against the golden sky Their
came to her an instantaneous realiZa
ton of what love and health coult
3 mean, a strong and vivid conception
| of what these two might be TO eacl
} other, and the possibilities of wha
: these two might be 10 each other, an
: the possibilities of their life. 1t wa
: the supreme emotion of her existence
9 rs though death had taken her heart
! beloved.
She saw her life as it had really bee
and his as it might be with the othe
r woman. That his character preclude.
! the nobility of the life she conceive
r for him did not enter her consciousness
= She simply realized with the intensit
| of lifetime compressed into a singl
, moment, that for her everything wa
4 at an end.
. She had loosed the rope, and no,
! she lay quietly back among the cust
! ions. They could not see her.
/. would be an hour and half befor
!. they returned. After that one trt
mendous moment came the reaction
. She did not seem to think at all, G,
: cept to say, over and again:
at is better SO.
r The boat rocked gently on the sti
D water. twisted and turned. and almo.
Y imperceptibly the distance widened b,
: tween her and the shore. The It'd
t was running out very rapidly, and tn
Q boat went softly and easily along wit
p it. just then Tom and Esther disal
t peared on the other side of the hill
It and she driftcd round the point and 81
t her face toward the sea, alon,
|. Strangely enough no craft Of any kin
u passed her. She was utterly alon
y She fixed her eyes on the Golden Cat
z She saw the ocean beyond, and the re
]. sun going down into the water. II
y Golden Gate! 1t was the gate of dealt
g of everlasting sleep.-Ehisabeth G. At
J. erton in the .Argonant.
a