Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-09-05

called at our hotel to welcome us. The
] first glimpse at Vera calmed me, ana
( when the magnificent creature came,
/ smilingly, and kissed me, was almost
! happy again.
! II do not like her" said my mother,
| when we were alone; and stralghtWay
| flow into the first passion OF my life.
| declared, holly and tiercely, and
st0utly maintained it, too, that Vera was
an a. gel-hawless and perfect. God, |
averred, would never have bestowed
beauty and grace such as hers upon any
one without accompanying it with the
subIimest virtue and the rarest mental
endowments. Whether | believed all
this or not do not know, for l never
once stopped to analyZe my feslings-per-
haps it would have been an impossbiity
for me to nave done so, she 50 daZZled and
bewildered me. | am, however, certain,
that | never should have tried, because
for all the mad infatuatiOn and jealous
love l bore her, there was, constantly
haunting me, the tear that from some MD
den recess of my own soul, or from the
lips of some one to whom she was less
than she was to me, there might come
forth some sinister doubt which would
menace with blame the splendid crea-
ture whom | held blameless. sac saw
my devotion, and rewarded me, daily,
with such tender caresses as women only
bestOw upon their lovers. And so she
tigntened and strengthened the bonds
which held me, body, soul, all-subect TO
her-as no autocrat ever yet held impe-
rial sway over loyal empire. ] believed
that she loved me as dearly and as in
tensely as | loved Der, aud whenever
those who saw how falsely she was deal
ing with me tried to warn me and put me
on my guard, | Invariably assailed my
counselor as tercely as a pantheress
would assail the disturber of her whelps.
When the time for Heuri's arrival drew
near | half regretted that be was coming
1t would interrupt my transports
with Vera. He would be sure to claim
some of my afternoons, which she always
gave me. We used to 90 into her boudoir
each noon, Immediately after lunch, re-
naming there always until we dressed
for dinner; and there was to be more un-
alleged bliss in these afternoons win her
than there had ever been in the moments
| spent upon my lovers bosom. To fully
Understand Nera's tremendous influence
over me 1t must be remembered, all
along, that there was no element OF tickle
ness in my nature, and that my love for
HeEri was never Tor one moment shake
able or wavering. He held the same
place in my heart as OF old-Only TO her |
had given stronger. wilder, more We
hement love-a feeling so all-absorbing,
all-cOmpelling, that 1t thoroughly rele-
gated every one and everything but Vera
to secondary place. Nothing could
compensate me for the loss of even sim
gle afternoon with her, when, In half
harem dress, we used to lie in each
others arms-l drinking in, with tiercest
delight, every word which fell from her
lips. All that marred my happiness at
such times was the regret that | was not
man and so able to keep some man from
some day coming between us. l was
jealous, but in such strange and foolish
way. IL she of her own will bestowed
her smiles and fayOrs upon others il gave
me no pain or annoyance, because IN my
love for her there was no room for critl-
cism. What she, my idol, did was per-
feotly right; neither could nor would
see it in any other way. But whenever
and one intruded upon her. or in any way
approach her, murder instantly came into
my heart and l wanted to destroy the ag-
gressor. 1t was this which, TO some ex-
tent, made me dread the coming of my
lover. He was certain to oyerstep this
bound and then | feared that | should do
him harm, or, at least, learn TO hate him.
But he came at last, and, to my surprise
since she had always declared herself a
man hater--she seemed fascinated by him
the moment she set eyes upon him. So
deep and powerful was my devotion to
her that her interest in him never excited
In me the slightest degree OF anger or bit
terDess. She still gave me each after
noon, aud 80 | was content. She was
even more caressing to me than ever be-
fore, and that, said to myself. was be-
cause her noble nature reproached her
for liking the man who was my Detrothed
husband.