The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-07-09
HAPPINESS
BY GUY DE MAuRAssANr.

looked the sea; the vanished sun hat
left the sky all rosy with his passing
i as If rubbed with dust of gold; and tn,
Mediterranean, without one wrinkle
without one quiver-smooth and shin
& ing under the dying light--seemed ri
immeasurable sheet of polished metal
Ear away to the right the denticu
lated mountains outlined their darl
profile against the paling purple OF th'
sunset.
They were talking about love--dis
cussing the old, old subject-tellin.
things that had been told and retolt
q athousand times before. The swee
melancholy OF the twilight lent Ian
gour to their words-filled their hearts
with vague emotion, and the old word
Glove" necessarily repeated, some
times by the deep voice OF man
sometimes in the lighter timbre of {
woman's speech-seemed to fill all TIN
little room-to fit through it like
bird-to haunt it like q ghost.
Was it possible to love on for severa
years?
eyes" answered some.
"No.' declared others.
Then distinctions were made anC
demarcations were established, anC
examples were quoted; and all, mer
and women-moved by suddenly
awakened and touching souvenirs
which were ever rising to their lips
but which they could not utter
seemed full OF excitement, and talked
with q deep emotion and an ardent
interest, OF that Commonplace, but all
ruling thing-the tender and mystic
rious accord of two human beings.
But, all at once, somebody. looking
Ear away, cried out:
ooh! look over there! What is
that?"
From out the sea, at the very verge
OF the horizon, lowered up gray
shape, enormous and dim.
All the women had risen up, and
were looking, without understanding
1T, at that extraordinary thing they
had never seen before.
Some one said:
That is Corsica! You can see it like
that lust about, two or three times .
year--in certain exceptional condi
tIons OF the atmosphere, when the all
is perfectly limpid and does NOT con
tain those yapory mists which vel
distances.
Tho mountain crests could be con
fusedly discerned-some thought they
\ y
the SUBMITS. and everybody felt snr
prised, affected. almost frightened b1
that sudden annarition Of a world.
by that phantom which had rise,
from the sea, Perhans visions liS,
these had been seen bv those men who
like Columbus. first sailed away inf,
the unknown seas.
Then an old gentleman. who hac
not said a word the whole evening
observed;
''Listenl used to know in tha
very island Won now perceive befor
you-which seems to have risen int,
sight in order to answer our question
itself, and has called up to me a yer,
singular "Reminiscences used to kno;
in that very island one remarkable ex
ample of constant loye-of unspeak
able love-.
"Let me tell it to YOU"
Five wears ago / made a trip to Cor
sica. That wild island is more un
known, and, after fashion, furthe
away from us than America. ALTHOUGH
it may be seen from the French coas
sometimes as it is seen to-day.
Well, had been wandering over tn,
magnificent island for about q month
with the sensation of finding mvsel
at the very end OF the world. M
taverns, no public houses, no roads
+ One has to follow the mule-paths j,
order to reach those little village.
which cling to the aanks of the mount
ANS. which overlook tortuous abyss
es, whence YOU hear of evenings, con
tinually rising, the dull, deep roar G
torrents. You knock at the door o
a llouse-vou ask shelter for the n;oh,
and food enough to last until morn
ing. Then you can sit at the rude
table, and sleep under the humble
sroof; and in the morning YOU car
press the extended hand Of vour bost
who is sure to accompany YOU as ian
;as the limits OF the village.
Now one evening. after ten hours
walking, Icame to little dwelling
that stood alone at the further end q
a narrow valley. which sloped dowr
to the sea q league away. The two
steep sides OF the mountain. covered
with brush, loose rocks and immense
trees, shut in this woefully disma
valley like two dark. walls.
Around the hut a few vines were
growing; there was a little garden
and some distance off we're a few larn,
chestnut trees-iust enough to liv,
upon, in short, but a fortune in thai
poverty stricken country.