Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-10-17

did he catch glimpse OF her who styled her.
self the Evening STAR
One evening he was walking along the
river bank, the only portion of the city in
which, owing to the swampy nature of the
soil, it was possible to enjoy pleasant pro-
menade His heart went back to France, to
his ancestral home, and the bright hopes of
his childhood; and he sighed as he thought
Of the years that had been frittered away.
perhaps uselessly, in this remote corner of
the earth The sun was setting as it sets
nowhere else but in our glorious southland,
bathing earth and sky in mingled glow of |
crimson and orange and purple. He wan
dered on till New Orleans seemed like a |
speck in the distance. Suddenly, by one of |
those peculiar physiological sensations that
can never, perhaps, be explained, he became
vaguely conscious of another presence in that |
place, a presence that seemed to thrill him
impressiblv, and siren like to lure him on.
he turned almost instinctiveiy and found
himself in the presence of Runa, but she saw
him not Her eyes were fixed on the reced-
ing sun; her lips moved as if in prayer She
| still wore a robe of spotless white, and the
cheyalier saw what had before escaped his
notice, that the ornament on her bosom was
q golden image of the sun
Was Runa, then, an idolatreSsl He crossed
himself devoutly, as if to exercise an evil
spirit; but still he fingered, still he looked
upon her-he was young and she was very
beautiful. As the last rays of the sinking
sun were mergs'l in the deepening blue the
pale crescent moon arose, and almost at the
same moment bright star glimmered in the
east. She advanced toward it and bowed
thrice to the earth, then, with a sigh. she
turned to go and the chevalier stood before
her. She reared herself majestically, and
proudly asked, Hast thou dared to follow
me hereF' And he answered, admiration
and respect curiously blended in his features
NAY, beautiful Runa, l too came hither to
see the sunset, not knowing that thou vert
here
She seemed satisfied and walked on silently,
he following respectfully. AT length he
Eentured to speak. Tell me, fair Evening
Star, dost thou worship the sunG'
II am Christian" she answered simply
''Yet, thou wilt not deny that bnt a mo-
nent ago thou didst PROSTATE thyself before
he sun and the stars"
My mother she answered, twas de
scendant of the white robed virgins of the
un, the brides of the imperial Incas. See, l
|
though a Christian, cling to the traditions
Of my race But, ali! the golden age of my
country is fled, our dynasty is no more; 1 am
here captive, and the light will never again
shine on the hills and wales Of my native
Peru7
Thou dost love thy country
"Aye as the child does love its mother. I
stife in this air; cannot live without my
mountains; at night l dream of the snow
crowned Cordilleras, of our ancient temples
glittering with gold and silver, of my
: heaven descended racer She wept, and
he, moved to pity at her beauty and her
tears, strove to comfort her and took her
hand; but she hastily withdrew it, and to-
gether they approached the city. She
stopped at by street that passed the rear Of
the senora's dwelling, and pointing to the
popular thoroughfare said: THY way hes
thither!"
, ''No, beautiful Runa, let me remain near
: theem
She shook her head
> ''Shall not see thee agairf'
: Tomorrow she answered. 81 shalkcome
TO see the sun set
So each day he left his gay companions in
the cafes to join the Indian maid at her even
ing devotions, and, though he was often
amused at the singular compound of Chris
r tianity and idolatry her character exhibited,
= he thought he saw beneath il profound rev.
erence for the Creator and all his works, and
chided her not. He presumed once or twice
to address her in the gay tones be was accus
toned to use with the ladies of his own race
} but he saw that it displeased her, and so he
adopted her own lofty manner of speech. Al
D times she was 50 intense in her patriotic anC
: spiritual expressions that he stood almost il
r awe Of her; and again she was the woman
4 gentle, compassionate, merciful, mourning
: like some beautiful Niobe for the sorrows O
o men; and each day his respect for her grew
|, more profound, his love more exalted ant
; refined, and each day on leaving her he said
/ Tomorrow will put my fate to the test"
II For he had not ventured to tell her of hi
$ love She seemed q spirit so far above him
IS so pure i'll heart, 50 true in action, so differ
5, ent from all he had ever seen or met, that b
IS feared, he trernbled he longed to be NOR
e worthy of her
70 One evening he returned to his companion
r and found the little colony in an uproariou
o state of excitement Jean Mihet, their de
'e putty to France, had returned, bearing tn
= intelligence that the French king adhered t
h garded them as subjects, the colonists mus
ID submit to Spain Secret associations ha
ID been organized, conspiracies formed, an
TT these now burst forth in all their frenzy
ne The next morning all the public and privat
TT buildings we're closed, 900 armed citizen
~ paraded the streets, avowing their deteru
r nation to live and die as Frenchmen, and d
nj as Spania-ds. The council met, and decidir
r. to fling the gauntlet in the face of the Spa
ic- ISL monarch, allowed UHoa and his hous
n hold three DAYS in which to leave the cit
The Spanish flag was trampled under fox
IN. women and children rushed frantically fc
,ss ward and kissed the posts on which we
hi streaming the banners Of France And t
M livelong day there was but one cry Of -
he has rEspagnol, Vive Louis lie Quinzew
no The French Governor Aubry, Drawing t
al populace, escorted Governor Ulloa and |
pv household to Spanish frigate in front of t
an city. A band of armed men marched to t
ara river, singing patriotic 4songs, and one
an. them, drawing his sword, cut the rope viii
on held the vessel fast to its moorings 1t float
al down the stream, mid the exultant shouts
iph Long live Louis the Fifteenth, the inco
ian parable monarch, the image of God on cart
of The council fastened to draw up anoti
the petition, pleading for the resembling of I
non cession to Spain.
TOD Amid the crowds that surrounded the q
rh ernor's house it was impossible for the che
or. ler to see Runa. He had determined if V
Ian lence were resorted to TO save her at
vet sacrifice Of his own life; but the coolness
rss the French governor had prevented bio
nod shed and he had no doubt that ere the tn
nar days would elapse he would have an opp
an. tunity Of seeing her on the vessel; his friel
lie ship with Aubry made this hope dOubly su
har But when he heard that the frigate had b.
om sent down the stream, be turned with a wet
Har heart from TIE exciting throng and took
ms path toward the old spot where he had
the often met Runa-the spot henceforth so d
ar to him. He folded his arms and walked
stractedly along. Far of in the distal
,g;- came that deafening, inconsistent cry of
IN a people, Long live Louis! Long live
tho well belovedm He, too, would haye joil
and in that cry had Runa been near.
"a The man who carries within him love
scientific Investigation and sympathy "
1 to nature in all lbs varying phases is seldom &
T in loss for companionship, He towers abb
bis the great mass of humanity even as the
the above the striplings Of the forest. To
tent all things are voiced spirits: the trees.
and stars the birds, the flowers; the ocean W
k 1t dashed by the storm god; the rivulet t
but sings along its hidden path: the craudest a.;