San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-10-09


nothing but the glory of the wheat, the
Pickering shades Of the gnarled olives in the
afternoon light, and If he lies still enough
the sound of the nightingale learning it,
song. And yet he may be sick at heart.
AS / lay there the ivelong April day
neither reading nor thinking, nor grateful to
God for his wind and his bean fields
but with my fingers in my ears to shut out
the sound of the nightingale who sang loud,
so loudI
For, instead of the young spring tide,
saw nothing but a woman, standing as at
first saw her, dressed in white from head to
foot, with bare arms and shoulders, a wreath
of brown winter ivy round her golden head
and a great garland of it on her gown.
There she stood and looked me in the eyes,
with a straight grave glance.
Not the look she gave men rs a rule; /
found that out soon enough, for If ever there
was a woman coquette, seduisante my Eng
lish is not good at best, it leaves me always
when speak Of herr, it was she-Suzon.
used to watch her often as she talked to
men with that quick grace she had, and be-
ing used to analysing faces-it is my profess
sion for that matter, who am a doctor-I
saw that she, whom most women hated for
thought a soft, warm plaything, une vraie
femme, was in reality as cold as a stone
image.
twas a very pretty play which went on
around her. with often a change in the jeune
premier, but she did not act in it herself
She piped carsassly and all her court
danced, but she grew neither warm nor
weary.
am not very sire how came TO- be SO
friendly with her; think she began it.
But we fell into a way of walking over the
hills together and sitting on the cliffs in the
mondays, looking out over a sea like the
glory of God for light and cdlcr; talking Of
many things sometimes, sometimes quite
silent, lying in thesun; 1 with my hat over
my eyes, drinking in the scents Of the spring
air, just seeing the splendor Of bush of vel
low broom standing out against a violet sea;
she with her head flung back on the short,
dry grasses. often enough cigarette in her
mouth.
AS the days went by we grew quietly
nearer one another, insensibly, till one morn
ing asked her something
The fact was, al the place was ringing
with her dGings. The men with whom she
had amused herself for time, not all being
gentlemen, handled her name in the cafes
without too much courtesy. And the women
had always hated her for her beauty, her
toilets, her artistic reputation; young as she
was, she had had mention at the Salon.
So asked her if 1t really amused her sufi-
GENTLY to he worth the price.
She shook her head.
When she was not painting she grew hor-
ribiy enlGy 80: - aust do something. And
they it YVES nc. -. ar fault, she said.
ut is - great extent" told hor. "You
lea, ;:lci ON horribly mot mc-ce nest pas la
peiRe-hut most mem. AS soon as they
make love to you they disgust you. repel
you; you fling them over none too gently.
and, wcil-enfn, they talk"
She nodded fancy she knew quite well
what sort OF reputation she had But pres
entity She said with amusement:
80 20: - not care about me-you!'
Il Ike You SO much that do not like them
70 speak ot !Ou - 10y do. You are always
bon garcon to me-" | cried, turning sharply
IN her; "why cannot you translate it liter
allv am, be good boy always? Drop your
coouetry, take life frankly; you would do
better"
She did not answer.
The sun was hot, she began to look tired
and said she had work to do, she must go
home. l thought she did not like what | had
said. But | walked to her villa Wtrh her,
and as l stood in the loggla and babe her
good-by she put her hand into mine
And something prompting me, l said very
low:
"Be good boy"
She looked me in the face
ct :; cl,, IA
ing a vow.
And she did, l know. for l never again
saw in her that light manner which l had
always disIiked; l never heard her talking
to men as had heard her often enough.
And we were rather more together thai
ever. She would not let me treat her as
woman; indeed, she was the only woman
ever knew who was, au fond, bon garcon-
who knew the meaning Of camaraderie.
But my relation to her was getting al
pose, and knew it
Mon camaraie, mon beau garcon, mon
ami" said to her, and in my soul called
her Ma rose blonde, ma cherie."
made up my mind to SO away; it was all
| could do She know nothing about my
wife, and of course knew must tell her.
So one very windy unpleasant day, as we
were sitting il Il ilSti? sheltered cove on tAe
shore screwed Iiy courage to the sticking
place" and told her / must 80 to Rome.
had had very tiresome letter and was
out Of tune like tue day, aud did not say it
nicely.
why do you got" she asked, looking at
me where sac sat, close against the eter7.a!
rock, ne glorious strong sea crashing and
fearing at her very feet
threw q stone into the water and waited
! I, see wyerc it fell Then | said, quite