The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1888-02-23
yes ffUf 0e ground ana looked before

eyes from 0e ground ana looked before
him.
s'a.in3 becI in surprise. he quickly con-
c-alcd himself behind a shellering bush.
and peercd through its leaves
Lost In deepest thought. orc shapcly hand
resting upon the neck Of her coaLblack
sized which was quietly drinking at tho
margin Of the pool.--the Other holding the
bridle-reias, stood a young girl Of marvel
Gus beauty. She seemed scarcely older
than nineteen. Her raven-eoiored hair,
looscncd by the motion Of riding. fell down
In shining waves about hor waist. Her
cheeks were flushed with scarlet. and. from
beneath brow as pure as marble. her
dark. lustrous eyes gazcd with calm yet
earnest expression toward tho west. where
tic red sun was fast sinking behind the low
hills.
Gcntlcness and repose. strength end in
tellgence were clearly revealed in that
wondronsly pure and lovely f-ee Tie soft
rays Of the sun lovingly threw about her a
golden halo. and filled all the place with its
rudy. war1a light.
She stood forget fully. untilthc horse. hav-
ing quenched his thirst. turned his head to-
ward her, and gently whinnying. seemed to
ask why they waited longer
.'Ah! Mcdii.'' said she. afrcctionateiy
caressing the noble animal who dclightedly
| rubbed his soft nose against her cheek,
"-sh. Medji, you watchful old fellow!
hid forgotten myself
Leading him to high stone beside one Of
the many huge, gnarled OAKS that grew
along the way. she babe him stand still
Meuli. who seemed to have an unwonted af-
lection for his mistress. stood obeaiently
still At her word Her 1.-the and graceful
form. whose full. rounded curves betokened
health and frequent exercise. lightly swung
itself into the saddle. At the word Of COM
uand. Medii bore of his beautiful rider,
who disappeared in the direction from which
the young man had just come-a glorious
creature whom the very gods might have
loved!
Motionless as statue. daring scarcely to
breathe and gazing after her with straning
eyes, stood the young stranger.
80 deep had he been in thought, so far
away from the present. that he had been
taken at unawares. The vision burst upon
him Like shock.
Had it, at last. arrived the fatal moment.
That long leoked-for turning point in his
careerf Aud that, too, when he least ex-
pectcd it'll
Among those of his own kith and kin there
oSaasio44aiis appSdfcu Strange. hhSossfH-
able spirit which, sometimes. drove its pos
SCISSOR to great extrayagancies; or made
him man Of but one overwhelmingly -ab-
sorbing idea: and that idea so absurd. so i'm
| practicable that, after the spirit left him, no
one could be more amazed at its evil spell
| than the unfortunate person himself.
The young man knew well this sudden and
always Berserk-like frailty of
those Of his own blood. Once or twice he
had even himself experienced ii. in a mild
form, and had. hitherto, been victorious in
his conflicts with it.
| He felt the spirits sudden awakening
now. In the first fear Of his struggle with
| it, he groaned aloud, and exclaimed
My God, What shall dor'
| Slowly and with difficulty collecting his
scattered senses, he was about to rush he