The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-09-09


afraid, and, not daring to so further, he fell
on his knees at the end Of the balcony.
Gould you bit know" he said, THE
abominable fortunes have passed through.
| have never imagined a worse suffering.
Really the only true grief is to think that you
are not beloved by the person to whom you
have given your affection. | would will
ingly give up all else; would consent to be
poor, dying from hunger, or racked by pain;
but will not pass another day with this
terrible doubt gnawing at my heart, OF
thinking that you do not love me. Be good,
l pray you, and pity me-"
She listened to him, silent, overcome with
compassion, yet very happy withal.
This morning, you sent me away IN such
dreadful mannerl l had fancied to my
self that you had changed your feelings to-
ton, you liked me better. But, alas! L
found you exactly as you had been on the
first day, cold, indifferent, treating me as
you would have done any other simple GUS
toner who passed, recalling me harshly to
the commonplace of life. On the stair.
way staggered. Once outside, ran, an d
was afraid might scream aloud. Then,
the moment reached home, it seemed to
me l should stihe were to enter the house.
So rushed out into the fields, walking by
chance first on one side of the road and then
on another. Evening came, and was still
wandering up and down. But the torment
of spirit moved faster than ever and de-
voured me. When one is hopelessly IN
love, it is impossible to escape from the
pains accompanying ones affection.
ListenW he said, and he touched his breast.
at is, here that you stabbed me, and the
point of the knife still continues to pene-
trate deeper and deeper"
He gave long sigh at the keen recollec-
ton Of his torture.
Il found myself at last in a thicket, over
come by my distress, like tree that has
been drawn up by the roots. To me,
the only thing that existed in my life, in the
future, was you. The thought that you
might never be mine was more than | could
bear. Already my feet were so weary that
they would no longer support me. felt
that my hands were growing icy cold, and
my head was filled with the strangest fan
cies. And that is why | am here |
do not know at ali how | came, or where
found the necessary strength to bring me to
you. You must try to forgive me; Dut had
| been forced to do so | would have broken
open doors with my fists, | would have
clambered up to this balcony in broad day
light, for my will was no longer under my
control, and was quite wild. Now,
will you not pardon mel"
She was a little in the shadow, and he, on
his knees in the full moonlight could not
see that she had grown very pale in her ten-
der repentance, and was too touched by his
story to be able to speak. He thought that
she was still insensible to his pleadings and
he Joined his hands together most beseech-
ingly.
IAN my interest in you commenced long
ago 1t was one night when saw you for
the first time, here at your window. You
were only vague, white shadow; l could
ronly distjnuuiSh of faafIlras
yet saw you and imagined you just as you
are in reality. But was timid and afraid,
so for several days | wandered about here.
never daring to try to meet you in the open
day. And in addition, since this is a
confession, must tell you everything; you
pleased me particularly in this half mys-
terry; it would have disturbed me to have
you come out from it, for my great happi-
ness was to dream of you as if you were an
apparition, or an unknown something to be
worshiped from afar, without ever hoping to
become acquainted with you. Later
on, knew who you were, for after all it is
difficult to resist the temptation to know
what may be the realization of ones dream.
1t was then that my restlessness commenced.
1t has increased at each meeting. Do you
recollect the first time that we spoke to each
other in the field near by, on that forenoon
when | was examining the painted window!
Never in my life did l feel so awkward as
then, and it was not strange that you ridi-
culed me so. Afterward frightened you,
and realized that continued to be very I'M
fortunate in following you, even in the
visits you made to the poor people. AL
ready ceased to be master of my own ac-
tions, and did things that astonished me be-
yond measure, and which, under usual cir
cumstances | would not have dared at
tempt For instance, when | presented my
calf hara with the nr1ar for 81 p1Ifra Ipa
pushed forward by an involuntary force, as,
personally, dared not do it, knowing that
| might make you angry. But at present |
cannot regain my own self. l can only obey
my impulses. know that you do not like
me, and yet, as you see in spite of it all
have come back to you, that may hear you
tell me so. If you would but try to under
stand how miserable l am. Do not love me
if it is not in your heart to do so. | must
accept my fate But at least allow me to
love you. Be as cold as you please, be hate
full if you will shall adore you whatever
you may choose to be. only ask to be able
to see you, even without any hope; merely
for the joy of living thus at your feet"
Felicien stopped, disheartened, losing all
courage as he thought he would never find
any way of touching her heart. Andthe
did not see that Angelique smiled, half hid
den as she was by the open window sash.
tie spread over her whole face. Ali the
the dear fellow! How simple and trusting
he was as he outpoured The prayer of his
heart, filled with new longings and love, in
bowng before her. as before the highest
ideal of all his youthful dreams
To think that she had ever been so foolish
as at first TO try to avoid all meetings with
him, and then, later on, had determined
that although she could not help loving him,
he should never know it! Such folly on her
part was quite inexplicable. Since love is
right and is the fate Of all, what good could
be gained by making martyrs of them boths
A complete silence ensIed, and in her Gu
thusiastic, imaginative, nervous state she
heard, louder than ever in the quiet Of the
warm night. the voices OF tue saints about
her, who said love was never forbidden,
when 1T was SO ardent and true as this.
Behind her back bright fash of light had
suddenly appeared; scarcely breath, but
delicate wave from the moon upon the
chamber floor An invisible finger, no
doubt that of her guardian angel, was
placed upon her mouth, as if TO unSeal her
lips and relieve her from her vow. Hence
forth she could freely unburden herself and
tell the truth. All that which was power
full and tender in her surroundings now
whispered to her words which seemed to
come from the infinite unknown.
Thon, at last, Angelique spoke.
"Ah! yes, L recollect, / recolect IL all.
And Felicien was at once carried away
with delight by the music of this voice,
whose extreme charm was so great over him
that his love seemed to increase simply from
listening to il