Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1888-01-14
- E5E:
BY Il. Rider HAGGARD.

and each Of rs drew from it ashininc lock.
ana these locks we still have. the sole me-
imento that is lett TO us Of Ayesha as we
knew her in the fullneSs of her grace md
ElorF. Leo pressed the perfumed hair 70
his lipa.
She called to me not to forge her" he
said h0G s~ely land syvoye that ,,e shorId
meet again. BY Heaven! ne>er will for.
get her. Here | swear that, If we live ca
get out ~ this, | viii not for all nv dav.
nave anything 40 say to another livjng
woman, and that wherever | 20 | will wait
Tor her rs faithfully rs she waited forme."
Yes ! thought TO myself, III she comes
back beautiful rs we knew her. But sup
posing she came bach like thatr'
well, and then we went. We went. and,
lett those two in the presence Of the very
well and spring Of Life, hut gathered to
The cold company Of Death. How lonely
they looked rs they lay there, and how Ill
assorted! 1nat little heap hai been for
w Thousand years Tie wlscst, lOyeliest.
prcudest creature! can hardly cal her
wOInan-in the whole universe. she had
been wicked. too. in her way: brt, alas,
such Is the frailty OF the human heart. her
wlckcdncS, had not detracted from her
charm indeed, ! mn By no means certain
that 1T did not ada To it. IL WAS, after all,
OF II grand order; there was nothirs mean
on small about Ayeshl.
And poo job, 90, His prcseEtiment
hal cuAn true, and there VAS an end OF
him. Well, he had a strange birthplace
no Norfolk hind ever had Il stranger, or
ever Will; and il IS something 10 lie in the
same aepulcire with tie poor remains OF
the imperial She.
We looked orr last upon them and the
indescribab!e rosy glow ia which they iay,
II then with hearts far too heavy tor
words we left them, and crcpt thence brok.
eD-dOWn cn-SO brOkch-tOWn that we even
r%cnourccd the chance Of practically i'm.
mortal life, because All that made lie val.
liable had gone from US, ANA knew even
then that to prOlonE our days indefinitely
would only De 10 prulonS our sii"eringS.
For we ic!t yes, hutA q. us-that having
once looked Aycrha in The eyes, we could
nor FORGET her forever and everWhiic mem.
Ory ANA Identity remained. Wcbpth loved
her nuW and TOR always; She was stamped
and CarVcn on our hearts, ana 10 other
woman could ever RAE that splendid die.
And there lies the StinE-l mad ANA have
no right 10 think thus OF her. As she told
me, | was naught 10 her, and never shall
be through the ~unfathOmea depths OF Time,
unless, indeed, conditions alter. and Il day
ono mt last when two men mas love one
woman, and all three be happy III the fact.
it IS the oaiy hope OF my brOken-hearted
ness. and q rather faint one. Beyond il
] have nothing. | have paid Gown this
heavy price, AL that | am worth here and
hereafter, and that is my sole reward.
Win Leo it is different, and often and vi.
ten bitterly envy him his happy lot, for
II Sic was right, and her wisdom md
knowledge did not fail her at the last,
which arguing from the precedent OF her
own case | think unlikely, he has some
future to look forward to. Bat ! have
none, and yet-mark the folly and the
weakness of the human heart, and let him
who is wise learn wisdom from it-yct !
would not have Il otherwise. | mean thar
/ am content TO give what have giyenan
must ALWAYS give, and take in payment
those crumbs mat fall from my mistress
table, the memory OF a few kind words, the
hope one day in the far undreamed future
of IA sweet smile or two Of recognition, and
Il little show OF thanks for my devotion TO
her-and Leo.
II that does not constitute true love, | do
not know what does. and all ! ave TO say
is That it is Il very bad state of mind for Il
mar on the wrong side Of middle age to
fall into.