The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1889-01-12

etAoCf ei1etU t11OoC OCAo, AAANA1 WCAC LA
deed Ill smelling, paid for the sweet
scented soaps In which Carmen de-
lighted. But who makes such obser-
vations to a woman? above all, if that
woman is 10 years old and pretty, airy,
and graceful as the rainbow with its
seven colors. All, yesl gratitude may
well be a sentiment too sober for
young woman, and justice fairness
an uncomfortable idea for a Joyous
imagination. These virtues are born
of suffering, and Carmen was almost
quite happy.
Given these conditions, it was not at
all inconsistent that the thoughts and
interest of the fisherman's wife should
turn to Don Jamie de Mequinenza,
from the day that the news Of his re-
turn to his baronial halls came to the
village at the cliff foot. And in eff
feet, when she set eyes upon his wor-
ship, Garments butterfly brain and her
unloyal heart alike sung to her that
this was a lord, a fine gentleman, and
a iseao-here was man worthy of
beauty and charm like hers.
As for the lord of the manor he was
already in love with her species, and
as the greater includes the less, he was
undoubtedly smitten with Carmen. 1t
was not long before they told each
other, by the telegraphic code Of looks
and signals, their mutual and respec-
tive sentiments, but this platonic sys-
tenn became to both alike insupport-
able.
In the meantime Damian went on
fishing.
Now, whether it came to pass that
the people of the hamlet, failing to
realize and appreciate their abiect con-
temptibility, came to criticise the do
ings of their feudal master, or whether
the fisherman chanced to remember
that his wife was pretty woman and
Don Jaime hot blooded gallant, and
that the castle and the cabin were not
SO widely separated-there came a
time when this worthy husband dis
played less than his usual eagerness to
make his frequent rounds of his eel
traps. He developed, also, certain
rheumatic twinges in his left knee,
that impaired his agility in walking,
and SO he hired strapping Lad, whom
he made his substitute in conveying
the eel baskets among the purchasers
of the vicinity. This procedure of
the fisherman was far from meeting
with the approval of Carmen and Don
Jaime.
One beautiful May evening the two
spouses sat at the door of their cabin
and watched the sinking sun-the
same sun in those days of century
and a half since that we see now above
us. That evening it was sinking as
slowly and majcstically as if it ex-
pected never to rise again. 1t was one
Of those splendid and solemn moments
in which it seems that the world has
reached for the first time its apogee of
beauty; melancholy hour in which
the soul appears to assist at the tragedy
of the days death as at a new occur
renee, which will not be repeated.
Carmen and Damian, regarding that
sun, whose rays dyed the horizon with
a strange, prophetic light, felt their
very souls stirred within them. I'm
cultured and rude of nature as they
were, they could but feel that this was
a critical hour, full of doom, of mys-
terry, Of fatality.
When the sun had set entirely both
breathed heavily, as those who have
completed a long and severe task. The
tacit compact was signed between
them, each to his own crime, not to be
renounced, but irrevocable, as the
death Of the day that was expiring.
They looked at each other full and un-
reservedly Damian lifted his eyes to
the castle, on whose topmost terrace
stood the Baron of Mequinenza, whom
he saluted. The lord had his eyes
fixed on Carmen, who also saluted him
easily. Damian stretched his rheu-
matte leg, and, turning to his wife,
said, dryly: i think my leg is well
again. I feel the pangs no longer. I
think I will go down to the village and
stay the night there. There is fell
low owes me some money; he will be
iii with his pay near midnight, and I
will catch him before he spends it. I
will come up in the morning in time
to take out the fish of to-night's fish.
Ea, Carmelita, God be with thee"
''Good-by, Damian," " said Carmela,
mechanically.
They had never before parted in this
way, but to both it seemed quite nat
ural. Damian took his hat and his
staff and crossed the walnut wood
bridgeway and the fosses of the castle.
The sun was still gliding the peak of
distant mountain.
Twelve hours later the sun once
more shone over the cabin. All the
sadness and foreboding of the day be-
fore had been pure farce. There was
the sun again, red and joyous as ever,
climbing up the heavens as blithely
as if this was his first journey there,
and shedding life and movement
wherever his rays reached This was
the sun that, in those hours of alb
sence, had crossed the ocean, had
called the MONDAY in the Americas,
had served as god for the idolators
Of the Pacific, had lighted the way for
mariners in China, had gilded the
spices of Hindostan, had kissed the
stones of the Holy Sepulcher, and had
marked the hour of death for some
modern Greeks; and now that sun
was returning, full Of curiosity to
know what had become of two fisher
people of Upper Aragon, whom he
had left the night before seated at the
door Of their hut.
AS to Damian, be, like the sun,
seemed in better hunor than on the
preceding evening, if he might be
judged BY the lively and fro1icsome
manner with which he ascended the
terraces of the castle, followed by
some other fishers, all singing the
most villainous jota that had been
produced in their country. They
reached the drawbrddge, crossed the
courts of the castle, still lying in 81
lence, and reached the plane fronting
Damian's cabin.
How loud the cascade roars' said
one of the men.
'But what has become of the
bridge2" cried another. "True for you'll
Lookl look it has slipped from each
endi it has sunken into the cutting
it has brokenl'
'sBut how can that be9 Such
beam so long, SO well supported by
its length SO heavyl and of walnut
a wood as strong as ironi''
II shall have to buy another" said
Damian, Struggling his shoulders;