Rock Island daily Argus., 1889-12-31


shapes that are ,tartlin- in their fidelity
From the diary Of good wnmans life, |
have torn two pages One was written in
mist of Doubt theothe beneath the glorious
ly radiant srch Of Delight After years pf I'M
certainty, happiness has become 20 her per
enuial bow of promise.
What these two pages reveal of truth, only
guessed at before. inteu~ities Il memory that
will abide with me until the graves impene-
trable shadows are lftei and dispelled.
The scenes of this narrative are con for
eign station"
Almost simultaneously 1 had reached my
thirth-seveuth year ami the thirty-fifth par
allel of south latitude. The turtle-hack, pc
uinsular city OF Mouteyideo very comforta-
bly, housed me among its one hundred thou
sand inhabitants. There We're, probably,
that many of US at that time, although |
never had whole opportunity 70 verify the
local census. One afternoon, as | stood at
the portal OF the hospitable English club, 1
somewhat idiotically tried 20 count the peo-
pie going back and forth, crossing and re-
crossing the Plaza Constitution; but l soon
grew weary of the mouotouous tramp and
arm swinging, bowius and oglnS, the car
riage sweep and street car rush. So, resign
adly, faced about. went deliberately up
rusmopolites who hal been born before that
quarter of the world was quite ready for
them.
l could not speak the every day language
Of my temporary fellow citizens, yet friends
were plentiful, skies fair, the society charm
ing, and December's pulse beat warmly at
eighty degrees or thereabUuts.
The previous month. and, in fact, the last
week in it, found me lettering at the Brazil
ian capital There / had awaited the arrival
Of steamer comrade. His mercantile en-
gagements detained him at PeruambucO and
Bahia Thus he escaped genuine bowling,
sail splitting pamperU, which had given me "A
toss and tumble idea OF what n hard blow
off shore usually is in the vicinity OF CabO
Frio.
When we were again together quickly
detected a change IN George Hamilton. He
seemed preoccupied-his mind far removed
from either business or pleasure. l had
marked out grand plan for sight seeing in
his company, but he took little or no appar-
ent interest in the detailed programme. II
iuca, the magnificent, failed to lure him. and
Pao AsSucar and lofty Corcovado shared
with the renowned Jnrdin Botauicu and its
avenue Of palms neglect that was surpris-
ing On the voyage out from New York hs
had talked ~ constantly of these freaks and
wonders of tropical nature that ] was now
completely nonplussed by his indifference.
During his youth he had spent several years
In the Atlantic provinces Of Brazil. HIS
father had been one of the first and most
successful railway contractors la ,iat OPu-
lent empire I,sai,i,-, hasing "a thorough ac-
e,,ai..oance with the coast cities OK South
America, no nntive spoke Portuguese or
Spanish more fuently than George Hamil-
ton. As / had depended upon his oft re-
peated voluntary promise 10 be my guide In
and around Rio, the disappointment was not
hid from him.
Aboard ship our likings had been mutual
Hour after hour we gazed from the steamers
deck at the marvellous luxuriance Of eternal
| summer lands Threading its way between
| the superb clusters Of islands, known 10 all
| West Indian sailors as the Carihs, our vessel
had, in succession, passed the immense deltas
| OF Orinoco and Amazon. From BraganZa
shoals to the celebrated Magellan straits,
every bay and headland was an open book to
George Hamilton; and none Of them were
blank books.
Incidentally, he had told me - tn. ,,a - -
married, hut made no furt" ., ,or,-a1,,,. >.
family affairs. He.iiufacturinp comnonv
Ne" hhg'alsces We're in Boston. ! natu-
whose sei'posed that his wife was living at or
rsir that city HIS almost studied reticence
about domestic associations prevented mo
from making even ordinary inquiries. was
TO learn more, however, aud soon; but not
all from him
To describe George Hamilton in his moods,
or at his worst or best, would result the same.
An attractive man, lac easily gained and held
esteem. Men and women alike were fasc l.
mattel by his physical beauty aud intellectual
strength. had becn proud Of his individual
preference
On the third evening, after he hal reioined
me, he came burriedly into my room Mt the
Hotel ios Estrangeros. His agitation was IN
concealed. Throwing himself, fun length,
upon bamboo lounge, he rested his head in
one hand and looked fixedly at me. This
was new phase Of his recent singular be-
havlor
After few moments, he spraug to his
feet, and began pacing the room Then, sud
denly halting in his walk he escitedly said:
" am miserablel Pardon me, senior; owe
you apology and explanation
Neither was my curt reply
Without seeming TO notice or care for tho
manner OF my interiection, he continued:
'Oh, yes lido; for outwarily am no longer
the man to whom you freely extended an
honorable, sympathetic friendship Meeting
casually, as oil earth's travellers do, the pass
ing acquaintance has. with me. ripcned into
sincere regard You may not wholly APP
preciate the bitterness OF necessity now
forosd upon me Qr the heartache that comes
= ---tt e part. Whsn you return
-. .ryvYs me up. II viii l'e pleasant
~ 4 4: s & <| & i z, -