Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1890-02-13

4 "
waste them thus?'
| / told her that in the majority Of in
stances 1t was actual hard necessity that
drove them on, but she could scarcely
realize 1t. Living as she had done in
the midst of the teeming plenty of the
| fruitful earth, she did not seem to
understand that there are millions who
from day to day know not how to stay
their hunger.
Il never want to 60 there, she went
ON. IL should be bewildered and fright
ened to death. 1t is not natural to live
like that. God put Adam and Eve in a
garden, and that is how He meant their
children to live-in peace, and looking
always on beautiful things This IS
my idea Of perfect life. want no other. +"
81 thought that you once told me that
| you found it lonely" ] said.
80 did, she answered, innocently,
''but that was before you came. Now
am not lonely any more, and it is per-
fect-perfect as the night"
just then the full moon arose above
the elbow of the peak, and her rays stole
far and wide down the misty valley,
cleaning on the water brooding on the
plain, searching out the hidden places
of the rocks wrapping the fair form Of
nature as in silver bridal vail through
which her beauty shone mysteriously.
Stella looked down the terraced val
| ley; she turned and looked up at the
SCARED face of the golden moon, and
then she looked at me. The beauty Of
the night was about her face, the scent
of the night was on her hair the mys-
terry of the night shone in her Swallowed
eyes. She looked at me, looked at her,
and all our hearts love blossomed with
in US. We spoke no word--we had no
words TO speak. but slowly we drew near,
| till lips were pressed to lips as we kissed
our eternal troth.
1t was she who broke that holy ST.
lence, speaking in a changed voice, in
soft deep notes that thrilled me like
the lowest chords Of smitten harp
'Ah, now ! understand she said.
| ''Now ] know why We are lonely, and
how we can lose our loneliness Now !
know what it is that stirs US in the
| beauty of the sky, in the sound of water
and iIFthe scent Of flowers. 1t is love
that speaks in every thing, but till we
hear his voice we understand nothing
| But when we hear, then the riddle is
answered, and the gates Of our heart
are opened and, Allan, we see the way
that wends through death to Heaven,
and is lost in the glory Of which our love
is but shadow.
Let us go in. Allan. Let us 90 be-
fore the spell breaks. SO that whatever
comes to US, sorrow. death or separa-
tions we may always have this perfect
memory TO save as.
rose like a man in a dream, still
holding her by the hand. Bpt as l rose
my eye fell upon something that
cleaned white among the foliage of the
orange bush by my side. said nothing,
but looked. The breeze stirred the or
ange leaves, the moonlight struck for
moment full upon the white object.
1t was the face of Hendrika, the bah
yan-woman as Indaba-zimbi had called
her, and on it was glare of hate that
made me shudder.
said nothing: the face vanished, and
i Just then | heard a baboon bark in the
rocks behind.
Then we went down the garden, and
/ Stella passed into the center hut | saw
/ Hendrika standing in the shadow near
the door, and went up TO her.
"Hendrika." said, why were you
watching Miss Stella and myself in the
garden?1
She drew her lips up till her teeth
/ cleaned in the moonlight
Have | not watched her these many
years, Macumazahn? Shall | cease to
watch her because a wandering white
man comes to steal her? Why we're you
/ kissing her in the garden, Macuma-
zahn? How dare you kiss her who is a
starr"
II kissed her because ! love her, ana
because she loves me-" | answered.
What has that to do with you, Hem
drika?"
Because you love her" she Kissed in
answer; "and do ! not love her also,
who saved me from the babyans. | am
a woman a. She is, and you are a man,
and they say in the Kraals that men
love women better than women love
women. But it is lie though this Is
/ true, that if woman loves a man she
forgets all other love. Have ! not seen
4 it? / gather her flowers beautiful
flowers: | climb the rocks where you
would never dare to 60 90 find them;
you pluck piece Of orange bloom in the
I garden and give il TO her. What does
| she do?-sne takes the orange bloom,
she puts il in her breast and let's my
| flowers die, | cali TO her--she does not
hear me--she is thinking. You whis-
per to some one Ear away, and she
| hears and smiles. She used to kiss me
sometimes: now she kisses that white
brat you brought, because you brought
it. Oh, / see it all-all; have seen it
from the first; you are stealing her
from us, stealing her To yourself, and
those who loved her before You came
are forgotten. lfe careful Macuma-
zahn, be careful. lest | am revenged
upon you. You, you hate me; you
think me half monkey; that servant
of yours calls me baboon-woman. Well,
| have lived with baboons and they are
clever-yes, they can play tricks and
know things you don't, and am
cleyerer than they, for / have learnt
the wisdom of white people also, and
say to you: Walk softly, Macumazahn,
or you will fall into pit" and with one
more look OF malice she was gone.
| stood for a momentrefecting Twas
afraid of this strange creature who
seemed to combine the cunning Of the
great apes that had reared her with the
passion and skill Of human kind ] fore
BODIED evil at her hands. And yet there