The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1890-08-07

3 ISIS Ik
'">.1y ~, G,.s>j4Ja~..
NE LIN0kRED OvKR HER PORTRAIT.
GilchristD For Ave minutes we win
make believe that the deed Ia done. and
We are translated. hear the surf on
the shores Of the dear little isle Of our
own"
Whore the winds never sigh, and
the skies never weep! Hushr'
They humored this one Of her caprices,
as they had others. She was full Of
fancics, some odd. some CHASTITY. some
graceful. Even practical May yielded
obedience to the mandate. and, laying
her head against the bole Of the tree.
met the bright eye Of the motherrobin
peering over the edge Of her nest with
what May chose to interpret as . wink
of intelligent amusement.
''She asked me as plainly a. dumb show
could ask, who would provide three
meals day for the happy exclusives
and, when alluded to bread-fruit trees
and beefsteak geraniums, wanted TO know
where ovens and grid-irons would como
FROM" said May. afterward: THAT
formed the basis Of my i've minute rev.
erie"
my soul to-day,
Is far away.
Sailing the vesuvian bay;
Ny winged Doat
A bird afloat,
Swims round the purple peaks remote
So runs the poem. between the lines
OF which might be written the exultant.
Absent from the 6Osiy" Hester's soul
had the poets power Of drifting into
absolute idcalizaticn. She was used to
building with dream-stuff. In the time
she had allotted. she lived out life-
time. to tell OF which would require
hours and many pages. That she paid
for the wide sweep into the remote and
the never-to-be. by reaction bitterer
than death. never dissuaded her from
other voyages Of the winged boat"
For perhaps sixty seconds. Hetty.
sitting upon the turf by the recumbent
Thor. and idly pulling his shaggy hair.
reflected. regretfully. upon this certain
reflex action; then. as II uttered IN her
ear. required the words: "Where ne
four might paint, and talk and Ace for
evcr!''
I'VE four!" Involuntarily, her eve
sped from one to another Of the group:
from Mays placid visage and smile
appraised to tho robins nest. to the face
framed about by pale-blue cushions. -
colorless as wax. the paln-lines effaccd
upon the forehead and mouth OF Q dead
child-consciousness. rising into inales-
ty. of having comprised all that Is
given to the human creature to know.
the full posse ssion Of . happy secret TO
be shared with none who still bear the
weight Of mortality. lietty's heart
slackened its beat while sne gazed upon
the motionless features Her ''child''
was. for tho time. rapt beyond her
reach. Yet 1t was only "make-believe''
after all, that shared her into temporary
bliss!
Before the pang OF the thought got
6rm hold Of her, she met March Gil
christ's eyes. full. and fixed upon hers.
He lay along the grass, supporting
himself on his left elbow. his cheek
upon his hand. the other hand. still
holding the big brush. had fallen across
Thor's back. His eyes were startled. q
I'm q - ,nrnxnoDro1 royoloe;nv, ord 20 ~.
glance touched them. sudden, glad
light leaped from depth to surface. lie
would not release her regard-not even
when the glow that succeeded the numb
ness Of the thrill stole from limb to
limb, and suffused her face. and all
the forceful maiden nature bsttled with
the magnetic comrulslon The sough
OF the spring breeze in the dower-laden
branches, ikened by Hester to the
whispering surf upon island sands; the
humming bees and twitterlng birds: the
sun-war,ned scent OF apple-blooms and
white clover and the sweetbrier grow
ing just without the canopy OF the king
apple-tree; the faint flnsh Of light
strained through loe ked masses Of bios
soms.-were. for those supreme moments
all the world-except that this man
Gods most glorious creation-spoke to
her. although his lips were moveless,
and that the stir Of . new and divine
life within her heart replied.
II am sure the time must be up!' said
May. yawningly. poor Hester IL st
asleep. and my tongue aches with hold
ing 1t 50 long"
Hester Enclosed her eyes slowly,
smiled dresmily, and essayed no denial.
March was on his knees, collecting
brushes and tubes into his coior-box.
Hetty was folding rug 80 much too
heavy for her wrists that May sprang to
seize the other end.
"Why-are you chilly? Your fingers
are like icel" she exclaimed, as their
hands met. ''And how you SILVER am
afraid we have been selfish in keeping
you out-of-doors SO long,"
The ague shook the mirth out Of the
nervous laugh with which Hetty
answered.
TO BE CONTINUED.