The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1890-02-27

AsoDa lse parSsA O tns2r proper eu1s,
and 20 bewilker them with rsere sensu-
Gus beauty and eharrn-of them
speak not Bat he Who knows how -
agxrandixe his own being 10 the extens
u th-, Of the woman. be surely may
invite har with confidence and enjoy
her with profit
j had arrived q; this conclusion ks~
fore / met Irene, and 80 couli not
have been influenced 20 It by any con-
sideraiaon Of the FRESHNESS and splen-
dor Of her lovelincsx. No woman more
nearly perfect In ali feminine charms
could have existed; from the arch Of
her brow 20 the curve Of her fooe, /
found no flaw In her We were nasur-
nlly mated, too, rs tongue to thought;
for was tall and s;ro1g, and Of grace
full symmetry, with dark features
straight and fine; and she, though
slender, was rounded in every part,
supple and active, yet withal stately as
the Greek Artemis, whose ideal hnea-
ments hers resembled. In her blue
eyes there were both softness and fire,
and her clear voice vibrated in the lis
teners soul. We formed the perfect
whole OF male and female-the intag-
lilo and the seal. In her recognised
the softer ranges of my own nature,
and TO her / might stand as the i'm
pregnable mountain wall within whose
embrace the fertile and enchanted
valley Of her womanhood could ex-
pand itself, secure and fortunate.
To induce her to identify herself
wholly with me was my first care. !
pointed out to her the heights TO
which l meant to soar; depths which
purposed to search out: the obstacles
that l was preparing TO overthrow,
But she would rest her eyes on mine
in a long look, until / felt the great
things grasped at were but the shad-
ows of greatness-having which
should yet have nothing, but ever be
led on to other shadows, which, in
turn dissolving, would reveal still
others endlessly. And then my self
hood would seem to dwiAdle and wax
unsubstantial, and in my heart a quiet
but mighty impulse, like the flowing
of the tide. urged me to cast all at her
gracious feet, and find in her q greater
recompense than the conquest of the
world itself and its secret It was an
impulse that babe me declare myself
nothing, and to forsake all ambition
save to win her acceptance of my hom-
age. This read in her eyes, or seemed
to read; to forsake my own exaltation
and find exaltation in her; TO make il
my honor to honor her; so to live as
TO make her life lovely. This only
would be real and immortal; all else
was builded of death, and death would
be the end of it.
Disturbed by these misgivings, !
would 60 forth from the spell of her
presence, and walk in the garden until
the moon climbed above the dark
masses of the yew trees, and the howl
of the gray wolf rode on the air like
the cry of a demon. Then would
draw near to him, and cast myself on
the stony ground where he crouched
and snarled. and, resting my chin upon
my hands, I would peer into the glare
of his yellow eyes, and mark the hun
CRY grin of his teeth and the thick
hair bristling round his neck Wild
and hideous in truth he was; but al
length, as I watched him, the delight
of the beast would begin to course
through my pulses. and my breath
came short and thick, and undula
tons, red like blood, quivered before
my sight.
The spirit of the wolf spoke in my
mind, saying that life was battle and
murder, and that he who was ferces1
and sternest was the survivor and the
master. The only enduring monu
ments of human greatness were thost
whose stones were cemented with hui
man blood-the blood of weak and
credulous hearts. Read in the soul!
of those whose memory pOsterity ha!
worshiped, and you shall find in thei
depths the record of merciless and saw
age deeds that the world calls crimes
but which the wise know to be the in
evitable steps whereby the mount o
vision may be assembled. The indolen
and aimless multitude beguile them
selves with piety and patience-empty
words to disguise their cowardice ant
impotence. The few who have tn,
courage to look existence in the fac
and measure it, and the fortitude t.
trample under foot all the tender de
lusions of romance, charity and mere,
to them, and to them alone, is tn
triumph and the fame. So the spiri
of the wolf entered into me and spoke
till l CRASHED my teeth as he gnashe,
his, and felt the Unsuitable thirst 70
blood burning at my entrails.
One day Irene and sat ON the tez
race overlooking the garden, and a
we sat she put out her hand and lai'
it in mine. She was beautiful beyon,
the won't even of her beauty, an
there was a kind of sacredness in he
neighborhood like music on a noun
tain, or the purity of flowers at dawn
Yet at that time I was in the mood o
the gray wolf, and while I softl
pressed her hand I felt a longing t
!, leap upon her and tear her white des
with my teeth, and despoil and tram
. pie her.
I "What are your thoughts, IIucana
D she asked.
"Of you, Irene-always Of you"
:, answered, quietly.
l Then the wolf howled below in tn
! garden, and struggled with his chair
why do you keep that wild beas
my love2" she said. Loose him, an
let him stink back to his own deser
He seems to come between us; an
last night / dreamed that he crept
beside me as I slept, and felt b
!, fangs at my throat. How can 70
love him and mel'
!. ''The world is wide" 1 said, ian
J the tree whose branches reach towal
heaven has its roots in hell. But con
/ with me into the garden, and it sha
2 be as you wish"
So we went down together, sti
hand in hand. The red sun sank b
q hind the yew trees, and breeze aros
9 swaying their dark tops to and fro,
II if they nodded to one another, ar
q mrl1Iufed Of some fearful deed. B.
l drew Irene on, and she walked b
: side me fearlessly, holding her swe
u head like flower. We came to a {
$ viding of the path; one way led to Il
n plot where the roses grew, and Il
i other to the wolf. The perfume
~ 4 II