The Irish standard., 1890-03-08


in her low, gentle voice, telling me ct
her life in the wilderness, how she had
grown TO love it, how her mind had gone
on from idea to idea, and how she pict-
ured the great rushing world that she
had never seen as it was reflected to her
from the books which she had read. 1t
was curious vision of life that she bad;
things were out of proportion in it; it
was more like dream than a reality
a mirage than the actual face OF things
The idea of great cities, and especially
of London, had kind Of fascination for
her; she could scarcely realize the rush,
the roar and hurry, the hard crowds OF
men and women, strangers each to each,
feverishly seeking for wealth and pleas
ure beneath q murky sky, AID treadlng
one another down in the fury of their
competition.
s'What is it all for?" she asked,
earnestly. ssWhat do they seek? Hav-
ing so few years to live, why do they
waste them thus?''
1 told her that in the majority Of in
stances it was actual hard necessity that
drove them on, but she could scarcely
realize it. 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.
81 never want to go there" she went
on. 81 should be bewildered and fright
ened to death. 1t is not natural to live
A E177oiv
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. -"
$50 I 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, I 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.
It was she who broke that holy si-
lence, speaking in a changed voice, in
soft deep notes that thrilled me like
the Lowest chords of smitten harp.
<.sAh, now I understand" she said.
Snow 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 in the 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. .-
s'Let us go in, Allan. Let us go be-
fore the spell breaks, so that whatever
comes to us, sorrow, death or separa-
lions we may always have this perfect
memory to save u.s."
IN Gil
holding her by the hand. But as rose
my eye fell upon something that
cleaned white among the foliage of the
orange bush by my side. Isaid nothing,
but looked. The breeze stirred the Or
ange leaves, the moonlight struck for
moment full upon the white object
It was the face of Hendrika, the bah
yan-woman, as 1ndaba-zimbi had called
her, and on it was a glare Of hate that
made me shudder.
/ said nothing; the face vanished, and
Just then heard baboon bark in the
rocks behind.
Then we. went down the garden, and
Stella passed into tho center hut. Isaw
Hendrika standing in the shadow near
the door, and went up to her.
'.Hendrika." I said, t'why were you
watching Miss Stella and myself in the
garden?"
She drew her lips up till her teeth
cleaned in the moonlight.
ssHave not watched her these many
years, Macumazahn? Shall cease to
watch her because wandering white
man comes to steal her? Why were you
kissing her in the garden, Macumar
sahn? How dare you kiss her who isa
star?"
ST kissed her because love her, and
because she loves me-" answered.
.sWhat has that to do with you, Hem
drikaY
because you love her" she Kissed in
answer; land do not love her also,
who SO Jed me from the babyans! am
3 woman as she is, and you are . man.
and they say in the Kraals that men
love women better than women love
women. But st Is q lie, though this Is.
] true, that If 8 woman loves g man she
foreets all other love. Have 7 not seen
sit2S / gather her flowers beautiful
SSt9