Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-22
PAGESS TO q.

| the smitten earth painting out her
hot breath and ROLLING her swollen desert
tongue over the parched sp8rkling rocks in
vain, but yearning, search for water. Spread
above all an intensely blue sky that was
merging into the blaze of molten silver from
the dazzling light Of the rising sun; rub in
your shadows with the thickest, blaekest Ink,
suggest horrible silence, veritable agony
to the expeetant ears, paint in the distance
some CHASTITY mountains, with quiVering out
lines, and then label your picture-HadeS.
"The king of beasts had stopped for q
moment to give me specimen OF It's grimly
humorous spirit; and when it was convinced
by my words that I fully appreciated its
deviltry, it trotted gailY fooward. In short
time, under the intense heat, my agony be-
came unendurable. drank from the water
skin that hung from the saddle, but without
relief; my very blood seemed thickening in
my veins; the marrow melting in my bones.
An ordinary camel would not have been
idiotie enough to allow daylight to surprise
him in such an arid spot; but the accursed
king of beasts reveled in it and picked his
way over the burning sand as If there were
an inexpressible luxury in being roasted.
After couple of hours of the sharpest agony,
was, fortunately, plunged into insensibility
and was thus saved from the consciousness of
being baked alive.
when / returned to the world found
myself in the shade of small tamarack
grove lying on the ground, and the noble
king Of beasts contentedly nibbling at the
thorny bushes short distance away. To
my right, out in the sunlight, lay the ruins
Of temple; perfectly preserved sphynx
sitting on a high pedestal in the midst of
the desolation and undisturbed by world
ruin, smiling its mysterious smile of pity
and contempt, stared at it from my shady
| retreat lost in dreamy wonder until be-
came suddenly aware that pair of brown
| arms were clasped around my neck, and that
my head was slowly moved up and down on
| the softest and warmest of human pillows.
glanced up and saw the original Of the
| sketch you are holding; the original before
| which the copy is hideous, vulgar paint
| smudge. A rain Of odorous black hair
was falling over me, and from under its
shadow a pair of dreamy blue eyes gazing
! down into my soul with. infinite pity, CON-
passion and love; the love of the mother
| for her deformed child; the love of
/ the angel for souLscarred humanity.
Had my soul drifted to some fairy island
Of happiness. I should have felt no other
wise than now felt. This was pure, sinless
| spirit, although heard the beating Of hu-
man heart and felt the clinging warmth Of
human arms. The laughing, moeking def
anee in the face OF the portrait in your hand
libels the soul of the sinless Al
nah: It is coarse, brutally human; she was
refined, immortal. How it was that my poor
skill was false to truth you will learn if you
do not fall asleep before 1 end my story.
81 lay quietly gazing up into the angel
face so near my own was not surprised, but
Il ba1 l.
lied a hope and was content; discovered nv
life dream to be reality; knew that 1 was
right with all science sided against me;knew
that what L saw was but another aspect OF
what 1 had long felt 1 had lived an unbal-
anced, imperfect life, seeking, but never
finding; wandering, always wandering, and
dragging my WEAKNESS after me. did not
die. for / knew that somewhere in the fut-
ure she was waiting for me, and, finding
her. 1 was content. 1 rested for while,
steeped in the full, soft glow Of perfect con-
tent; then the red lips we're pressed
to mine and the arms melted from
my neck, and the soft voice whispered:
n'Fate decides not yet. You are stronger
now. DepartP
'9The voice was soft and musical, plaintivs
as that of the nesting bird. She had risen
to the fulness of her fine, graceful height,
and rose and faced her.
"Departp repeated. And YOU?
"'My home is here or elsewhere. You
must return to your own people,
"'I am alone in the world, and 1 am happy
here
"'It must not be. Cor This sadly, and
yet with certain imperiousness.
"'You are cruel
'''AhI and after venturing so much to see
you? But you are forgiven She smiled
tenderly, as nursing a sweet Thought Of her
own. sAnd then you are human
"'May not go with you to your home?
1t is dreary here, and do not fear
"fPerhSps, some day. cannot. form the
lips to speak and to explain myself. Some
day and somewhere we shall meet, never to
part. Now L wander restlessly, unsatisfed,
waiting also. L am in pain, and suffer while
I am thus. Go! and let me be released
1.-THE king of beasts was now kneeling
beside me, and obeying power could not
control, mounted into the saddle. The
camel still remained kneeling. turned to
her and said: You have my soul. I am
helpless and must needs obey, but it is sad
to depart, having dreamed 30 long, and see
ing the truth so briefly
hI am to blame she answered, sadly
wistfully. I hungered; I dared and I am
punished
"she turned from me, but at the pleading
sound of my voice she again faced melrreso-
luteIy.
"dTake me with You at any cost said.
I have filed the void in my life. Till now
it was q hungry yearning. lived as one
dead. I have seen you, and life is COM
plete. What then is death if may be with
you?'
81 am in prison. she whispered, with
oc ir,h har
for the time being my strength is shorn
from me. 1 am a woman, and my soul is
chained. Have mercy, then, and leave me,
or the pain be yoursP
felt my power, and took advantage Of it.
She stood there in the shadow of the trees,
her two hands elasped before her, the yearn-
ing, wistful look intensified in her sad eyes.
"'Come with-me,' begged.
"'I read your heart, she answered, and
I am yours, as have always been. But my
time is short, and you will not understand.
Depart, then, for my sake
"Her ewes and voice were filed with tears.
"'ComeI finsisted.
"'Heaven be mercifulP she sighed, re-
signedIy. lam weak, 1 deserve to be
"With sob of weakness and Of pained
she seated herself before me on
the saddle, and the amiable king Of beasts
rose to his feet uninVited, and with fine
gravity loped out into the late afternoon,
making his way toward the distant noun
aims, behind which the setting sun was dis
appearing.
"MY arm was around Almah's waist and d.
ler face was close to mine, but her ewes
we're turned to the slowly sinking disk Of
he sun.
"'You are sad, 1 asked after silence.
For yOur.sake, she answered, turning
or momont to warm my soul with gentle
mile. i know; you must win your know
edge through pain, through errors COM
nittad and zuffarad for Ruk God Ia oood