Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1891-06-13
THE MOONLIGHT TRYST.
AN ITALIAN LOVE STORY.


blossoms falls silently like perfumed
snow.
A curly dark head peeps over the top
of the ladder, and voice that wishes to
be firm, betrays a slight tremor, hest
tating between the syllables:
"Ma-ria!"
II am here. But for heavens sake
speak low. There is still light in papa's
room. Oh, dear me, I'm so frightened
/ haven't any blood in my veins!"
"Come further this way; don't be
afraid; come under the shadow of the
branches; so; no, further this wayl"
She advanced with little, uncertain,
short steps; her slender white figure,
still almost that of child, flies along the
gravel of the path; she crouches trernb-
ling at the foot of the low wall, among
the branches of dropping ivy, and looks
up toward the laughing eyes which shine
through the leaves.
"Oh, Alfredol And if you fall, and
hurt YOURSELF"
"The idea! My poor little dove! You
are all like that, you womenl l, instead,
difficulties animate mel They spur me
onward, they electrify me! For you, !
would be capable of much more. Maria,
do you care for me?"
ayes; speak low; l heard a creaking. "
at is the wind; do you care for me9
Swear it'll"
II swear It'll Don't joggle the ladder
look, oh! the ladder is tottering!"
y need your love in order to struggle
against life! A mass of blockheads,
of scoundrels, of idiots! But we will
triumph over everything; if you will
only"
"Whatr"
"Be strong and faithful. Be my Muse
and my poetry"
But I am; only, you know, papa is so
strict, he would lie me to play dolls
yet; and he says that you"
what? Speak, 1 am prepared for
everything. What did he say? l am
superior to these TRIES. Tell mel"
THAT you are a naughty boy;
that you would do better to be at your
lessons, and that if he catches YOU"
interruption; the wind laughs among
the trees with soft little murmur Of
irony.
"Are you weeping, treasure? I will
avenge your tears one by one!"
"Yes!"
The sweet, musical little voice is lost
in stammer of sobs.
"Your father is barbarian, a tyrant
like mine; but no matter; love is light,
is power; it brushes obstacles, levels
dificulties-in few years you will be
mine"
eyes; but if you do not pass the ex-
animation"
Il shall pass it! A thing of no &C
count! The teacher has dislike to me
imagine, what a beast! Maria, have
brought you something; have kissed it
so much! Promise, darling, that you
will keep it always, you know; even
when it shall be withered. Take it. No,
your hands; no, your apron"
She holds forth, spread, her ample,
childish apron, and he throws down,
light as a fake, large, velvety pansy
with thick soft petals, dotted with gold
which seem like the ardent eyes of a liv-
ing person.
She takes it into her trembling little
hands, and places it upon her lips with
idolatrous fervor.
Swear to me that you viii not be
false to me, " insists the fervid lover Of Ii
years of age. "By the memory of youl
mother, promise me that you will not be
anOther's-"
She weeps little more loudly.
Poor mamma-
"If she sees me from heaven!
"She will not be pleased with mel
"Indeed, I am doing wrong!
Glow dark it is!
"And if papa should suspect!
"And if your"
"What ideas, Maria! They are sound
asleep; at their age one does not know
anything of love, any longer-do you
understand? They don't remember what
il means, to love, like you and me
without fears, without cowardlinesses
with fullness of felicity, with that in
toxication-"
This phrase, read in a realistic novel
appears unwillingly to be recalled with
oxactitude. And perhaps it is on this
account that the moon hides behind the
cedar of Lebanon, fringed with silver, it:
broadly smiling face.
Alfredo, it is late, let me CO."
mo, not yet. How can you think o.
anything as commonplace as sleep? i
is delicious night. am wide awake
full of daring; there is wildness in my
blood which lashes it onward. I fee
myself capable of great, heroic enter
prises. What is that2"
His voice, arisen by degrees to the de
cided intonations of manhood, is lost il
an exclamation of senseless, childish ter
ror.
The ladder creaks, trembles, shakei
with great push from invisible hands
"Ah! You rascal
"Tve caught you at last!
"Idler, madcap, good for nothing!
Boy hardly out of the nurseryi
"Tll teach you"
Thump! Thump!