The Portland daily press., 1892-10-22

ancient furniture, once so fondly kept,
now widowed and crumbling to dust,
quick sobs burst from my throat.
Roses spinet stood beside the door of
the withdrawing room. How many
carols had we sung to it's music! AS
passed my foot struck one of the legs,
and the rickety structure groaned as if
it were coming to pieces. thrust out
my hand to steady it, but at my touch
the velvet covering of the lid came off
and the tiny gilt ornaments ratified
downward.
By now the full moonlight pierced
the window and quiyered on the floor.
AS gazed on the tremulous pattern it
changed into quaint devices of hearts,
daggers, rings and a thousand other to-
kens. All suddenly another object
glided among them so quickly that
wondered whether my eyes had been at
fault-a tiny satin shoe, stained crimson
across the lappets. A revulsion of feel
ing came to my soul and drove away all
my fear. had seen that self same shoe
white and unsoiled twenty years before.
when vain, vain Rose danced among
I
my voice cried out in ecstasy: "Rose,
heart of mine! Delight of all the worlds
delights!'
| She stood before me, wondering,
amazed. Alas, so changed! The red and
| yellow silk shawl still covered her shout
ders; her hair still hung in those eldritch
! curls. But the beautiful face had grown
wan and tired, and across the forehead
were drawn lines like silver threads. She
threw her arms around my neck, and
pressing her bosom heavily on mine
sobbed SO piteously that | grew afraid
for her and drew back the long masses
| of hair which had fallen forward, and
kissed again and again those lips that
were too lovely for smile. Never came
word of Gliding from them. Glove, ;"
she said, when she had regained her
breath, ssthe past struggle was sharp and
torturing-the future struggle will be
crueler still. What great love yours
was to wait and trust for so long! Would
that mine had been as powerful! Poor,
weak heart that could not endurew
The tones of wild fear throbbed
through all her speech strongly, but yet
with insufficient power to prevent her
from feeling the tenderness of those mo-
ments. Often timorously raising her
head from my shoulder she looked
around, and then turped with a soft,
inarticulate and glad murmur to hide
her face on my bosom. | spoke fer
vently; told of the years spent away
from her; how, when working in the
/ diamond fields, she had ever been pres
ent in my fancy; how at night her name
had fallen from my lips in my only
PRAYER; how I had dreamed of her among
/ the greatest in the land-the richest.
). and / dare swear the loveliest woman in
the world.
grew warmer still. All the gladness
which had been constrained for so long
now burst wildly from my lips; myriad
| of rich ideas resolved into words which,
being spoken, wove one long and deli
cious fit of passion. As we stood to-
gether the moon frightened and filled
| the chamber with a light Like the days.
| The ridges Of the surrounding moorland
| stood out in sharp relief.
Rose drank in my declarations thirst
ilv, but soon interrupted me with a
heavy sigh. 'sCome away" she said
softly. II no longer live in this house.
You must stay with me tonight. This
place is SO wretched now, for time, that
in you and me has only strengthened
| love, has wrought much ruin here
Half leaning on me she led me from
the precincts of Breton hall. We
| walked in silence over the waste that
| crowns the valley Of the Whitelands,
and being near the verge OF the rocks
saw the great pine wood sloping down
ward, lighted near us by the moon, but
soon lost in density. Along the mysteri-
GUS line where the light changed into
gloom, intricate shadows of withered
| summer bracken struck and receded in
a mimic battle. Before up lay the
Priests cliff. The moon was yelled
here by grove of elms, whose ever
swaying branches alternately increased
place of notoriety-a veritable Col
gotha-a haunt fit only for demons.
Murder and theft had been punished
here, and to this day freside stories are
told of evil women dancing around that
Druids' circle, carrying hearts plucked
from gibbeted bodies.
"Rose,"I whispered, 'swhy have you
brought me here"
She made no reply, but pressed her
head more closely to my shoulder.
Scarcely had my lips closed than q
sound like a hiss of a half strangled
snake vibrated among the trees. 1t grew
louder and louder. A monstrous shadow
lowered above.
Rose from my bosom murmured
Glove is strong as death! Love is strong
as deathv'
| locked her in my arms so tightly
that she grew breathless. "Hold me-"
she painted. 'sYou are strong"
A cold hand touched our foreheads, SO
that benumbed we sank together to the
ground, to fall instantly into dream
less slumber.
When | awoke the clear gray light of
the early morning had spread over the
! country Ravond the hall oardo1, tha