Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1894-10-05

y new MOOD was on hel, anu tue very
color Of her mind seemed TO change be
meath it, II was no longer torture'born
and hateful as had seen II when she was
cursing her dead rival by the leaping
flames. no longer icily terrible, as in The
Judgment hall, no longer rich and somber
and splendid, like 1yrian cloth, MS in the
dwellings of the dead No; her mood was
now that of Aphrodite triumphing. Life
radiant, ecstatlc, wonderful-seemed to
flow from her and around her, Softly
she laughed and sighed, and swift her
chances flew. She shook her heavy tress-
es. and their perfume filled the place; she
struck her little sandaled foot upon the
floor, and hummed snatch OF some old
Greek epithalamium All the majesty was
gone, or did but Turk and family flicker
through her laughing eyes like lightning
seen through sunlight. She had cast oil
the terror of the leaping flame, the cold
power of judgment that was even now be-
ing done, and the wise sadness OF the
tombs-cast them off and put them behind
her, like the white shroud she wore and
now stood out the incarnation Of lovely
tempting womanhood, made more perfect
and in way more spiritual-than ever
woman was before.
There, my Holly, sit there where thou
canst see me. 1t is by thine own wish,
remember; again | say, blame me not If
thou dost spend the rest Of thy little span
with such sick pain at the heart that
thou wouldst fain have died before ever
thy curious eyes were set upon. me. There,
sit so, and tell me, for in truth am inclin
cd Tor praises-tell me, am not beauti-
full Nay, speak not so hastily; consider
well the point; take me feature by feature,
forgetting not my form, ana my hands and
feet, and my hair, and the witness of my
skin, and then tell me truly hast thou ever
known a woman who in aught, ay, in one
little portion of her beauty, in the curve OF
an eyelash even, or the modelling OF
shell-like ear, is justified TO hold light
before my loveliness?
could stand it no longer. Then
fell upon my knees before her, and told
! in a sad mixture of languages-for such
moments confuse the thoughts-that |
worshlped her as never woman was wor.
SHIPPED. and that | would give my immor
tai soul to marry her-which at that time
certainly would have done-and so, in
deed, would any other man, or all the race
of men rolled into one. For the moment
she looked a little surprised, and then she
began 10 laugh and clap her hands in gee.
"Oh, SO soon, oh, Holly she said
81 wondered how many minutes it would
take to bring thee to thy knees. | have
many days, and believe me, to woman S
heart the sight is sweet; ay, wisdom and
length of days take not from that dear
pleasure, which is our sex's only right
"What wouldst thou? what woudst
thou? Thou dost not know what thou do
est. Have not told thee that | am not
for thee? | love but one, and it is not
thee All, Holly for all thy wisdom-and
in way thou art wise-thou art but a
fool running after folly. Thou wouldst
look into mine eyes. thou wouldst kiss me.
Well if it pleaseth thee, look" and she
bent herself toward me- and fixed her dark
and thrilling orbs upon my own. lay, and
kiss. too, if thou wilt, for, thanks be given
to the scheme of things, kisses leave no
| no ort thnn
dost kiss, tell thee of surety wilt thou
eat out thy heart with love Of me, and
die and she bent yet further toward me,
till her soft hair brushed my brow, and her
fragrant breath played upon my face, and
made me faint and weak. Then of a sud
den, even as | stretched out my arms &c
clasp, she Strengthened herself, and quick
change passed over her. Reaching out
her hand, she held it over my head, and il
seemed TO me that something flowed from
il that chilled me back to common sense
and knowledge of propriety and the do
nestle virtues.
Enough of this wanton play, she said
with touch of sternness. Listen, lIol
". Thou art good and honest man, anC
fain would spare thee; but oh, it is s.
hard for a woman TO be mercifu | hav
said am not for thee, therefore let tn,
} thoughts pass by me like an idle wind
and the dust of thy imagination sink agail
5 into the depths-wel, Of despair, if thol
i wilt. Thou dost not know me, Holly
5 Hads, thou seen me but ten hours ago
; when my passion seized me, thou hads
e shrunk from me in fear and trembling
: am a woman Of many moods and, Xix
/ tie water in the vessel, reflect man
e things; but they pass, my Holly-the
pass and are forgotten Only the waite
= is the water STILL and still am |, and tina
a which maketh the water maketh 1t, an
/ that which maketh me maketh me, nc
{ can my quality be altered. Therefore pa
Y no heed TO what ! seem, seeing thou cans
n not know what am If thou troubles
d me again, will veil myself, and tho
d shalt behold my face no more"