Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-11-28


/ did not share, though l was usually his
companion when he went ON his sailing
excursions. One evening i had started
alone for n stroll on the beach. leaving
Jerome on the hotel piazza talking bust
ness with n friend. The sun was setting
when he joined me, and we stood in silence
watching its disappearance below the hOri-
ION line.
Let us walk down to tho little cove
and take boat and go for short row."
My heart grew sick with apprehension.
lit is too late" urged at would be
dark long before we could get back.
Not Mt all. The moon will be up. and
see, there are others starting out. We shall,
have company about us, even IL we do not
know them
II feel somehow insisted. ''as If
cannot go on the water tonight"
Because" he querisd.
II cannot tell why, but you know, Jer.
One, never oppose you-iust now, how
ever
Nor must you now" he said, taking
his kindly, searching gaze.
But the ocean is so large and our boat
so small
Yes, but know tn" ocean and love 1t.
We arc on the bc>t Of terms. You know,
too, that l handle the oars with tho skill
of professional uarsman."
BY this time we had reached the cove.
and the man in charge OF the boats had
one in readiness for us
The strong will made me obey. rs it al
ways did. and l stepped into the boat. As
We pushed of | saw u small cloud coming
up out of the west. y sick fear came over
me, and the certainty Crcpt into my brain
that the crisis l had been drcading was
hanging over me
But ! said nothing. Jerome had no
sympathy with frightened women. The
cloud grew larger and blackcr. 1t was in
comprehensive tn me that n man with
such cool judgment and so large an
amount of caution as Jerome possessed did
not Mt OnCC turn hack. The other bolts
were all coming in, hut still we went on
IL grew darker. The whole appearance ~
the night seemed CHASTITY tn me The
ocean lay very black. the brCathings of tho
wind just ripping the water. y thin,
! shadowy vnpOr came and hid the moon.
Now the breeze died out, and the atmos-
phcrc grew hot.
In the extreme west the shade of the
heavens was Of dismal state, and tho
| lightning was winking like stars, dancing
madly in among the gloom. l sat motion
less in the middle III the boat, strangely
and unnaturullY calm. watching the
| growth of the storm. The Eluum stole
| gradually into darkness. as though giant
hand was warily drawing sable curtain
about Us. Twice tried to ask IL hc were
| trying to row homCwur'l. hut | could not
articulatc word. Mud now came n vivid
flash of forkcd lightning. 1t showed me
! .Icromc's handsome face, pale as death, tho
| features SGT and rigid. The crash of thuu-
der that followed WAS {, rriiiC.
When the PEAL had died away. some
thing came to my crippled consciousness
as decisive and hopeless as a sentence Of
| death to IA criminal. We are doomed, my
| dear child, hut at least We can die together.
could not have gore without YOU" The
wind rusc and our boat began dancing on
| the crC~tS OF the WAVES n lightly as "A bird
on n clover top. l thought l saw not far
| of boat larger than ours with some ono
| in it, but WAS not sure that II was no; "a
| fancy Of mine, born Of n dim hope that We
might hc saved. y thousand lights danced
/ before my CyCe; my senses wcrC leaving
me; my feet grew icy cold and felt IL il
| they were in water, which was indeed tho
case.
All ut once the boat gave q whirl and
plunge, and l knew no more. When the
| morning dawncd, clear and cool. | found
myself lying in the Loathuusc, blankCtcd
| and shawlCd with my mother and other
| friends about me, Why did not inquire
| in regard to the fate OF Jerome? / hardly
| knew, but did not.
Mr.. CruckCr has just gone up TO the
hotel to dry and warm himself volun-
tcCrcd one OI my friends. We begged
! him to go. We assured him we would
send him word directly you regaincd your
| consciousness.
After a fortnight had passed, during
| which time we had not seen much OF each
other, Jerome being laid UP with symp-
toms OF AN illness which wa> only warlcd
of, am surC, 10y the strength Of his iron
| will. / became aware of distiHCt change
in my illusions. My nature hitherto
"tumbling about among incOngruitic>. -
had found its feet and was planted on the
firm ground OF consistency.
l began to discern with clearing vision
the real future. The pcarly dawn had
| changed into a shaduwy darkness which
| showed mo images i'll shaped and hidcuus
What would my life Ia. ' l rCpCatcdly
| asked myself, If spent under the control
| of IA temperament 80 cXacting, demand ing
| the absorption of my whole being into his:
| Simply moral and mental humiliation"
| In our long talk an that distressing sub
| jcCt, which SAW his keen perception had
| in n measure anticipated, he listened &c
| my decision and accepted his destiny with
characteristic cIlmnC~<, and with 4 pale
| face and features SIT and rigid left me for
| ever am married to man who has he
marked intellectual gifts, hut who POS
| scSscs u CHEEKY nature and aCquiC>ccIt
temper, which create about him an easy,
| indefinite atmosphere, like the haze of In
| dian summer over u Landscape. boston
Transcript.