The Dickinson press., 1894-03-24

EEn@*H
CHAPTER XVI-Continued.)
Faster now and faster the light
creeps along the wall. oh, for one face
to smile on me, for one hand to touch
me, for one word Of comfort! climb
to the window and watch the blue sky.
What mystery lies beyond it?
There is just a breath Of the sweet
summer air. I lay my tired head
against the cold stone wall, and shut
my eyes; thell-ah! then 1 am in the
old garden home, where the roses are
growing, and sweet old-fashioned flow
ers are full of perfume. The blossoms
fall from the lime-trces. the bees are
busy with the carnations, the butter
flies Woo the lilies. the golden sun
light lies over all. A bird, with bright
eyes and smooth plumagc, sings on q
boush of white pear-blossom. oh, dear
and gracious heaven. how fair it Is,
this warm. sunlit, fragrant world.
l watch the swallows on the caves;
I watch the blue-and-white pigeons cir
Gle in the air. My heart grows light
and gay with all his loveliness around
me, yet there is feeling Of some i'm
pending dread. hear the wood-pig-
cons and the shout OF children ut play.
l can sec the gray churcll-spire, and a
voice calls "Hyacintll, where are you?"
II am here, father" l answer in my
dream; and see my father walk down
the broad path borlcred by white lilies
A sudden sense Of security and free
dom from all danger warns my heart.
l throw my arms around him, and
then, with a deadly chill, with q ter
rible horror, with mortal dread, with
keenest anguish, l awake. All, dear
heaven, it was but dream! I am
miles away from the garden home,
and I have looked my last on my faith
ers face.
1t was only dream. My head lay
on the stone wall, one sunbeam touch.
ed my face; yet so vivid had been the
dream that the odor of the lilies seem.
ed to be around me.
I cannot cry. My eyes burn, my
heart swells, all my tears have been
dried long since; but a great sob comes
cape through the narrow window, were
only to fall dead on the ground be-
meath! My dream has unnerved me;
the song Of the bird on the pear tree
Is with me still. hear the low rip.
pie of the little brook over the pebbles;
hear the soft, sweet chime of the
church bells; 1 know just now that the
sunlight lies on the hills, that the hay.
makers are leaving work; that the
children are wandering through the
woods; that the birds are calling to
each other; that the cows are return.
ing from the meadow; that the sun is
beginning to set amid great mass OF
crimson clouds; that the wind is whis.
pering, and the trees stir their great
branches in languid answer.
Never again will sun set, or birds
sing, or flowers bloom for me. Never
again will the reapers, passing me in
the green lane, greet me cheerily. All
sweet sounds of earth have ceased fol
me.
If I could but stop the changing
light! 1t is on the right side now, and
1t is growing fainter. A cold horrible
shudder comes over me, my limbs
tremble, an unutterable anguish burns
my very soul. give one long, linger.
ing look Mt the blue sky. Shall see
it tomorrow when they take me out
shame stricken to die before the eyes
of thousands? Shall 1 notice either the
sky or the sunlight thcn-I who have
loved them all my life?
Then comes another pause. I dream
again. This time am standing in the
church-yard at home, with group OF
laughing girls around me. The great
noly 1,o c,ko fol D1xo 1,n
path that leads to the church. great
tendrils of ivy reach the ground, birds
sing gayly in the heart of the green
trees, the bells are ringing merrily. ]
stand there laughing as gayly as any
Of them. Near us is large white mar.
BILE cross, with crimson roses growing
over it; on that cross l read my moth.
er's name. Suddenly one Of the girls
turns to me and says, Il do not see
your grayestone here" Another an.
swers, 'No-Hyacinth Vane was buried
in INVERSION jail" And they all fall
hack from me with terrible cry.
wake with great drops Of anguish
on my face. While I have slept the
light has grown dim and the sun has
set.
The light men love so well and cal
the cleaning has set in; strange shad
ows lie in the corners of my cell
strange sounds fill my ears; every few
moments curious sensation comes
over me, loss Of memory and con
fusion Of thought. Only fancy that
the face love best on earth Is smiling
into mine; I fancy I am kneeling, with
my head on my lovers breast, and his
dear arms around me. I forgive him
my dear love. whose dlSlOyalty has
brought me mere. I forgive him, and
love him with all my heart, as always
have. But, when my senses return to
me, my head lies OH no lovers breast;
have fallen upon the stone floor, and
have barely strength to rise.
All, my love, I shall never more
know the clasp of your hands! I said
hard words, cruel and bitter, in my
jealous rage, but I never meant them.
1 would have given my life for you,
not have taken the life of one you
loved.
Hyacinth Vane guilty Of murder! It
seems absurd to melgcandddh. ;n.,i oy-
seems absurd, as though one broke a
butterfly on wheel or racked with
torture feathered songster. My whole
heart faints at the sight Of pain.
I hated her for her beautiful face,
for her proud manner, for her false,
sweet words, for her insolence to me;
but slay he! Dear heaven, had neith-
er the strength, the courage nor the
will to hurt one hair of her head!
I hated her; she had robbed me of
more than my life; but slay her! All,
me, how foolish the wisest Of men are!
II had been a judge and they had
brought before me such another girl
as myself, 1t seems to ne that I should
have looked in the girls face and said:
''That child a murdcress? What nom
sensc!"
Though my judge looked sorry for
me, yet he certainly believed I had
done that shameful deed.
shall stand before another Judge
tomorrow, and he will know; there
will be no injustice thcn-no untruth.
l shall find infinite mercy My earthly
Judge has failed-on these hands Of
mine no stain of blood rests.
l nd ~,