The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1895-01-08

large an amount of caution as Jerome
| possessed, did not at once turn back.
! Inc other boats were all coming in,
but still we went on. 1t grew darker
the whole appearance of the night
seemed CHASTITY to me. The ocean lay
very black, the breathing of the wind
Just ripping the water. A thin, shad-
owy vapor came and hid the moon.
Now the breeze died out and the at
mosphere grew hot.
In the extreme west the shade of the
heavens was of dismal state, and the
lightning was winking like stars,
dancing madly in among the gloom. L
sat motionless in the middle of the
boat strangely aud unnaturally calm,
watching the growth of the storm.
The gloom stole gradually into dark
ness, as though giant hand was war.
lily drawing sable curtain about us.
Twice tried to ask if he were rowing
homeward, but | could not articulate
a word. And now came a vivid flash
of forked lightning. 1t showed me
Jerome handsome face, pale as death.
the features set and rigid. The crash
OF thunder that followed was terrific.
When the peal had died away some
thing came to my crippled conscious
ness as decisive and hopeless as SEN
tence of death to a criminal. eve are
doomed, my dear child, but Mt least
we can die together; / could not have
gone without you" The wind rose,
and our boat began dancing on the
crests of the waves as lightly as bird
on clover top. / thought / saw not
far of n boat larger than ours with
some one in it, but was not sure that
1T was not n fancy of mine born Of n
dim hope that we might be saved. A
thousand lights danced before my
eyes, my senses were leaving me. MY
feet grew icy cold, and felt as if they
were in water, which was indeed the
case.
All at once the boat gave whirl
and plunge and l knew no more.
When the morning dGwned, clear and
cool, found myself lying in the boat.
house, blanketed and shawled, with
my mother and other friends about me.
Why did | not inquire in regard to the
fate of jerome? L hardly knew-but
| did not.
MIR Croker has just gone up to
the hotel to dry and warm himself
volunteered one of my friends; "we
begged him to go-we assured him we
would send him word directly you re-.
gained your consciousness.
After fortnight had passed, dur
ing which time we had not seen much
of each other, Jerome being laid up
with symptoms of an illness which
was only warded of, / felt sure, by
the strength of his iron will, / became
aware OF distinct change in my illu-
slons. My nature, hitherto "tumbling
about among incongruities, had
found its feet, and was painted on the
firm ground of consistency
/ began to discern with clearing
vision the real future. The pearly
dawn had changed into n shadow
darkness which showed me images i'll.
shaped and hideous.
what would my lie be, " repeat
edly asked myself, elf spent under
the control OF temperament so ex-
acting-demanding the absorption of
my whole being into his? Simply
moral and mental humiliation.
In our long talk on that distressing
subject, which ] saw his keen percep-
ton had III measure anticipated, he
listened to my decision, and accepted
his destiny with characteristic calm
ness, and with II pale face and features
set and rigid, left me forever. l am
married to n man who has no marked
intellectual gifts, but who possesses a
cherry nature and acquiescent temper,
1 W inch Al, nuf =.
definite atmosphere, like the haze of
indian summer over landscape. -
Boston Transcript.