The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-03-20
MOONLIGHT TRYST.

Tho garden wall, Illuminated by tho
moon, Is white amid the dark green shrub
berry, the night air with a SAVIOR Of damp
ness stirs tho clusters Of white flowers,
and the shower of star shaped blossoms
falls silently like perfumed snow.
A curly dark head peeps over the top Of
the ladder, and voice that wishes To be
firm betrays a slight tremor, hesitating
between the syllables:
Ma riai'
"I am here. But, for heavens sake,
speak low. There is still light in papa's
room. Oh, dear me, I'm SO frightenedi 1
haven't any blood In my yeinsl'
Come farther this way. Don't be
afraid Come under the shadow of tho
branches; so--no farther this way"
She advanced with little, uncertain,
short steps Her slender whito figure,
still almost that OF child, flies along the
gravel of the path. She crouches trem-
bling at the foot of the low wall, among
the branches of dropping ivy, and looks
up toward the laughing eyes which shine
through the leaves.
"Oh, Alfredoi And II you fall and hurt
yourselff"
The idea My poor little dovel You
are all like that, you womenl /, instead,
difficulties animate mel They spur me on
ward; they electrify mel For you would
be capable Of much more. Maria, do you
caro- for met"
"Yes. Speak low. i hear creakiDg."
"It is the wind. Do you care for met
Swear it''
II swear itl Don't joggle the ladder.
Look-oh, the ladder Is tottering"
II need your love in order 10 struggle
against lifel A mass Of blockhoads, OF
scoundrels, Of idiots But we will triumph
over everything IL you Will only
What"
"Be strong and faithful 30 my muse
and my poetry"
But am. Only, you know, papa is
SO strict, he would like 10 have me play
dolls yet, and he says that you"--
"Whati Speak, / am prepared for ev-
erything. What did he sayg am superior
to these tribes. Tell mel
'..Thst you arc naughty boy; that you
would do better to be at your lessons, and
that If he catches YOU
Interruption. The wind laughs among
the trees with soft little murmur OF
irony.
Are you weeping treasured will
avenge your tears one by onel'
"Yesl"
The sweet, musical little voice is lost in
q stammer OF sobs.
"Your father is a barbarian, a tyrant
like mine, but no matter Love is light,
is power it crushes obstacles, levels diff
culties--in few years you will be mine. I"
"Ycs, but II you do not pass the exam
nation"
II shall pass iti A thing of no accounti
The teacher has a dislike to me-imagins
what beastl Maria, have brought you
something. / have kissed it so much.
Promise, darling, that you will keep it al
ways, you know, even when it shall be
withered Take it. No, your hands--no,
your apron.
She holds forth spread, her ample child
ish apron, and he throws down, light as q
fake, a farge velvety pansy, with thick,
soft petals, dotted with gold, which seem
like the ardent eyes Of a living person.
Sho takes 1t into her trembling little
hands and places 1t upon her lips with
idolatrous fervor.
'Swear to me that you will not be false
to me- 4" insists the fervid lover of Is years
Of age. by the memory Of your mother
promise me that you will not be an
others"
She weeps little more loudly.
"Poor mammal
"If she sees me from heaven!
"She will not be pleased with mel
"Indeed I am doing wrong!
"How dark it isl
"And If papa should suspeoti
"And IL your
"What ideas, Mariai They are sound
asleep. AT their age one does not know
anything OF love any longer-do you un-
derstandi They don't remember what it
means to love like you and me, without
fears, without cowardlinesses, with full
ness of felicity, with that intoxication''--
This phrase, read in a realistic novel;
appears unwilling to be recalled with ex-
actitude. And perhaps Il is on this ao-
count that the moon hides behind the cedar
Of Lebanon, fringed with silver, its bread
ly smiling face.
Alfredo, it is late--let me CO."
mo, not yet-how can you think OF
anything as commonplace as sleep2 1t is
delicious night. / am wide awake full
of daring. There is a wildness In my
blood which lashes IL onward feel my.
self capable of great, heroic enterprises
What is thatf"
His voice, arisen. by degrees to tho de-
cided intonations of manhood, is lost in
an exclamation Of senseless, childish ter
TOR.
The ladder creaks, trembles, shakes
with great push from invisible hands
"Ahl You rascal
1--we caught you at lasti
"Idler madcsp, good fer nothingl
Boy hardly out of the nurseryl
"I'll teach you"
Thumpl Thumpl
The wind rattles the branches with dry
little insulting laughs, while from tho
othor side Of the wall resounds desperate
cry--and the great white face Of tho moon
pityingly wells itself in the mists of night
and mercifully conceals the shame of the
place Of patcrnal punishmentl-Short
StorieN
ltNr1IN nEi ENTED