The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-01-12


inc ,Deacli. leaving Jerome ION tho ho.
SSl piazza talking business with friend.
Inc sun was settling whom he Joined mo,
anu wo stood In silence watching Its dis.
appearance below tho horizon line.
Lot us walk down TO tho little cove
and tako boat and 20 for short row."
My heart grow sick with approhon.
sion. ut 10 too lntc," urged. at
back"
mot at oil tho moon will DO up-and
seo-thoro arc others starting out. Wo
shall haVo company about us, even II
We do not know them
Tho strong will mado mo obey, q, II
always did, and l atoppod into tho boat.
As wo pushed oil saw ANAL cloud
coming up out Of tho wost
But said nothing-Jerome had no
sympathy with frightened women. 1t
was incomprohonsiblo to mo that II
man with such cool judgment and 30
largo an amount Of caution as Jerome
possessed. did not ut once turn back.
Tho other boats wero all coming In, but
s.ill wo won't on. 1t grow darker--tho
whole appearance Of the night seemed
ghastly to mo. Tho ocean lay very
black. tho breathing OF the wind Just
ripping tho water. A thin, shadowy
vapor cauo and hid tho moon. Now
the breeze died out and tho atmosphere
grow hot.
In the extreme west tho shade OF tho
heavens was OF dismal state, aud tho
lightning was wlnking like stars,
dancing madly in among tho gloom.
sat motionless in tho middle OF the boat
strangely aud unnaturally calm, watch.
ing tho growth Of tho storm. Tho
gloom stole gradually into darkness, rs
though giant hand was warily drawing
sable curtain about US. Twice tried
to ask il no were rowing homeward, but
could not articulate word. Aud now
came vivid flash OF forkcd lightning.
It showed mo Jeromo's handsome face,
pale as death. tho features sot and
rigid. Tho crash Of thunder that fol.
lowed was terrible.
When tho peal had died away some
thing came TO my crippled conscious
mesa as decisive and hopeless as n sen.
tence OF death 10 criminal. "We arc
doomed, my dear child, but at least We
can die together: l could not have gone
without you" The wind rose, and our
boat began dancing on tho crests OF tho
waves as lightly as bird on a clover
top. ! thought saw not far of boat
larger than ours with some one In it,
but was not sure that 1t was not fancy
OF mine born OF 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 il 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 dawned, clear and cool,
found myself lying in the boat house,
blanketed and shawled. with my mother
aud other friends about me. Why did
not inquire in regard to tho fate Of
Jerome? l hardly knew-but did moi.
"Slr. Croker has just gone up to the
hotel to dry aud warm himself" vo!un.
teered ono OF my friends: I'VE begged
him to Cove assured him We would
send him word directly you rcgained
your consciousness"
After fortnight had passed, during
which time we had not seen much OF
each other. Jerome being laid up with
symptoms OF an Hines, which was only
warded OF. l felt sure, by the strength
Of his iron will, l became aware OF a
distinct change in my illusions. My
nature, hitherto ''tumblng about
among incongruities," had found its
feet, and was planted on the firm ground
Of consistency.
began to discern with clearing Wis
ion the real future. The pearly dawn
had changed into shadowy darkness
which showed me images i'll shaped and
hideous.
"what would my life be-" repeated
ly asked myse!f, "ii spent under the
control OF a temperament so exacting-
demanding the absorption OF my whole
being into his? Simply mental and
moral humiliation"
In our long talk on that distressing
subject. which saw his keen percep-
ton had in measure anticipated, he
listened 10 my decision, and accepted
his destiny with characteristic calm
ness, and with pale face and features
set and rigid. left me forever. am
married to q man who has no marked
intellectual gifts, but who possesses n
CHEEKY nature and acauiescont temper,
which creates about him IN easy. in
definite atmosphere, like the haze OF
Indian summer over landscape.