Birmingham age-herald., 1895-03-09
MOONLIGHT TRYST.

bery, the night air with savor of damp ness stirs the clusters of white flowers, i'd the shower of star shaped blossoms falls silently like perfumed snow.
 curly dark head peeps over the top of the ladder, and voice that wishes to be firm bctrays n slight tremor, hositating between the syllables:
 "Ma-ria!"
 T am here But, for heavens sake, speak low Thoro is still light in papa's room. Oh, dear mo, Pm so frightenedl I haven't any blood in my veinsl'
 "Come farther this way. Don't be afraid Como under the shadow of the branches; so--no, farther this wayl"
 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 tren- bling at tho foot of tho low wall, among tho branches of dropping ivy, aud looks up toward tho laughing eyes which shine through the leaves.
 Oh, Alfrcdol And if you fall and hurt yourselft"
 ''The idea! My poor little dovcl You arc all like that, you womenl l, instead, difficulties animate mel They spur mo on ward; they clcctrify mel For you would bc capable of much mole- Maria, do you care for Def"
 "Yes Speak low. I hear d crenkin2." . It is the wind Do you care for mel Swear it!'.
 T swear itl Don't jogglc the ladder. Look-oh the ladder is tottcringp'
 T need your logo il order to struggle against lfcl A mas of blockhcads, of scoundrels, ( idiots But we will triumph over everything if you will only"-
 "What?"
 ..Be strong and faithful Bo my rnuse and my poetry"
 ''But ann Only, you krow, papa is so strict, he would like to liavo mo play dolls yet and he says that you
 What? Speak! 1 am prepared for ev erything. What did hc say? am superior to these trillcs Tell inel''
 That you aro naughty hoy; that you would do better to Do at your lcssons and that if he catches you
 Interruption Tho wind laughs among the trees with d soft lttlo murmur of irony.
 Are you weeping, trcasurcf win avenge your tears one hy onel'
 "Ycsln
 The sweet, musical little voice is lost in a stammcr of sobs
 Your father is barbarian, a tyrant lfko mine, but no matter Love is light, is power; it crushcs obstacles levels diff culties-in few years you will be mine.p ''Yes, but if you do not pass the exam ination."
 II shall pass itl A thing of no account Tho teacher has a dislike to me-imagine what beast Maria, have brought you something. havo kissed it So much Promise, darling, that you will keep 1t al- ways, you know, even when it shall be withered. Take it. No, your hands-nol your apron.
 Sho holds forth spread, her ample childr ish apron, and he throws down, light as n flake, large vclvcty pansy, with thick, soft petals, dotted with gold, which seem like tho ardent eyes of living person.
 She takes it into her trembling little hands and places it upon her lips with idolatrous fervor
 Swear to mo that you will not be false to me- insists the fcrvid lover of l5 years of age "Dy tho memory of your mother promise mo that you will not be an4 others. :" She wecps little more loudly
 Poor mammal
 'If she secs mo from heavenl
 'Shc will not bo pleased with me!
 ''Indeed am doing wrong
 "How dark it isl
 And if papa should suspectl
 And if your"-
 What ideas, Marial They are sound asleep. At thoir ago one does not know anything of love any longcr--do you un- derstandf They don't remember what it means to love liko you and me- without fears, without cowardlinesses, with full ness of felicity, with that intoxcation '-- This phrase, read in realistic novel, appears unwilling to be recalled with ex aotitude. And perhaps it is on this ac- count that the moon hides behind the cedar of Lebanon, fringed with silver it's broad ly smiling face.
 ''Alfrcdo, it is late-let me go. ''
 No, not yet-how can you think of anything as commonplace as sleep? It is delicious night. 1 am wide awake, full of daring. There is a wildness in my blood which lashes it onward l feel my self capable of great, heroic enterprises. What is thatf"
 His voice, arisen by degrees to the de- cided intonations of manhood, is lost in an exclamation of senseless, childish ter TOT.
 The ladder creaks, trembles, shakes with great push from invisible hands.
 "Ah You rascal
 live caught you at lastl
 "Idler, madcap, good for nothingl
 Boy hardly out of the nurseryl
 "I'll teach you"
 Trump! Thumpl
 The wind rattles the branches with dry little insulting laughs, while from the other sidc of the wall resounds desperate cry-and the great white face of the moon pityingly veils itself in the mists of night and mercifully conceals the shame of the place of paternal punishmentl-Short Stories.
 'AIen Who Love Sport"
 Men who love sport will reap therefrom no small advantage, for they will gain bsdily health better sight, better hearing md a Inter old aua A hova all if is m ex.