The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1895-04-05
Lady L atimer's Escape.
CHAPTER Vu-CoSTrNrfrp.
by CHARLOTTE N. BR,EME.

September is. The red and gold, the
russell brown and deep crimson of the
trees, are even more beautiful than
their green leaves; and | like Septem-
Der flowers better than those which
come in spring; there is nothing so
lovely as the white chrysanthemum."
Poor child! / knew afterwards why
she found September the fairest of
months. Again, we had driven one
noon to Ashton FRS, taking with us
luncheon for the sportsmen. We
stood for some minutes watching the
sunlight on the valley, and the blue
haze on the distant hills. She turned
to me suddenly, her eyes filed with
tears.
'Oh, Audrey" she said, what a
until now. | seem to have slept
through my life, and to be just awak-
ening. Do you see the green of the
grass and the lovely blue of the sky?
Why, Audrey, l never knew how much
music there was in a birds song. |
never knew what the brook sung
about, Or the wind told to the trees,
until now"
All, my dear, my dear! neither you
nor | was wise enough to know what
was teaching you.
One evening-it was the month of
September and the moon was shining
bright as day in the midst of a dark
blue sky-the gentlemen sat longer
than usual over their wine. The night
was warm and pleasant.
Audrey" said Lady Latimer, ''let
lis go as far as the white gate just to
look at the river"
L wrapped a black lace shawl round
her golden head and white shoulders,
and we went out together, leaving the
shining lights that streamed from the
great windows, and the dim. soft
shadow of the old house behind us,
down past the lime trees, to the white
gate that was canopied with trees.
open it, Audrey, and let us go
down to the waters edge" said Lady
Latiner.
We went, and 1 remember as though
it were yesterday, our shadows on the
long grass, and the wooino sigh of the
wind in the fast-dying lime leaves.
Lie IlOOu SllOuo lul over Tic ilNoT,
every wavelet seemed to catch a ray
of silvery light; the sight was beauti-
full as fairy-land. Lady Latimer stood
silent for some minutes; then in a low,
soft voice she began the lines:
Il passed without the city gate,
lin -ered by the way.
The palm was bendin =, to her mate,
And thus I heard her saw:
1.-The arrow to the culver.
And the wild bird to the tree:
The stream to meet the river,
And the river to the sea
The waves are welded on the beach,
The shadows on the lea
And like to like-and each to each,
And Ito thee
1.-The cedar On the mountain,
And the bramble in the brake
The willow by the fountain,
And the lily by the lake:
The serpent coiling in its lair.
The eagle Soarin : free.
Draw kin to kin. and pair to pair,
And too thee
The palm was bendiny to her mate,
marked her meaning well:
And passed within the city gate,
The old fond tale to tell"
81 can remember, Audrey" she
Salu, 'WuSu i IC"u uiSSO iaiCos "io
thew were so much Greek to me. Now
/ understand them perfectly. They
mean that everyone must have love,
that like will seek like, that the young
seek youth, the beautiful seek others
as fair. Everything in nature loves.
even to the butterfly who loves the
bluebell, and the bee which is. be-
trothed to the bloom: and if flowers
and birds, bees and butterflies, all
love, how much more We / think
nav, l am sure, that [ have been blind
all my life until now"
land what has given light and sight
to your eyes now?" | asked.
Icould not resist the question, al
though | knew it would have been so
much better left alone; but she looked
at me with calm, sweet eyes.
Il do not know she answered. at
seems to ME that the eyes Of my soul
are just open, and that they see in
finite Ight-infinite brightness. All
met"
/ knew, though she did not, what
had taught her. and my heart went
out to her in great loving pity. She
went ca. q perfect rapture OF happl-
ness sinking in her face.
..Even the moonlight is different to
me. l thought it cold and capricious.
Now l see the light is tender and full
of poetry; now | see"
But the words were finished.
Quite suddenly the white gate opened,
and we heard a voice that made. my
heart beat, say:
You are here, Lady Latimer.
Philip said you would be here by the
river"
All me! the light on her face-the
tender. beautiful blush-the rapt ex-
nression when she turned to Colonel
North. and said, with a smile:
..Fow did you know that should
be here?"
81 felt quite sure of it. You love
the moonlight, and you love the river.
When we found the drawing-room
rrpp.,,, ] said to Lionel, Lady Latimer