Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-12-06


| tonnaire.' But she was not brave enough
TO give it to him there before Florence.
Time wore on, days heightened into
weeks until month had rounded up.
| Arthur drove and took long rides with
! Florence, who was a fine cquestrenpe,
and was at all times polite and atten
! tive to her, but no tender look or word of
| love passed his lips, which drove her to
the verge of despair He aecretiy
| watched her; his mind was filled with
the premonition of some evil Detailing
| Le0nie, who was holding him there with
| letters of love. Leones heart had be-
! come womanly almost before its time
| under the soft glances AMI irresista bic
smiles of Arthur. He recognized it as
her hand that kept fresh flowers i'll his
room. They were stolen favors; mere
! but Annette, the housegirl, knew she put
| them there.
One evening when great banks of gold
were piled against the sun in the western
! sky, while he, like a royal barge, floated
| amid banners of azure and purple with
| now and then a fleecy cloud sailing
across mellowing it's rays and enveloping
| the whole landscape-sky, grass, trees,
| flowers, atmosphere, in, mirage of color
| lilac or pale translucent green, making
/ Tennessee what it is on fair summer
| eVening-Paradise. Leonie was walk
| ing through the lawn tripping along over
| the grass with her dainty slippered feet,
| looking like an Undine fresh from her
water haunts, in an exquisite frocl1 of
/ white null and lace insertions backed
| by green ribbons, which gave an eth
eral delicacy and lOveliness to her slim
| figure, with her appealing blue eyes star
ing around as though in search of some
| expected friend. Arthur saw her as he
| was returning from a drive with Flor
| ence. Driving up to the hall he assisted
| Florence out OF the carriage up the broad
stone steps, bowed, turned and walked
rapidly back through the lawn to meet
| her. Taking her arm in his, together
they walked slowly across the grassy
lawn up the broad graVeled way. How
| sweetly pretty she looked to him. What
| a pleasure it was to him to meet the gaze
of her beautiful eyes, to listen to her
| voice, innocent of the caressing modula-
| tion of the fashionable woman. but mus
| ical and full of sympathy. He was fas-
| cinated and his heart was thrilled with
rapture by her childishness and by the
| innocence and pure candor that was
| written unmistakable on her face. In
their happiness neither of them saw Flor
ence. who was watching them from be-
| hind the curtains of the window In n9r
room with vengeful eyes. On going in
| doors, Leonie went up to, her room where
! she found Florence waiting for her with
| a torrent of abuses accusing her OF clan
destinely meeting Arthur out In the lawn,
| of putting herself in his way.
1t is said that women learn by an in
| stnct, men never attain to discern each
| others true nature. Leonie was fast
| discerning Florence's. She was stung
| to the quick by such unjust accusation,
| controlling herself with an effort she
| made no reply, but with her lips duivering
| with emotion and her eyes filling with
| tears she gave her a scornful look turned
| and walked out of the room down the
| stairway into the parlor and seated her-
| self at the piano. The air was STEPPED in
odors of daphnes, orchids and Bon Slene
roses that filled a gold Benares vase,
| which mingled with the rich fragrance of
the Marechal Mel rose that foated in
| on the soft evening breeze. The last rays
| of the setting sun fingered, giving a rich
| glow to the velvety crimson and purple
| of the carpet and drapefies. Leonie ran
her fingers lightly over the keys, bring
ing out the low plaintive notes of an old
love song. She did not hear Arthur's
| footsteps as he came into the room, did
| not know he was near until he laid his
| hand on her shoulder which startled her.
| looking up her eyes met his and she saw
| in them his master-spirit which stirred
/ her pulses. Her slumbering dreams
awoke. She stood before. him like a
| rose with leaves unfolding. Yielding
| to the maddest of impulses, he pressed
her to his heart, her lips meeting his in
| passionate kisses =, My love, my own
| darling" he murmured as he kissed her
lips. her dewy eyelids, her brow. ana
| fair hair He kissed her sweet warm lips
| tenderly and fervently until he became
conscious that though she yielded will,
ingly to his caresses, she. did not respond
| to them "You let me kiss yoI Leonie,
| but you have not given me one in re-
| turn" he said at length, holding her at
| little distance and looking into her beau-
| tiful face. Except for the lids dropping
| over her love-lit eyes and the soft rosehue
| that wavered in,her cheek, she made M
| answer. Clasping her again to- his heart
| he waited for the kiss that was not long
| in coming. She gave him kiss as warm
| and pure as her own virgin heart-tne
l h. -N1 hr-. Inns. md
| the course of her life whether for good
| or i'll was decided by It,.
| With many vows of affection and con-
| stancy, he released her from his strong
/ arms. Leonie, like one in a dream, re-
| turned to her room, her skirts brushing
| against Florence, who had followed her
| down the stairway and had crouched
| down behind an old fashioned hall clock,
| an unseen witness to their love making.
| Taking her mothers picture down from
| its place of honor at the head of her bed,
| she kissed it again and again, pressing
| it to her heart. She wondered If Moth
| er" knew, knew how her child loved.
| She had whispered his name so often of
| late among the morning glory vines, told
| her love to the birds and trees--her love
| that would follow. him through darkness
| to the tomb for in her hearts temple
| was nched an idol-a brave, handsome,
| chivalrous idol, glorified by fond wo-
manly love and reverenced by childish
|
| sitting by the window that overlooked
the gardens below, drawing whiffs from
| his silent Notwithstanding HAVANA,
! contented and happy, he seemed to have
| been born anew into fresh world full
| of stirring life and consciousness. Men
| must WOO love, think of 1t, fight with 1t
| If it need be. Men suffer before women
after the avowal of love, but as he sat
| there laying plans for the future. no
| thought of Florence, who had given HIM
| all the love of her heart as the rose gives
| up it's crimson heart to the sun, for some
women's hearts are like rose, it blooms
| but once--no thought of the suffering
| that would come through their great love
| entered his mind. He was aroused from
| his dreams by hearing the iron gates
| that open from off the turnpike shut with
| loud clang. the rattle of a buggy and
| the sound of tire feet of a horse striking
| fast and hard on the carriageway, as II
! the driver was urging him onward at
| rapid speed. Coming near the hall, it
| turned and went around to the house
where Annette lived where 1t stopped
| and lae heard a negro man, Ia low
l fo1l tnr 10, l,Ar