The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-27
AN AUTUMN IDYL.

The ideal life-the life which ought to be
is seldom lived upon this sublunary
sphere. The world is full of untoward cir
cumstances, of misfortune and utter per-
verseness and things are continually be-
ginning where they should end or ending
where they ought to begin. 1t is true
cry life has it's lesson, but it is often a
sad lesson, which profits not when learned.
All in all, perhaps it were better to view
most things superficially-better to augh
thoughtlessly at that which we do not
derstand than to delve in mystery, seek
ing moral which, when found. brings
only tears and hopelessness. Let US laugh
together. then, at the story of Augustus's
autumnal love affair.
He was a tall handsome awkward fell
low. with very light hair and very blue
eyes, and, withal, supernaturally igno-
rant that he neither knew that he was
handsome nor that he was awkward.
Throughout adolescence he remained ridic-
ulousIy innocent. trustful and true. By
nature dreamer reared amid the somno-
lent surroundings of a quiet country neigh
borhood, it was but natural that he should
have learned little of the vanity of the
world outside. The ancient woods about
his home always held subtle fascination
for him, and he was never SO happy as
Wien lOlLtIltl5 III Sylvan IciSlLcSoSSr llhS d
sort of childish satyr or playful Pan, be-
loved by the shyest deniZens of the for
est. But spring sudden, shadow-lil1e
change came over him, and his heart was
never so light and free again. He grew
melancholy and pensive and no longer
went into the depths of the forest, but
lolled listlessly on the grass at its verge.
Slowly, by some faint, mysterious infiu-
ence. an ideal of female loneliness, Of
which he had never dreamed before
formed in his brain, and straightway the
germ of love awoke in his breast. Thence
forth, throughout the season, every bird
sang of it, the leaves whispered of it, ur-
til he discovered that it was the one uni
versal theme of meadow and grove. True
his was a dim. passive sort of passion,
whose object was purely imaginary, but it
thrilled and at last enthralled him. and
he came to dream constantly of his ideal
love.
When Augustus's cousin Matilda came
down from the city to spend the summer
at his home he knew at once that his ideal
had been realized, and he fell down and
worshiped her on the spot. Matilda was
a charming girl, both in appearance and
manners, She had merry black eyes and
one of those effective Cupid SHOW mouths
whose arrow-libe smiles so straight to the
heart. When she laughed she was irreSiSt-
ible. and she was always laughing. | sup
pose she admired Augustus in a way-at
least she found it pleasant roaming over
the fields and through the woods with
him. So the summer days were revela-
ton and a delight to them both, but in a
different way. While one was learning
something of sylvan nature, the other
learned a little of feminine human nature
The summer slipped away swiftly as
such summers will. Who cannot recall
some particular summer brighter and hap
pier. and. in the same degree, shorter than
all the rest? During their constant asso-
citation Matilda seemed to Augustus to full
I'LL his ideal more completely each day
and so the ideal became merged in the
real. and his dreams We're happier than
they had ever been before.
The time of faded leaves of faint minor
songs, of leave-takings and signs, came al
asst, and Augustus and Matilda took Their
asst long stroll through the woods. The
all-pervading sadness of the season affect
ed them both to some extent, and they
talked but little at first. Now and ther
Matilda sang snatches of a mournful little
parting song. Sometimes she looked III
nto Augustuss grave face and laughed
Sometimes she looked away and sighed
| Time and place were ripe for the inevita-
BILE elimination OF their companionship