The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1897-01-16
A LIGHTNING BUG.


I'M a pleasant bright June evening
they were walking hand in hand
~ In the park. Both were young
and beautiful. The girl was leaning her
mead on his shoulder, he STOPPING from
time to time for the purpose of pressing
MS warm lips to her light hair, plainly
cembed above her forehead. Around and
above them the branches formed dark
Wells ana thilk arches. through which
penetrated the rays Of the golden eyes
OF the stars or a light breeze of the even
ing, bringing with II the bright aroma of
Jasmine and lilies.
rhey We're walking silent, with the
slow ana lazy step Of the enamored,
VINO would like to have the promenade
IN the pleasant summer night prolonged
indefinitely. Each was thinking for him
SELF or herself, and their thoughts, without
words, met each other involuntarily ac-
eomplished by warm pressing Of hands.
suddenly in the thickets among the fra
grant jasmines a vibrating light ap-
peared, followed by another, and then by
third, still clearer, and finally winged,
greentsh swarms Of sparks surrounded
them.
Look, the lightning bugs!'
How pretty, mysterious and light"
They are vibrating as an inexplicable
word OF love, and they are burning as
passion breaking It's ties"
LOOK, this one Is hanging upon your
forehead; that one is as your guiding
star
"And the other above shines greenlsh,
like your eyes when you are cross
would like, my only one TO make of these
stars an aureole above your light head"
siivery laugh spread itself in the Sc
cluded path
And It seems to me that 1t is the third
act Of Robert the Devili' The peui-
tent souls are burningi we are walking
In the cemetery"
"No, this Is not a cemetery. 1t is
the summit OF life and earthly happi-
ness. love you'll" and he stopped in
order that in the dark he might read
from the light Of her shining eyes
cordial answer.
They were much In love with each 9TH
or, faithfully and sincerely. Their young
hearts and desiring mouths were Joined
Fcgether, not merely by momentary ex-
element OF passion or by hallucinatlon Of
feverish imagination. She, In order to
come down to him, overcame a great
many pre1udices and the judgment OF
eastei ne captured her by a strong and
persevering will; she endeared his ideals;
ne made known to her all his beliefs, and
while she, from her eyes and mouth
guessed and became acquainted with the
truth Of life, he, following on her face
the effects and emotions, became closely
united to her In thought and feeling, and
gently whispered;
You are minei'
Both were young, yet had gone through
fierce trial Of separation and pain, she
loving with her full sweet humility of a
woman who would bury herself in ashes
under the feet of her lover: he with heart
overlooking with manly pride, that In this
passionately desired being he found
thought and soul in entire sympathy
with his own.
They went farther, silently, in the mys-
terious shadows Of the walk, but involun-
tarily the memory Of the cemetery as It
were, caused between them a shadow OF
sorrow and thought, the cloud which,
even under the melting influence of the
words, II love YOU" did not want to dis
appear. Death Is stronger than love, and
loneliness deeper than happiness. They
went further, looking at the phosphoric
sparks.
The girl suddenly lifted her head and
whispered softly:
do you know that this moment the
"Reminiscences OF a woman whom you have
loved once stands between us? Is 1t not
true2,'
She OWNED. She was accustomed to
thinking and feeling in harmony with
him. At once, by intuition, she came
upon the face OF a person unknown to
her, stranger OF rival thought. He
shlyered, embraced her more tightly, and
stood still for a while.
Lets go farther" she said,
'Listen. I win tell you ALL"
why, love you and believe"
Listen. Between us there is this one
last secret-troubllng, annoying my mind
as a nightmare, and shall not rid my
self OF this pale ghost OF the far-away
past unless tell you ALL"
ibid you love herr" she asked with a
nervous vibration OF voice.
She was handsome as Greek cameo,
and always smiling as a goddess Of hap
piness; she was curious, proud, passion
ate, Of an artistic nature; she Fascinated
me, drew me to her, Intoxicated me,
When she took In her white cold hands
my head my temples burned. and when
she sang In the voice OF a siren I felt
that my viii ana strength were failing"
Did you love her2' asked the girl,
neEFausly.
at seemed to me that her love must
be the greatest happiness on earth, and
that / would then give my life to guess
the eonundrum Of her deep, black eyes"
Look said he, after while, as If
gathering his thoughts and showing her
the lighted, shining and moving mass In
the thiclSet, land listen to the remin-
iscences OF the long gone years OF nv
Childhood. was for the first tiras In
the country and for the first time, on a
warm evening, saw lightning bugs shin
ing with a sharp, greenssh light IN the
dark thicket OF the park Child Of the
city, excited BY the unaccustOmed sight, |
I chased the moving light and wished |
to possess such a star. to look at Il
while It was near, and to take Il for my
own A chase was made. and one OF the
nandsomest bugs was tightly shut In /
glass Charmed. / took my treasure
placed Il In my room near my bed, and |
IN the night dreampt OF q gigantic sun, |
throwing light on all the paths and thick /
cts Of the garden.
'In TIE morning l was awakened By the