Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1897-12-24
POETIC JUSTICE.

purple flowers, stood on the table be- |
side the bed. The man who had just |
entered the room removed the unlight- |
ed weed from his lips and stood mo-
ti0nless, inhaling the fragrance.
With an angry exclamation he strobe
to the window. lifted the sash and
threw the offending flowers as far as
his strength would permit. Down,
down. they fluttered, swaying this way
and that like living things. in the brisk
evening wind. until they touched the
turf of the well-kept plaza of the hotel.
A flood of soft moonbeams poured in
to the room. The man stood quietly in
the refulgent glow. lie was thinking
moodily. "Pah! Violcts were remin-
iscent of Alicia" He did not wish to
think of her now. when the glamour
OF another scene was so freshly upon
him-a scene in n dim old garden,
where brilliant peoples blossomed in
rank prOfusion. and the soft, languOr-
GUS tones of IA Castilian patOis made
music in his ears.
+ Who could have put violets in his
room! 1t must have been Lee Wing,
: '"S NhiueSS IVY. tHouSu Seut1ulcul all
{ the Acknowledged heather there was
none. 1t could not be that Alicia was
here-and his brow darkened and
curses sprung to his lips. Nonsense.
1t was impOssible;' and he threw him
self upon the bed and lived over again
that hour In the neglected garden
lived with shining eyes and smiling
lips until dark lashes and soft arms
mingled with the fantasies OF dream
land
Herbert SOmers had left his atfianced
wife in an old Puritan town in Massa-
chusetts, three years before, while he
set out to seek his fortune. The we'd
ding day had been set for the autumn
toward which the date Of our story is
fast hurrying. His letters to her had
grown less frequent with the years,
and he coldly analysed his feelings to-
ward her now. She had been little
sister to him, Obedient and trustful. He
had blindly offered himself one after
noon, when she wore white gown
with violets ut her breast and in her
hair. lie loathed violets now.
She wrote him pathetic little letters.
full of prayers and happy tears, and In
return he sent her sketches Of his life
among new peOple-careless letters
to which she returned as to n fetch, as
devout little heather as could be
found in New England village in this
century.
But her name never sprung to his
lips; his heart was not in her keeping
HnNnv4Y hn Ind fpp1t~, Antn
go to the old home and marry Alicia IN
September. He would probably have
carried his promise into execution II
he had not been hlindfolded by fate
ana seEt to Monterey. ostensibly fol
business. but actually that Love might
entangle him in her silkcn meshes.
lie had tarried two weeks in the old
Spanish town already. Perhaps Ger
tain glances from Il dark-eyed SenOra
who was Il guest ut the same hotel
could have told why he fingered. even
when in his pocket there were letter.
from his firm urging him to move Oh I,
: fresh pastures. Two pairs Of eyes. on,
: tender. one compelling, can no more b,
] governed by the rules of ordinary liz,
! than can the tide cease to flow by tn,
! mysterious attraction Of the moon.
e SOmers was in an enchanted land
His se:,sibiliiy to beauty, his capacit.
for loving had in a few weeks tim
e grown into Il giant influence, which h.
could not control. Time passed;
lustrum in n mOment-he needed 1t no;
for the beautiful woman with the in
n scrutable eyes walked and talked wit
n him every day in the old garden. wher
a p:0us monks and jealous padres la,
= been wont to mediate and pray.
= 1t was late when SOmers awoke tn
' morning after the viOlets had been s
:, rudely tossed away. lie dressed hin
& self hurriedly and FASTENED to Il,
II breakfast-roOm. The Sonora was a
# ready there. On her way she ha
= picked up a bunch of dew -drenche
l. yiolets that had lain all night upon til
d grass and there was a restless glitts
r in the eyes she turned upon the ma
d beside her. 1t was Don Gonzales, h.
. husband.
He had reached the place late Ia.
night. the garrulous waiter had tOl
"a Somers. as he fingered over the rol
n and the bacon. The Senior was a rio
r coffee planter and the Sonora Was NJ
!. half his age. Shameful, this buyin
;. and selling of hearts. SOmers gave
"a furtive glance In the direction Of II
, newcomer. Don Gonzales had fiji
ii features Of light mahogany hue. b.
there was a squareness about the CHI
and look Of determination in the ey'
that would have told a less interestt
:. observer that he was not a man to
- trifed with. Somers took courage, nj
= after breakfast he leisurely follow,
!. the pair to the broad piazza, where
- was duly presented Don Gonzal