The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-12
4 MOONBEAM.
HI 81 f-S + f. f. s-ff~fff tt'f

,v..,,,h-,,rs--a beautiful remembrance. as
o.tn bismarck exceIIently says-hut SIN
only a remembrance.
Ard still the room was fliied WIN .ns
sof, sweet tones which weiieo from '.s
riano II had grown dark. Nothing conio
- ssen exeept the white key. with ner
hs,<ss f,oating over them. and the head OF
the Juno In the corner
He listened bewitched 10 the music. anu
wandered why he was so moved Nas ~
really sher How motionless she sat there'
What music her fingers made No u was
not the woman he had known. 3 ransio'-
nation had taken place
suddenly IL occurred TO him that ne hao
nerhans been lisj,idging her. Ii was at
ieas, possible. even If difficult 10 imagine.
Suuposiny that her light. nippant gayety
VAS only a mask under which the reai wo-
man was disguised. He hImseN RAD ~otu
a mask. Like ter. he seemed 10 De what ne
was not He had pretended 10 De sooner,
for modern society demands that an rear
feeling and emotion be concesieo. * one
real self is seen 4 is in danger OF oeing
ri3iculed. II might he that she had oniy
nirrored him IL might be that she. 100.
had serious thoughts which she feared
IN expose TO ridicuie. Why should she treat
him, a scoffer earnestly? And stiii ms
heart was chilled and his lips were closed
by the fear of her scornfut iaush. ne.
Ard n recollection flashed across ms
mind He had made her acquaintance IN
the Isle of Wight during the previous sum
,ner One day they were standing before
the emerald grsen St. Catherine. FROM me
summit of the hill the ruins looked down
upon them All around was hoiy quiet u
seemed as IL nature were hiding aer deep
est. purest thoughts in the ricn stiffness
AS usual. she began joking and scoring.
suddenly from the hilltop came the echo
of her laugh; it sounded sacriiegious. ana
she shrank back. startled.
And again he wondered if he could have
been mistaken in his Judgment OF her.
Dared he tell her what MS heart
prompted? What was the truth about the
woman?
The last sounds of the adagio melted
away into silence. and the room was stu.
Suddenly she left the piano and stood De-
fore him.
..Surely. YOU haven't been asleep, Now.
confess. / really believe you We're doing.
Her voice sounded just as usual, and that
brought him to himself once more. RE
was quite disiliusionized now. What had
he been foolishIy dreaming? No. she had
not altered at all: she was jus. the same as
ever Her seriousness was only one OF her
many moods and was entirely superficial.
Sleeping. / wish could have slept my
self away into nothingness.
Wouldn't YOU rather have dreamed?
No l would rather sleep the dreafnless
sleep I shall never see you again. You
know we shall not meet after tonight. and
what will my life he without your laughg'
She did not reply, nor did she laugh.
The edge of the thick, dark cloud was be-
ginning to take silver tinge. The moon
had risen. He had taken his hat, and as
he grasped her hand he said.
And now. good-by."
1t was his last hope. AS he could not see
her face he trusted that her hand might
tremble. But no. she was as self-possesscd
as ever. Once more he said, very gently:
"Good-by.''
'Good-by" she answered. Not word
more. He went but stopped for moment
at the door. and turned. At that instant II
stray moonbeam dropped over the edge of
the cloud. wandered through the window
and rested on her face. Two pearl drops
were rolling down her checks.
.Hortense"' he cried passionaiely. as lie
sprang across the room, and took her in
his arms. She rested her head on mis-
shoulder. and did not laugh.-From the
German of Heinrich Lee.