Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-04-12
SHOOTING STARS.

" O1 AQD.
Annie and I Kept up q custom of our
childhood before going to bed of going out
on the lawn and terrace to interrogate the
sky and speak with the distant stars. We
were about is years Of age at this time,
and l commenced to experience a singular
delight in being alone with Annie by my
side in the evenings.
Sometimes the night wind, playing with
her golden hair, would blow it across my
face, and l always felt a thrill of pleasure
run through me when 1 felt their silken
caress.
Then at length l had looked deep down
into my heart and had read there that I
loved her. But I was unable to tell her
that this was the case. / was held back
by a strong, an Instructive, sense of del
icaoy, by an involuntary respect. Her big
blue eyes revealed such naivete and such
innocence that 1t seemed to me simply
sacrilegious to speak to this child of such
things, and I therefore kept silent.
But oon afterward, with what seemed
to me a strange suddenness, the child
grew into a young girl, and the Annie Of
old, with her long skirts, her golden ourls
tied up In a knot upon her head and q
twinkle Of mischief and coquetry in her
big blue eyes, was now a young woman.
She possessed all the graces, all the
charms and all the attractions of her sex,
and when in her company 1 felt like a
timid, awkward schoolboy.
When we were alone in the evening up
on the wide terrace, I held my peace and
was afraid to speak for fear of awakening
In the still night air that ripping, little,
scornful laugh of hers, and it was only to
the shooting stars and meteorites that /
dared to sigh my love. 1t was then decid-
ed that l was to go to Paris to pursue my
law studies. 1t was my last evening at
Ormes, and was going away on the fol.
lowing day.
As usual, we were together upon the
lawn. She had never seemed SO beautiful
to me before, so seductive and also go at.
feotionate, for, affected at the Idea of
separation, she had said such nice things
to Inc that, although they were insignia.
can't enough in themselves, yet, coming
from her, had engraved themselves forever
in my heart.
Fighting against the trembling of my
voice, I said to her: "Annie, in a year,
when my holidays come round again, I
shall be at your side once more looking at
the stars. You will think of me from time
to timer"
For answer she laughed her light, rip.
ping little laugh, with that touch Of scorn
In 1t, and looked up ut me with SAVOY,
shining eyes.
Then a meteor shot suddenly across the
sky above our heads, and / took Annie's
hand in mine and said in a serious voice:
lit is said, Annie, that when one has a
wish to make 1T should be made while .
meteor flashes along the sky. / have just
wished something, and-I hope that before
long 1t may be fulfllled!'
Did she understand
Her little hand trembled ever 80 little
in mine, but there were no signs Of emo.
tion in her eyes Or on her lips. 1t seemed
to me-perhaps l was mistaken in the un.
certain light-that l saw n ~sphinxliks
smile on her mouth, and l said nothing
moro to her that night on the subject SO
close to my heart.
I went to Paris and devoted myself to
my studies with all the energy Of my ma.
lure. My leisure time l spent dreaming
in my little working room.
Had I wanted other distractions there
were plenty Of them, but I had made up
my mind to resist all the usual tempta.
tions of my age, and I should have despised
myself had I wasted my thoughts on any.
thing or anybody else than Annie, l never
ceased thinking about my little golden
haired girl and awaited with feverish i'm.
patience the approaching summer, which
was fixed for my return to Ormes.
I began to enjoy the pleasure Of return
in advance. I saw myself walking with
Annie again on the soft green terraces,
holding her hand In mine and saying to
her in the darkness which would conceal
my bushes:
"Annie, u year ago I registered a wish
beneath these stars that you might one
day love me as I love you and have loved
you all my life. You will wait another
year for me, Annie, won't your And then
we will never be separated again"
Closing my eyes, / imagined / saw my
sweet f1ancee drop her head upon my
shoulder and allow me to imprint a chasts
kiss upon her white forehead. This was
my only pleasure and the only dream that
I INDUCED in during the long hours of my
work in Paris.
At length this much longed for summer
had come, and ! was going back to Ormes.
Annie was there, more charming, more
ravishing than ever, and in her eyes ! saw
cleaning a gayety and happiness that
seemed to me a sure sign that she was
pleased at my return and had given me
her love.
The night came, and in a calm, uncon-
cerned voice I asked her to come out and
look at the stars.
"Will you come and sec II there are any
falling stars tonightp" I asked her.
She followed me out upon the terrace,
and when once again by her side I expert.
enced a sort of giddiness. My heart began
to beat as If 1t would break, and never be.
fore had I felt my love so strong, so vic.
lent, 80 irresistible.
She was everything to me-my little
friend Of childhood, the sweetheart Of my
early manhood. All my aspirations were
toward her, and she was my whole being,
my very life. ! would have knelt at her
feet In the night on the terrace and have
kissed with passionate tears the lace OF
her long dress.
I attempted to speak, but in vain. The
woros died away upon my lips. II was
she who first spoke, and in the deep silence
Of that beautiful summer night / heard
her sweet voice say to me:
II am 90 happy now that you have come
home again. I have been waiting for you
to toll you myself q very important pieos
of news-namely, that M. .Herpin, the
wealthy manufacturer, has asked me to
marry him, and I assure you I would not
have had my engagement ball without
your being therel"
It was q warm night, Just as in the old.
On days. Over our heads the falling stars
cleaned brightly IN the sky for a moment
and then died away In the unknown. II