The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-03-31

.
he forest full of sleeping and waking
beasts, and the faring flowers of the
tropics, the sullen desert and the
hearts OF men. You. too, little
friend, would you like to be a star
and have all the beauty and misery OF |
the whole world spread before you"
Was he in earnest? There was
something new in his manner. Oh,
was be in earnest? She did not
speak, only dropped her eyes to his
face and her upper lip quivered
slightly. Did he mean it? Strange
desires pressed upon her, the world
beyond the garden seemed calling as
the M erman called his wife in poem
of Arnold that was still ringing in her
ears. She was outside the behavior
of custom now, troubled, yet glad.
sit is time" he continued simply;
"yes, it is time. I did not realize
that you had outgrown the lilies"
She could not keep the delight from
Ler face, but she did not speak, and
the Admiral waited as if for a signal,
then spoke on into the summer night.
'sYour mother was Julia Ravignon;
/ loved her, but she married diplo-
mat, and I took up my career in the
navy. Everything came to me-
everything except forgetfulness.
When met her again years after In
Paris she was Q widow, thanks to .
rather irregular political intrigue in
volving the lives Of more than one Eu-
ropean envoy. She was the same
brilliant, compelling creature-only
eyes that had grown keen with love
long unfed could read deeply enough
to find the change in her-the loss OF
those gentler qualities that soften
thrilling girl into radiant woman.
She had preserved few illusions; per-
haps I was the only one. She was
quoted and courted and copied, but
in the spring she would marry me-
for love. j..
"That was O winter to warm dead
summers by Its memory! We never
spoke of the years intervening or their
experiences; our fidelity was at least
no indiscretion! There must be O
God, in whose mind such Joy was con-
ceived and fulfilled Coming home
from the opera one night, when only
few weeks lay between us and our
marriage, frantic runaway tore
through the crowded avenue, leaving
MANY a wreck in its deadly wake.
Julia was carried into mere boule-
ward cafe and died in my arms; my
face so close to hers she never saw
the squalid surroundings of that last
holy hour-though I shall wear the
terror-stricken faces of the onlookers
across my eyes forever, heightened by
sad dreams. She knew me to the
last. sSereta,' she whispered, keep
her safe from the world-my world
has not been always yours-love is
more than-' She smiled with her
soul, her lips were cold. Every haunt
held q stab for me there; from thai
night the sight of her flowers on other
women turned me faint. shivered
when I met one of the gay circle o.
her devoted inner coterie; every mood
of passion returned to mock me now
the sight of other lovers made me feal
myself in my shatte red condition o
| will and nerves. l came home will
YOU, dear; life had given me all m.
boyish hopes in maflhood's measure
I never reached the. high altar OF IN.
holy of holes, but 1 have heard tn
music of the great organ as I stood Of
the threshold. u
est was not until, lately that 1 real
lied the time had come to do NOR
than listen and wait. The blood c
your mother is in,.your veins, too--w
will 60 soon, little friend, and max
acuuaintaI,ce with the best OF he
world and mine"
: But Sereta's arms were crossed M
, on her breast, and in q voice too swee
: for any mortal woman save her mott
er's child, she said, 81 will not go!
At the end Of an hours struggle, sh
still persisted: 'I will not go. car
I nothing for world that betrayed 70
and broke your heart-Iam not afrai
\ but I will not go!'
Samuel found her singing q "ful
Q rim" song over the honeysuckles mel
: morning, and waited to be drawn I'M
r conversation.
s informing, Samuel" There WI
4 his chance without compromise
Q dignity. "Good morning, Miss Swee'
: hot day,,I guess" Then, in q que
It voice, quite J. unlike the usual Cru
y Samuel: ."It'll be lonesome enough n
n to hear you singin', Miss Sweeta-
Q some say you and the Admiral al
n tired of roots and goin' away"
"Going away2" repeated Secret
"why, Samuel, you said yourself on
s little while ago that the Admir-
d was py'rennial-and am snothe
q We are going into partnership wi
IS the yellow lilies forever and ever
j, The old man made motion oil !
n credulity, and shaking his head as
n did when rain was prophesied in
Is drouth, remarked: "May be true
IL the Admiral, Miss Sweeta, but I g
(. pect that other soldier fellow'll be ba
10 here before fall lookin' after sor
" more yellow lily slips--like as not;
said he took very particular intere
le in py'rennials-I should think
al would: he'll be the first man that ev
le raised bulb from slip!"
ID And Roger did come back ma
lie times, but he went straight to the A
a. miral when advice was needed,
lie the kind of flower he wanted "
he never illustrated in the gaudiest ca