The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1901-03-09

MARI at
The voice of this young girl thrilled me
as nothing had ever done before. My
heart beat fast. | looked into her blue
ewes, with their changing lights, and the
past and future faded. 4 cared only for
the present. :,
.'Are you alone y Iventured. could
scarcely restrain myself from putting my
hand on her delicate wrist, from caressing
her soft hair
..No, she replied; 81 have my maid
and Nine. d Estell with me.
aYou are French, then p
eyes. but | was at school in England.
An absent look came into her eyes. "That
was long, long ago. must 60 now and
help madame with dinner. We take the
cooks place. He was lost, you know.
She smiled sadly and left me.
A repast was presently served In the
long saloon, but all hunger seemed to have
left me. nor did | see any of the others
partake of anything set before them. AT
terward [ walked on deck with the girl
We paused, looking at the horn shaped
moon together. | felt the blown strands
of her hair upon my face.
| .Wil you tell me your name? |
whispered to her.
She turned her face to me serenely.
II have forgotten, she said simply.
The answer did not surprise me, for to
me the past was blank.
..Then [ shall call you Psyche, |
said
Every we'll, !" she replied, and we be-
gan to walk again.
Thus days went by, or at least some
form Of time, just what | could not tell.
/ was like one intoxicated with a joyous
wine [ thought and cared only for the
beautiful French girl Her seductive
beauty enchanted me; her proximity
thrilled me with intense delight.
The vessel sailed onward, but never
sighted land. Before us stretched always
the boundless water, now taking strange
and varied hues, now bubbling and whirl-
ing aroupa Us, now sinking into CLASSY
calm
One day as | sat with Psyche, as it
pleased my fancy to call her, watching her
as she looked out upon the sea, felt "A
sudden wild longing to paint her face. A
sense of joy and delight sprans up within
me. Fremblingly asked her if | might
attempt her portrait She, with her inef-
fably sad smile, agreed at once.
With touch that | should have en-
ployed in handling the silk of thistle down
! | turned her head to the desired pose, adj
iusted the silky tendrils of her hair and
began. Ny heart thrilled with wild rap
ture as the picture grew under my hand
[ designed it to be very small, scarcely
more than miniature, and after sketch
ing her head in several different positions
| I chose the most suitable, if, indeed, there
could be any choice The charm of my
existence cannot be described. felt that
forth first time in all my life | lived.
As the delicate colors blended together and
with unerring touch portrayed the perfect
face before me my happiness knew no
bounds.
At length the picture was completed.
! AS put the finishing touches upon it she
rose and came to me, leaning over my
shoulder to look at it.
At that moment crash OF thunder
sounded, and brilliant flash Of lightning
Illuminated the ship. | looked up. The
sky had grown black as night. The sea,
with its inky waves, seemed to bound to-
ward us. 1t Kissed under the sing of the
wind. The vessel rocked from side to side,
and the water splashed upon the deck. |
sprang to my feet and, thrusting the pic
ture into my bosom, seized my companion S
hand
Another and still another clap pealed
through the air In few moments we
were almost in complete darkness save
when the lightning shot in flashing lines
across the sky. The fury of the storm
was Undesirable. The wind seemed to
have gone mad Salt spray dashed on my
face, cutting ike knife. In the dark
ness | turned and threw my arms about
the girl. AS my lips sought hers there
came suddenly cry-a cry that rushed
upon me like resurrection. [ felt my
companion slip from my arms. By avivid
flash of lightning | caught glimpse of her
face. 1t was like shadow, but wearing
still that sad smile upon the lips
The next instant light flashed before
my eyes. The storm had abated, had
ceased. All was calm Beside me stood
tall man in uniform. His appearance
seemed strange to me. He suggested
| that which | had forgotten. He had his
arm thrown about me, and he seemed to
be supporting me.
''Feel better now?'' He spoke in a
loud, gruff voice, and it was to me like the
memory of dream.
He held something to my lips. 1t was
like liquid fire. I gasped and turned from
him.
'sPsyche r. 1 cried.
The ship, the crew, my beloved, all
were gone | stood alone upon the ruins
of the Fleur-de-lis The sea was calm
and placid, the sky blue. The rotton
planks were beneath my feet
"Come, hurry, said my companion.
s'This won last much longer" And he
dragged me to the side of the vessel, where
there was boat Just beyond | saw the
masts of an English frigate Ifelt myself
being transported to the boat, and, though
l shrieked and struggled, begging that
those / had been with on the Fleur- de-lis
might be saved or at least that | might
remain there also, it was of no avail.
s'He is raving," l heard the officer
mutter ''The strain has caused insani-
ty, not unusual in such cases.
thought of Psyche, of my love, and
with the despair of the thought l swooned
away.
| remained unconscious, i'll, for many
days, and when l was myself again we
were nearing the shores of England. As
tottered weakly upon the deck and,
wrapped in heavy cloak, reclined in my
easy chair suddenly bethought me of my
portrait. put my hand in my bosom
There, close to my heart, 1 felt it.
Tremblingly l drew it forth. | gazed
with sense of joy and relief upon it. just
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