The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1901-09-05
fectation of prudefy, which made

is years of age. She received me DO
litely and let her husband remind me
of the translation promised. I read
1t slowly, trying only to put into my
voice that kind of indefnable melan-
choly note which had accompanied
the chant of the raconteur
When l had finished, the young
woman, instead of taking part in the
usual reflections, remained seated as
if lost in thought. A little aston
ished at that Indifference, I ap-
preached her, and asked her opinion.
She slowly raised the long lashes
which seemed to veil her soul, and
answered in low voice these words:
"And l, also, have green eyes,"
Eight days after I counted myself
as one of Lord Ms good friends,
and started with himself and wife for
Naples. I knew now the secret of
the phrase:
''Apd 1, also, have green eyes"
They had married my lady to my
lord because he was most admirably
suited to her rank, age and fortune.
AS he was a man of charming ex-
terror and exceedingly accomplished,
the poor young girl, at the most i'm
pressionable age, loved him with all
the strength of her soul. The young
man, after the months consecrated
to the honeymoon, judged that to
show love for his wife was almost un-
dignified in a man destined to a GER
tain future in the house of lords, or
the EPSON races. Now, when an Eng
ishman only suspicious thing to be
undignifed, he will jump from Lon
don bridge rather than submit him
self to it, if he is a true gentleman.
The poor child, whose gentle heart
was i'll prepared for such situation,
had given herself without reserve,
and suffered all the tortures of q
love disdained. I alone OWNED her
struggles; nor a word nor a look be-
trayed her when strangers were near,
so great is the power of an aristo-
cratic education over those who have
been confined in it's narrow limits
from infancy.
1 wished that she might open her
heart to me, being persuaded that a
grief loses intensity as it is told to
another; but she seemed to divine my
thought, with that rare intuition
with which women are endowed. She
was, perhaps, grateful to me, but, had
I even stretched out my hand in SYM
pathy, the sensitive one would have
enclosed herself more firmly in her
reserve.
We arrived at Naples, where we re-
manned Is days. My lord and his
young wife accompanied me in all my
excursions A book in his hand, my
lord commenced everything and
looked at nothing; the young Eng
lishwoman was attentive, but indif-
ferent. One day, the last that we
passed in Naples, our promenade led
us before a statue of Sapho, ready to
precipitate herself in the waves. My
lord read in his book:
"Sapno (author unknown marble.
1.-THE famous priestess is represented at
the moment when she is prepared to pre-
cipitate herself into the sea, in despair at
not being loved by Phaon, whom she
adored. Her left hand throws her Tyre be-
hind her, as If to abandon all which made
her glory and her life. Very beautiful
marble, found at Syracuse in an excava-
ton. Attributed to the sculptor, Agri-
gente."
Every beautiful" said my lord, and
passed on.
The young wife paused before it,
while her husb band was reading the
description in the book, and her eyes
were fixed upon the marble with an
expression of terrible grief. The
woman who knew the despair of not
being loved spoke to her descendant.
I watched an instant the two statues
face to face, the marble statue and
the statue of flesh, animated by the
same grief. Artist, and almost cruel,
l contemplated art and nature to-
gether, but only for an instant. |
took step forward, my lady saw me,
recovered herself, and continued her
on her pale lips.
The following morning we were on
shipboard returning to England. It
was the second day of our voyage. 1t
was midnight, and was seated upon
deck dreaming, my spirit Graded de-
Hciously in the mildness of the night,
night of Italy, peaceful and lumin-
Gus, crowned with chaplet OF
trembling stars. The melody that an
Italian maestro had put to some
Arab verses of winged flowers came
to my memory, and almost without
thought, 1 sung that oriental poetry
dazzling and pensive at the same
time.
The young wife had joined me un'
perceived Suddenly / noticed her
white form, and, interrupting myself
rose.
Continue" said she, sweetly, "con
tinue, 1 pray you," and she leaned
upon the railing. l can see her there
all in white, with Scotch plaid hall
| thrown over her shoulders, leaning
like reed upon the balustrade. He1
| voice seemed to me SO sweet and i'm
perious, her large green eyes, alway:
lowered, were raised, and sparkled sc
| brilliantly that the night seemed