The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1903-03-07

moment
Little she dr. aamed Of the passionate
heart beating under his careless,
laughing man heri the thoughts that
burned the " ords that eraved utter
anee, the bit er-sweet romance that
was awakene d in the quickening
springtime, wi b its old-time force and
meaning, to old him in cruel thrall-
dom.
Cruel, for t be dream which a few
short years ag o was his happiness, the
handspring 81 his existence. was now
q sin to dwell upon; a weakness to be
trampled und er foot. Yet still he
fingered on "a Pnlilse for a taste Of the
forbidden fri 1T; q stray word, a
glance from pair Of dark eyes, a
glimpse of a g taeefnl shape at the vim
dow, playing L comedy with the girls,
praetic:ng str ategies Of which his
manhood was ashamed.
An abyss bal d opened at his feet; he
low read as letters of fire the past,
the neEer-to +be-forgotten past-in
which he play ed so ignoble a role; the
headstrong oily, the -unreasoning
rage, which condemned an innocent
girl unheard, and made shipwreck Of
two lives in a moment of madness.
But cepenta nee, as ever, came too
late. Blame himself as he would he
could not retFieve the cruel mistake,
which had led to life-long separation
and sorrow.
1t was mid MAY. and a morning
breeze, silkeI soft and honey-sweet,
stole through the open window like an
invitation on to poor, pale Trina, sit
ting Hstless at her sewing. The gnarled
old apple orchard was all abloom, the
grassy way tangled and green, golden
robin famed and fitted through the
poisoning b pughs and filed the si-
lence with the ecstasy of song.
The house was very still, the girls
had wandered away on pleasure bent,
and she was so weary; weary of her
lonely unIoved youth, her work with
out aspiration, the dreary vista of the
coming years, the happiness all about
her that seemed as a mockery of her
own woe.
She left her work, and went out into
the sunshine, trod the mazes of the
blossomed or hard, opened her heart
to the rob MS thrilling message,
sought to lose her cares in the joyous
springtime; 10 think-to resoIve-to
put from her with a strong hand this
wild longing for a happiness, so far and
yet so near.
For he loved her still; she read il
in his glowing glance, the accents of
his voice, felt it to the inmost fiber
of herbeing; She had but to stretch out
her slender hand to call him to her
side once me re, to break the letters
that bound / i'm to the careless child,
who knew hi not-could never know
him as she ht ID done in the olden time
when they we re lovers.
The though filled her with mingled
pride and an guish, yet she did not
wayer in her resolve to renOunee her
happiness fox his honor. She flung
herself upon the ground, and, leaning
her cheek aa ainst an old apple tree,
closed her cyl s and listened once more
to the colder notes of the robin over
head.
She did no hear a quick step com
ing down tho grassy way, did not stir
Till she was 1aught in a close embrace,
and held the Ire a moment, breathless
and unresist ing; then she sprang to
her feet and turned to him in silent re-
proach, for words failed her, and her
eyes vera 81 till wet with tears.
But Lester met her glance unre-
buked; and there was that in his look
and mien which betokened danger,
warned her that the moment hadcome
hen she co nd no longer hold him in
check or stem the torrent of his love.
Trina, why do you shrink from me?
You loved m e years ago, you love me
stiII-contess it."
Lester" the replied, sadly, "I do
love you-but too well to tempt you
from the path of duty and honor. You
have pledged your faith to this inno-
cent girl, taught her to love, to trust
you; promise me that she shall never
know our pa st."
Trina, yoE ask me to perform a
miracle you bid me to live a lie, to
cling to the letter rather than the
spirit of vows spoken on impulse. Had
we never me again, Who can say-but
now with your image again shrined
in my heart, how dareI promise this?
No, no-you ask too much; rather will
/ break the letters that bind me, speak
truth at any cost, even to my shame,
and leave my fate in her hands"
He had passed the Rubicon; the love
denied him, held in check all these
weeks, leaptd to life at a bound; il
would take more than a girls hand to
curb him to patience, reconciliation and
honor, and or a moment she trembIed
at the fiery ordeal.
She listenfd in silence to- his passion
ate appeal, his bitter accusations, yet
it was not the silence of consent. and
this he felt in his impotence and de-
spair.
"Irma, you are crueI-caD notbir,.
change your resolves ~
Lester, I would not win heaven Al
the cost Of another, so innocent, 81
happy. Uni ss fate i~nterposes I wjd
suffer in silence to the end" And turT-
ing from hi b she moved slowly up tt e
green orchard way.
Put even then fot. Nal