Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-06-15

Never did man utter a more vehement, /.
passionate prayer for strength and
than ne. One terrible mo-
ment passed. He heard the rustic Of /
soft silken robes as they crossed the /
room. Then, with a desperate effort,
he raised his head, and looked at
them-frst at her whom he had loved
and lost, her sweet face white as the
leaf OF a lily, her golden haT shining
like an aureole round her head-the
woman 10 whom his heart few, at
whose feet he would have laid his life,
the only woman who had ever stirred
his soul with the fire and fever and
ecstasy Of passionate love. Tall, slen-
der and graceful, her dark rich dress
trailing, her rich laces falling in a
fairy shower" she seemed 10 float to
ward him. Her eyes did not meet his;
and no CLEAN OF recognition came into
the sweet colOrless face. He looked
from her 10 the radiant girl by her
side, in whose dark eyes was the
light Of the setting sum-" her face
bright with beauty and love, her coior
vivid and exquisite as that Of a wild
rose. her every movement replete with
grace and harmony. 1hey differed as
does a tall white lily from a Queenly
red rose; yet there was something of
a mountaineering were alike in
grace and subtle elegance of figure,
and in the queenly carriage Of the
head.
Leah led Hettie by the hand. She
brought her 70 where Oenone, in her
eternal sorTow. bewailej a faithless
lover, where the exquisite tragic face
looked out in its unchanging despair.
Leah had never appeared nor felt so
happy as when she Laid Hettie's white
hand in that Of her lover. She did not
notice that one was cold as death and
the other burned Ike fire. She did
notice that, when she. with happy eyes
and smiling lips, went through the
ceremony Of Introduction, those TWO
shrank from each other as though the
cold and darkness OF a grave lay be
tween them.
"Hettie IS so shy" said the elder sis
ter. looking with a smile az her lover.
she has been 81 today; that makes
ler quiet Hettie, look at the picture.
/ persuaded Sir Arthur 10 buy It.
think the last lines in Tennyson's poem
OF 'OenOne' are the finest ever writ
Ten, and they are expressed in her face
that beautiful young face which is
never TO smile again"
4 co not remember them. What are
they ,. said Hettie. more 10 gain time
than anything else.
ga sound
Rings ever in her ears OF armed men.
What this may be I know not, but /
That, wheresO'er am by night and
That. wheresOer I am by night and day,
All earth and air seems only burning
fire."
Hettie turned away with a shudder
which she could not control.
4 can understand those words"
Leah added. musingly; "a passionate
misery must be a burning pain"
The dinner-Lell rang, ami the gen.
eral offered his arm to Leah.
We viii leave these two TO make
friends" he said. And Basil in
silence went to Hettie.
We shall never be able TO bear it."
he thought. I must retire, CT she"
Hettie laid her hand timidly upon
his arm. He seized IL with a vehe-
ment, passionate grasp-his very
heart was on fire-and then as sud
denly let it so.
How many hours Of this torture
would there be 10 pass? he thought.
The blood ran like fire through his
veins; every nerve and pulse thrilled
with the sense Of her presence; yet |
he must sit there as the happy lover
Of Leah. smile and talk and laugh un-
Concernedly.
What, in Heavens name, shall |
Go with my life" he cried TO himself, |
If find one day so hard TO bear?"
Hettie was excused from all effort, |
and her pale face was accounted for |
by the fact that she had been i'll.
The dinner passed, and Leah was |
dimly conscious OF somthing being
wrong, something she did not under
stand. She was Just a little disap- 4
pointed that Sir Basil was not warmer
in his manner to Hettie. He spoke u /
her but seldom. and il was always
with averted eyes. She wondered If it j,
were his great love for her which |
made him so Indifferent TO the charms .
Of her sister. i
The ordeal was over at last. When /
the two girls had left the dining
room, Sir Arthur turned with a laugh .
ing face 10 his companion.
1T Is not of much use for you 70 4
remain here" he said. Your heart 1
has gone into the drawing-rOOm, and /
you may as fell follow IT,"
That Is true" sssented Sir Basil.
4 told you" continued the general, /
what a difference IL makes TO have 1
two nieces instead Of one. though /
Hettie looks III. I suspect her life /
has been harder than we know"
IF ever a man felt inclined 10 cast |
himself haadtouu into a fathomless