Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-21

Of not less than two years. But to his
surprise she did not fling herself upon his
neck with Establishments and tiers. She
merely became quite still, her light high
spfrits retreating as breeze might before
one of natures sudden and portentous
Gains. Don Jose, after frultless attempt
to recapture her interest, mounted ms morse
and rode away: and Concha sat down on
a bench under the wall and thought tor an
hour without moving finger.
Her first sensation was one or pltter
anger and disappointment with Rezanov.
He had, apparently, in the first brief inter-
view with their tribunal, given his consent
to this long delay of their nuptials
Her thoughts since his advent had noWn
on many Journeys and known little rest.
She had been rudely awakened and stripped
Of her girlish illusions in those days and
nights of battle between pride and her
dazzled womanhood; when, In the humiilty
of new love, she believed herself to be but
one of hundred pretty girls in the eyes
of this accomplished and fortunate Rus
sian. The interval had been BRIEF, but
long enough for the grandeur in her nature
to awaken almost concurrently with her
passions and she had planned a life in
which, guided and uplifted by the star OF
fidelity and delivered from the frivolous and
commonplace temptations of other women
she should devote herself to the improve
ment and instruction not only of the In
dams but of the youth of her own class
The schools founded by the estimable and
enterprising Borica had practically disap-
peared, and she was by far the best edu-
Gated woman in California. For such there
was a manifest career and memorable
duty She would live to be old, she sup
posed, like all the Arguellos and Moragas,
but hidden in her unspotted soul would be
the flame of eternal youth, fed by an ideal
and a memory that would outlive her
weary insignificant body. And in 1t she
an har md hav inc 1irof ION
as well as an unwasting sympathy for
those she taught.
Then had come the sudden and passionate
wooing of ReZanov. All other ideals and
aspiratio had fed She had alternated
between the tragic extremes of bliss and
despair. SO completely did the ardor of her
nature respond to his, SO fierce and print
tive was the cry Of her ego for its mate,
that she cared nothing for the distress of
her parents nor the fate of California.
There is no love complete without this early
and absolute selfishness, which is merely
the furious determination Of the race to
accomplish it's object before the spirit
awakens and the passions cool.
Last night life had seemed less serious;
she had been girlishly, Economically happy.
1t Is true that her heart had thumped
against the wall as he kissed her. and that
she had been full of a wild desire to sing,
although she could hardly shape and utter
the words that danced in her throbbing
brain. But she had been conscious through
It all of the romantic circumstance, of the
lonely beauty of the night, of the delight
full wickedness of meeting her lover in the
silence and the dark, even with wall ten
feet high between them. For the wall, in
deed, she had been confusedly and de-
liciousy grateful.
And this was what mans love came to;
ardors by night and expedience by day!
Or was it merely that ReZanov was the
man of affairs always. the lover Incl
dentally? But how could man who had
seemed the very epitome of all the lovers OF
all the world but few hours before, con-.
template, far less accept, a separation of
years? Poor Concha CROPPED toward the
great unacceptable fact of life the whole,
lit by love its chief incident, and had
fleeing vision of the waste lands In the
lives Of women occupied only with matri-
mony. But she dropped her lashes upon
this unalluring vision, and az she did so.