The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1907-11-07
A Grand Passion.
[Original.1

[OriginaL]
We sailed from Southampton on a
beautiful afternoon, and as we steam
ed down the channel every one remain
ed on deck. l passed lady propped
with cushions in a steamer chair and
noticed that she was both refined and
beautiful. She was neither young nor
d-twenty eight to thirty, l should
say, an age 1 have always considered
most attractive in women. At any
rate, women about that age are capa-
BILE of gaining the strongest influence
over men. AS ! passed the lady, look
ing straight at her, she glanced at me
for a moment, then lowered her eyes.
In a very young girl the lowering of
the eyes would have been attractive.
In the case Of the lady l refer to both
the lowering Of the eyes and the brief
glance had their effect. Not that there
was anything bold in the latter. It
simply bespoke the quick birth of an
interest.
day for some one who knew her to in
troduce me, but no one approached her
with whom 1 was acquainted. Indeed,
no one came near her. She seemed
very much alone. However, she knew
that I wished to make her acquaint-
ance. [ made that evident. She was
writing in her chair, and sheet of let
ter paper flew away with the wind. l
chased it to a corner where she could
not see me, picked it up and put it in
nv pocket. Then went back, raised
my hat deferentially and expressed my
sorrow that had not been able to re-
cover her paper. She thanked me for
nv effort, but seemed distressed at it's
loss. I was obliged to assure her that
1t had gone overheard before she was
satisfied. That opened the acquaint-
ance.
A man strictly honorable, even
suueamish, in ordinary matters may
consider all fair in love and in war
At any rate 1 did. / wished to gain
some clew to the lady's inner self. So
as soon as l was in my. stateroom
read the writing on the sheet. The
writer rambled to a friend on trifes,
then suddenly said:
"T have met my fate know it. L
feel it. Something tells me that the
rest Of my life is to be given to a grand
passion. He is now walking the deck
near me, and 1 tremble. He is ta'f
and straightforward hair and eyes ex-
pressive of manly strength of charac-
ter, teeth white under a dark mus
tache Oh, the
felt repaid for my dishonorable con-
duct. had done evil, but good had
come of it, l had discovered that
had excited a grand passion, and this
stimulated a grand passion in myself.
From the moment l read the words
l gave myself UP to love. In the morn
ing we gently fenced with Cupid's ar
rows. In the afternoon we languished.
In the evening ''our spirits rushed to
gether at the touching of the lips.
She could not understand how she
could have been so suddenly affected
and wondered if after all it were not
dream.
Then she became indisposed and was
obliged to keep her room, but only for
a day. During that day l sent to
her half a dozen notes, in some of
which 1 told her that l should die if
she remained where l could not see
her and in one of which | spoke of the
happy future in store for us as we'd
ded pair. When she emerged she was
more subdued She was not so demon
strative in her expressions of love.
She said that she had had trouble; that
when | came to know more about her
might be affected adversely. l swore
that nothing l might hear would ever
cause ne to cease to love her.
When we reached port she gave me
the name of her hotel, and l received
permission to call the next afternoon
at and drive her to the park. When
| left her l wondered how | would
pass the time till the happy moment
when I should see her again.
The next morning l was breakfast
ing with my paper before me. | read
a facetious article on the voyage Of the
steamer on which | had come over.
Among other things, there was men-
ton Of one Of the passengers, a woman
of London whose husband had divorced
her, the court giving him the charge
OF their children, the mother being OF
VIGOROUSLY bad character. In the de-
scription of her l recognized my charm
er.
The hour for the drive came, but |
did not I was wondering what /
should do. Should l disappear? Should
I remain quietly at home and trust
that she would not use the notes l
had written her? l concluded to do
nothing; to Wait.
The next morning I received re-
pcoachful note. She had foreseen that
when knowledge of the triumph of her
enemies became known to me would
desert her; that, having raised her to
the summit of happiness, would cast
her down into an abyss of misery.
made no reply. Two days later l re-