The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-25


 thousandfold the good which you have done us. An, Paul Paul you are far dearer to me than d brotheri'
 Shortly after Paul was induced to spend a day or two with the recluse who so often had assisted the dweers in the val ley at their times of need The first ob ject that met his sight as he neared home on his return was the negro woman, Mary mounted on a rock and looking earnestly toward the sea. As soon as he perceived her he called out; Where is Vrginia?'
 The woman, her eyes streaming tears, pointed to a sail which was just disap- bearing below the horizon.
 Seating himself on this rock where the deep moaning of the sea came from far below his feet and the winds of the ocean blowing over him made a sound among the palm trees like the melan- choly strains of some vast organ, Paul remained in a stupor of despair. It was only when his mother came and besought him to return to his home that he reused himself enough to speak even words Of grief
 The young man abandoned himself to sorrow, an wandered for days amid the scenes that the lost Virginia had most loved to frequent, calling her name to the rocks and birds and bewaiing his fate to the rustling trees. At every sight of the ocean on which he had seen her vessel disappear his heart would over flow with grief and he would weep bitter ly. No restraints of an artificial civiliza- ton had taught him to either control or conceal his emotions and he gave them full rein.
 For a while they feared that his reason was in danger; but as time passed his mind settled into gentle melancholy, and he besought the recluse of the neighboring
 .t. l. md FN ta he might correspond with Virginia, and to him knowledge of geography that he might the better comprehend whther she had gone. The recluse fn- duced him to read history, but he round in that study only a record of general and periodical evils the cause or when he could not discover; wars without eith- CT motive or reason; unlnteresting n- trigues among nations destitute of prin- ciple and princes devoid of humanity. He much preferred to read romances, which, being occupied with the private feelings and concerns of men, sometimes represented situations similar to his own Thus no book gave him so much pleas ure as Telemachus, with the pictures 1t draws of pastoral life and of the passions most natural to the human breast.
 More than a year and half passed be- fore Mme de la Tour received any word from her daughter. At last vessel which stopped on its way to the lndes brought her a letter from Virginia, in guarded manner that she might spare as much as possible her mothers feelings, let it be known that she was far from happy in her new surroundings There was Il post script in which the girl spoke to and of Paul only.
 The young man had been astonished when In the body of the letter he did not see any mention of himself. but the post script consoled him. He had yet to learn that woman always leaves her dearest sentiments for a postscript
 Virginia had written many letters before this one, but they had miscarried, or had been suppressed by her aunt. But from now on they heard, from time to time. Of their dear one far off across the ocean and gleamed from what she wrote the trials to which she subjected. Her aunt had taken the girl to form her. had sent her to convent school and then introduced her into society
 She had selected a rich old nobleman or dlsreputable life for Yirginas husband and was striving with all her power to bend the unprotected girl to her will Paul was still inconsolable for his loss, and as time passed and he developed into n man he acquired reserved bearing en- tlrely different from that of the frank and unsophisticated child of nature, who llad seen virginia S Slip pNi'" ft' horizon Some day Virginia would come back to him. That he strove to believe and yet he feared
 His new requirement of reading was, after all only a curse to him. for 1t aid ed him to knowledge of cases similar to his own, in which one of the other of the separated lovers had at last proved unfaithful to the early vows. The happy valley was happy no longer; for Paul 8 grief and Virginia's absence affected all who dwelt there.
 At last there came a letter from Vir- ginia saying that she was to sail for home on a certain date in certain ship. Wild was the joy at this news. Her aunt had dsnherited her and sent her back in rage because she would not marry the aged noble, but what i' she did come back poor as she went? Was she not still Virginia?
 The days dragged like lead to the im- patient ones, but at last the ship on which the dear girl had sailed was sig naed in the offlng and the people or the valley-the happy valley once again-were beside themselves with Joy. The ship was far out at sea and there was fiat calm, but when the pilot came back from visit ing her he said she would probably an- chor in Port St. Louis the following morning.
 That night, out of the fiat calm of the treachefOuS Indian Sea, there came up Ii great hurricane. The ship was driven to- ward the coast and tried to make an anchorage between the Isle of Amber and the main island. News of this was brought to Port St. Louis. where Paul had gone to await the landing of Virginia. He hurried across the island to the point opposite the indicated spot.
 He arrived just as gloomy and stormy day was dawning; and standing amid the crowd which already had col lected on the beach saw the ship, at no great distance from the land making d mighty effort to escape from the currents that were dragging her own the rocks.
 There was a tremendous thunder of the waves, q vast signing of the winds. which now were dropping In their fury. and amid these sounds came the shrll notes of the boatswain's whistle, distinctly heard on the shore. and the shouting of orders by the officers. And now and again came from the vessel the booming of her signal guns begging assistance.
 At last she struck amid heaps of foam and vast. tumultuous spouts of water. and lay preached. broadsde to. on the rocks half cable length from shore.