The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1908-10-22

Inering gray olives the groves Of orange
and lemon trees where she and Harry
had kissed. the long winding road up 20
CASTELAR,. where they had often climbed
hand Ia hand. the afternoons they had
fingered on the plateau where the myr-
tie grew among the expresses on the
heights above GOrbio.
He would twist the orange blossom,
IN her hair and put myrtle IN her hands
and call her his beautiful bride. The
somber Expresses stood sentinel over
them. and towering far above the eter-
nal snOw-capped hills Knocked their lit
lie futile passion. But below glittered
the deeply blue unfOrgettable Mediter-
ranean the dazzling sunshine was OYER
an, and the intoxicating balmy airs Of
the south blew around them.
"Oh. the Wild spring and his chances
and dreams"
Days Of youth and FIRE; gilden. pas
sionate days. How immortal It had
seemed-how quickly II had died. She
remembered those few subsequent meet
ings IN town when Harry had rushed
up from the country 10 take her 10
lunch az Princes or tea in Bond street
how be had chafed az the distance
that parted them-ihe gradual waning
Of his loYe-ihe dnai disagreement that
had ended it.
Maisie had destroyed his letters Oh
the night before her wedding two years
ago. with her own. which had been
duly returned after the rupture She
kecnly remembered that burning and
how she had not dared read the letters
nrst because her wedding gown was ~
ing on the bed.
These few rough copies were all than
was left She opened the top sheet and
recognized by The date that II was writ
ten after their parting II was one OF
those pleading letters be had never an
swered. the memory Of which constiiut-
I'd her greatest shame.
"Oh. Harry. ! cannot lose you Ike
this; you are twisted right around my
heart strings. II the end Is 70 come It
must come gradually. This sudden
wrench. this frightful blank. It's liter
ally beyond my strength to bear. 1
love you with such intensity aud such
passion that can't. can't shut you out
Of my life all AZ once"
Heavens! Had she really written
fhat--only six years agof Her cheeks
burned with shame. She turned the
page. Something heavier than letter
fell out OF the packet on her knee. A
photograph All the others she had
burnt before her wedding day. How
strange II was 10 see his face again.
For a long time she stared at the
rather cold. entirely commonplace coun-
tenance. II was bis coldness. his aloof-
ness. and hint Of reserve even IN his
most impassioDod moments that had at
tracted her 50. powerfully. She had
been woOed By more than one warm
hearted and tenderly sentimental young
man. and the memory Of these rather
iiresome ardors had given to Harry's
suit spurious charm
She had mistaken tor strength at
the time Looking down at the hard. /
selfish eyes. the thin lips. she knew It
now TO be merely shaIlowness He
could not love or give. He was one or 1
the men that can only break the soil.
There was but one folded sheet left. |
and Maisie recognized II with interest |
as a copy Of some verses she had writ
ten at Mentone IL would be more 1
amusing 10 read them than the letters.
They would probably be funny. Some
how her evening had not been so gay
after all. There was an unpleasant
SAVIOR about these ashes. Perhaps the
verses would make her laugh.
Funny; yes. they were certainly fun
ny In one way.
what trash = she said. trying 70 feel
"And yet they are tragic
enough In another sense she added.
her breath. How l must have
felt them. -. Heavens. and wrote
that about your
She tore the photograph across anu
threw It into the fire. The flames
blaEed up brightly, casting a momen-
tary light on the picture OF another
man above the hearth. The woman
leaned her arms on the mantelpiece and
looked yearningly at the fine. clever
face OF her husband-the tender eyes.
the strong. kind mouth
She put her lips to the pictured facs
lovingly. Forgive me. dear" she
Il did not know-then."
The lights died down as the letter.
nuttered to ashes. but those dear. un-
eyes seemed 10 assure her
,f forgiveness great peace fell on
he woman's soul as she looked around
he homelike little room. That passion
lite vista OF orange and cypress groves,
southern glory and southern heat. had I
'sded away from her mind A Groom
ng sound from the room above told Of
, childs awakening.
In haste she made her little wifely
for her husbands home I
and wine on the table.
With his letters. in the fender his slip
'ers Then. obeying a sudden impulse.
n