The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-03-19
Aurora Bungle-A Short Story
By ANNE CHARLOTTE LEFFLER

of vast estates and a belle of Swedish
society. But she had never married.
She had never found the man whom
she loved to the extent of giving up
her freedom. Time, however, pressed:
She was thirty years old and the
Baroness, her mother, wished to see
her married before the natural beauty
of her face and figure faded further.
Miss Gungie held out against her
mother and at the end of hard So
cial season was still unengaged The
Baroness possessed many estates along
the sea shore and it was in one of
these remote islands that she spent
the summer that her daughter might
regain her beauty for the coming seas
on.
Aurora loved the open air She swan
for hours in the lmpid sea, then
summed herself on the white sand.
Sometimes she helped an old fisher
man pull in his nets. Sometimes she
took sail. All her former beauty re-
turned. Her neck filled out, her face
attained a beautiful color and her
arms were like those of a Greek god
dess.
There was a rocky island some dis
lance from the shore which was sur
rounded by reefs on which many a YES
sci had foundered. A few years pre-
vious a lighthouse had been built there
and a small house for the keeper. Au-
rora wanted to visit the island, but
something had always prevented her
! from carrying out her plan. The trip
was rather difficult as it was impossi-
BILE to land except under very favora-
BILE circumstances. At last, one day
towards the end of June, the fisher
man thought it might be done, al
though not without danger
When they landed Aurora looked at
the rocks and the little house. How
dreadful it must be to live there. Nc
trees. not flower or a blade of grass.
Everything was gray, the house, the
rocks and lighthouse, yes even the
air. She felt strangely oppressed
when the man came out to meet them
Yet the sight of him made great i'm
preston upon her.
He was tall. had large eyes and ar
expression Of tenderness about his
we'll formed lips strangely in contrast
with the almost brutal force of his
broad shoulders. They did not eX
change many words, but Aurora felt
his eyes resting on her all the time
while he showed her his house. which
consisted of two stories, one room in
each.
Have you lived here long alone?'
she asked.
Ever since my mother died three
years ago"
"You must miss her very much,
she asked.
II do, although she was weak
minded and l always had to watch hel
for fear she would jump into the sea.
How dared you keep her here?"
Il loved her. was the simple ans
| wer.
The wind had increased in strength
and it was difficult to keep the boa1
from being smashed against the rocks
The fisherman entered to say thai
they must return at once, if at all thai
| day.
| The lighthouse keeper looked
through the window.
1T is impossible to start now. The
wind has turned" he said, land is in
creasing every moment
But what are we TO do asked Au
rora turning pale.
Are you afraid to stay here?'
| NO, but it is impossible. Mother
will worry. herself to death. l mus
go back. Come, let us start imme
diately," she said to the fisherman.
She threw her rug across her shoul
der and went outside. The two mel
followed her.
The horizon was black and the wine
was bowling furiously. The wave:
were throwing their white spray al
over the island.
There is cove on the other side O
that rock, where there is some shelter
Take the boat there right away. There
is small cabin where you may stay,
the keeper said to the fisherman. .
will look after the lady here
Thank you, but | can't. l dare not
my mother will be in despair" Auro
ra murmured and wanted to go dowr
in the boat.
He put his heavy hand on her shout
der and said with the firm determine
ton peculiar to sailors:
1T is of no use, Miss. Now 20,
are here, | am responsible for you
safety"
A strange feeling of confidence came
upon her. She almost felt as if sh'
wanted to put her hand in his ant
say:
II will go wherever you take me-"