Maud Howe

“ Whether I win her love or not, I have always my love for her. You pity me,—me, who would rather a thousand times give up life itself than outgrow my love. Happy or unhappy, it is more to me than all else. Could I believe for a moment that I could survive this love, I should pray that I might die to-night."
"It is not often that we women are loved like that, Philip," said Sara Harden very gravely. "I believe I shall think better of men all my life for what you have said to me to-night. ”

“ It is past, even as your childhood is past. You can never be a child again; you can never go back to your marbles and be satisfied. The shadow of love is upon you, and life will never be the same to you again, my poor child."
The elder woman spoke seriously and gently, as Margaret had never heard her speak before, as she touched the young girl's forehead with her lips. Then Margaret lost her composure, the tears trembled to her eyes, and the two women wept together; but whether Margaret's tears flowed for Philip Rondelet or for Robert Feuardent, her friend could not tell. ”

“ Now, if things have gone as far as I suppose they have, my solemn advice to you, Gladys, is to marry Mr. Larkington. He is the sort of man best calculated to make you happy, as he brings all the things you need most,—money, an assured position, and in time a title. My dear, take the advice of a lonely woman, an old maid, and do not hesitate. You have grown, as I did before you, too difficile. It is the curse of American girls with beauty or money, that they have so many chances to marry. ”

“ Larkington, looking as flushed and radiantly happy as Gladys should have looked, stood near her, his eyes fixed intently on her face, his whole expression rapt and exalted. No one could doubt, in looking at the man, that he was deeply in love. The face, which had before lacked animation, and had been characterized by Mrs. Craig as "stolid," was now full of life and expression. All this was marked by Charles Farwell as he stood out side, his back turned to the slow-heaving ocean, and his feet crushing the roses of the garden that Gladys loved. ”

“ To-morrow's reflection might show each that a broken friendship, no matter how closely riveted it may be by remorse and forgiveness, can never again be the flawless whole that it was before. The mended vessel will do very well in this life of cemented affections, but it can never ring clear again like the perfect crystal vase of an unbroken trust.
Margaret watched Philip and Feuardent as long as she could see them from the window, and then turned and looked at Mrs. Harden, whose blue eyes had grown very dim with tears. The young girl was dry-eyed and silent. ”

“ If she be true to him, he will not forsake her in the darkest hour. The more homage she laid at the feet of the mortal lover, the colder he grew, perchance; but with "Mr. Toil" every sacrifice is richly rewarded, the closer the embrace in which she folds him, the stronger the support he returns.
None of these thoughts troubled Margaret Ruysdale, one may be sure, as she sat high up on her scaffolding in the dark gallery of the salt-mine. They are thoughts which do not vex children, and the young girl was, as her friend Sara Harden often said, still a child in most respects. ”

“ There was a pause, after which Gladys said abruptly,—
"How far is it to the sea?"
"About half a mile, I fancy."
"Please go down to the shore and bring me a piece of red seaweed."
"I cannot leave you here alone."
"Why not, if I order you to go? Do you not know how to be obedient?"
"You are teaching me, Miss Carleton. I never knew before that it was pleasanter to obey than to be obeyed."
"Of course it is. There is no such luxury in the world as self-abnegation; it is the thing we all long for."
"I do not fancy that you would enjoy it; you are too imperious by nature. ”

“ The vaulted roof is upborne by gigantesque pillars sculptured from the living crystal, and we pass down the wide aisles full of a wonder not untouched by awe. Leading the way is one slight figure, which we might well imagine to be that of the genius of the mine,—a young woman, whose graceful form assumes at each instant some new and classic pose. She now holds her lamp high above her head, to show a splendid crystal shining like a diamond on the side of the mine, and again stoops to pick a fragment of rock-salt from the floor. ”

“ Larkington had found a good deal of amusement during the dinner in his right-hand neighbor. She was a pretty woman of the Venus de Médicis type, which is by no means uncommon among American women.
Mrs. Craig was not beautiful, though he had told her before the dessert that she was; but she was the perfection of prettiness. Small, without being undersized, with charming curves of face and figure, a well-shaped face and head, blond hair, deep-gray eyes, and a mouth which, though well cut, was too narrow and bloodless to betoken a generous or passionate nature. ”

“ The idea is dismissed as being childish: the old orchard always makes her feel herself a child again; and descending lightly from the tree, she stands beneath its shadow, afraid to go back to the house to meet him, and dreading lest he should fail to find her in the orchard. She hears a step on the path, a shadow falls across the heap of red-gold pumpkins on the other side of the wall, the gate swings open and shuts again, and some one stands beside her. She does not look up; she dares not lift her eyes to his face, lest she should find it changed.
"Won't you speak to me, Margaret?" ”

“ As Farwell rode through Chestnut Street, he said with a half-sigh,—
"Jack, I am sorry to go, for some reasons. I have not been here long enough to feel the monotony which must come, I suppose, and I still am bound by the novelty and freshness of the existence here. There is a vigor and youth about the country which we in the East have lost already; before we have grown to our prime, we are old."
"Yes," said Jack; "remember this is the boss mining camp of the world that you are turning your back upon, because of an echo in the mine that you fancy is the voice of some woman. ”

“ It was merchantable, like sugar and cotton, bricks and breadstuffs. Men would exchange that which they love best after—and sometimes before—their own souls for its possession. She was an amateur no longer. She had become a money-getter, a bread-winner, a producer. The mere fact that she was to get so many dollars for fulfilling the order would not have accounted for the exhilaration of Margaret's spirits. It would be hard to imagine a person to whom the possession of wealth was of less importance. She had never wanted for anything in her life. ”

“ The air was sweet with the smell of the wild grapes which clung to the porches of the bare unpainted farm-houses. The beauty of the complete and perfect year crowned the fair earth, and the peace of the fruitful harvest was over the land. The air was fresh, and, though full of light and warmth, had a cool tinge in it, that set the blood running like new wine through the veins of the man and woman who were so unreasonably and unreasoningly happy, sitting, side by side, behind the swift horses. ”

“ Of the knowledge that is had from books, Robert, thou art sadly ignorant; and in this thou art wrong. There is yet time for thee to cultivate a love of learning; thy mind is good. Like the Indians, thou never forgettest what thou hast seen or heard. I, too, have a keen memory; and how richly is it peopled with the heroes of the poets! When thou art old like me, and canst no more spend thy leisure in hunting and breaking wild horses, how wilt thou pass thy time? Do as I have done, and take from men their noblest inspirations. ”

“ She had been a help to him, with her sober, conscientious work, her simple, earnest endeavor to fill the destiny chosen for her. "She does not know," thought Philip, "that such a career to a woman can only be a consolation. Women should only work when they cannot love. She knows nothing of love, and till she loves can know nothing of life."
"Have I really helped you?" queried Margaret, all the chivalry of her nature thrilling at this admission of her strength and his dependence. ”

“ O South! can there be any bitterness left in your hearts against a North which has laid so white a sacrifice before the awful demon of the pestilence that laid your fairest cities desolate? One such pure life—and there were many such given—should efface the memory of a Gettysburg and a Shiloh.
A great grief fell upon those that were left when the youngest and frailest of them was taken. Now that they had lost her, it seemed to them that Virginia had been the strongest of the four; and Madame Anna, who till then had never lost her quiet cheerfulness, never smiled again. ”

“ Was this the fever-stricken woman who had poured into his ears the story of her broken life,—the would-be suicide he had saved from the river's fierce tide? Had she, in truth, been maddened by her grief, and was he seeing for the first time the real Therese in this dignified and beautiful woman? He asked himself these questions as he looked at her, little guessing that in himself had lain the power which had wrought the wonderful transformation.
Sara Harden was waiting for him too, very pale and pretty in her soft white morning wrapper. ”

“ She laughs; and catching sight of Robert, greets him with a,—
"Bon soir, Robert le diable."
"She is a working-woman, as you call yourself," he whispers; "she does the work and earns the salary of a man."
A blue field-flower passes, graceful, slight, with lips that curl a little scornfully sometimes; but to-night they smile as she hums the melody of the song.
"That young girl is a musician, and earns her bread too, though she is so young."
A scarlet poppy follows. She has a fine, sensitive face, red-bronze hair, and determined brown eyes. ”

“ A perfectly pretty woman is Sara Harden; beautiful, no one who knows the value of that superlative term would call her. There are no grand lines, no mysterious coming and going of light and shadow in her delicate face; no moments of loveliness obscured for a time and then shining out radiant and all powerful; nothing of the half-painful influence which great beauty holds for those who are enamored of it,—nothing of this has the bonny shepherdess, only a restful, pleasure-giving prettiness, which makes men grateful and even women glad, as they are glad of a beautiful child or a perfect flower. ”

“ The old men and women in the front seats, the church dignitaries seated either side of the preacher, the younger people, who occupied the centre of the church, and the children and lovers, who lurked in the shadow near the door, all joined the chorus, swaying slowly from side to side with dreamy, sensuous faces,—
"When we get to heaben, we will part no mo',
When we get to heaben, we will part no mo'."
Margaret unconsciously lifted her voice and took up the chant,
"When we get to heaven, we will part no more." ”

“ Rex has come, and his sway is one of jollity and kindliness to all men. The sun smiles upon his coming, the earth is brave with her earliest spring-flowers, and the mighty river, tawny and swift, is ready to bear the monarch and his crew to the city on its banks. A fleet of ships lie rocking at their anchors. Yachts fluttering dainty pennants, black-hulled merchantmen, ocean-steamers, sloops, and river-boats, and a group of men-of-war, gayest of all in their holiday gear. A revenue-cutter heaves in sight far down the stream, and finally comes to anchor near the flagship. ”

“ And so with heavy hearts Margaret and Robert parted, each full of gloomy forebodings that they should not live to see that golden day when the virgin Atalanta should turn from the worship of Diana to burn incense before the altar of Hymen.
Ah, me! for those fond, foolish, loving days whose pain seems unendurable, those partings and meetings which tear the heart-strings, how quickly do they pass! How tenderly are they remembered in the after-time, when love has cooled, even if it has strengthened into steadfast affection. ”

“ By the fading light of that short winter day let us look into the face of the man who is still gazing out into the sunlight slowly waning from the square below. It is the same face as that in the picture; Hans Makart, friend to Philip Rondelet, having painted the man as he was, with that superficial resemblance to the Master which at a second glance was almost lost. The beauty, the gentleness, the love, are all there; but the power which raises these elements to achieve the salvation of man is lacking. ”

“ The jewels that sparkle amidst her soft blond curls lose by the contrast; the rich satin robe that shrinks back from her shoulder looks but a poor fabric beside her creamy skin. Her large blue eyes are full of sunshine, her delicate, transparent face is suffused with blushes. She is a creature of delight; not only a carnival queen, but a queen in the hearts of her friends, a fairy in her father's house. Her caressing, childish manner, to which the most confirmed woman-hater yields, is not laid aside with her every-day dress ”

“ High up against the roof a faint light glimmers out of the heavy darkness. It grows stronger and brighter, and at last springs into a triumphant glory, illuminating vaulted roof and pillared aisle, floor, and shining walls with its warm glow. It sparkles on the wondrous crystals, and reveals the great drilled holes of the blasts; it throws itself triumphantly down the midnight gallery, and is lost in its distant shadows; it touches the face of a youth, beautiful as a young faun, who bends close beside the flame and feeds it with a steady hand. ”

“ What did he know of love and its fierce pain, he whose life had been vowed to the worship of an immaculate goddess? Back to the city, where is no peace, no song of bird, no soft footstep of hidden wood-creature! His feet would fain tread the burning streets again because they led to her dwelling; while the odorous aisles strewn with pine-needles lose themselves in lonely thickets, fit only for happy lovers or for men wedded to their own thoughts!
After a short visit, the briefest he had ever made them, Robert left the village of his Indian friends and set his face towards the city. ”