Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1857-02-17

wakes up frantlcally to gorge snuff out OF
the coffin, and assure her entertainer that
OF all things in the world, she delights in
blvouac with a jolly set of comrades,
and that taking all things into considera-
uon, putting the piece on the stage in a
hurry, and SO on, that the present is de-
cldedly the most agreeable engagement
she had ever played; which mixture of
the camp and the boards mystifes True
warthy Grip, and he regards her as a
mammoth conundrum for several minutes,
and finally gives her up. The relict, how
ever, after sundry attempts to keep her
eyes open by feeding her nose with
Pungent mixture Of extra sneezing pow
der, sOccumbs and falls to sleep.
! Beca, with her blue dreamy eyes, is
looking at the jets Of gas in the CRATE;
/ there is a tone Of the old sadness on her
( features, and she is in one Of her old
time fire painting moods. The old man
by her side, after watching her and find
ing no return from the waking dream,
lays his hand gently on her head.
"Youare thinking of the past, ,forgetit."
Not forget" she says, Ietit serve to
remind me ever Of your care. But YOU
are wrong SIR, my thoughts were of YOU.
Why are You solitary here?"
Grip starts and partially awaliens the
General, who mutteringly desires TO know
Of an imaginary manager, if he wishes
ito trample upon her outraged feminine
feelings, by putting her into walking
lady's part, when she's engaged for the
first old women.
Why are You are here alone 2"
g It IS long story, Beca, not to be told
now. when I have entered upon the frsl
lease Of happiness in my long life. May
f you never know the heart-pangs 1 have
known. I am rough in the husk, and do
not give now an outward seeming that I
ever could have Ioysd. Yet so it was.
loved q callous heart, child; a heart that
won possession Of every thought and then
threw me by, like any idle toy, worn out
as worthless"
He walked across the room to where
a picture was turned against the WALL
lie raised his nand as if to change its
position, but seemed to alter his purpose
on the instant, and said, " No, not this one.
It does not do her Justice"
Not now" Beca says, and is about 10
rise, but he stops her. " Not now; was
ungratefuI tolead to this. Another time"
" You do no wrong, knowing nothing
Of this history. You shall see her beauty
as it was, a beauty that I have lived to
see and hear of hawked about on the
shambles Of every fashionable market in
the land, subject to the touch and scott of
every fool and idle trader in the smiles
that pass current from the mint Of wo-
mans face [ have lived to see-and she
knew it too her gall-to see her dapcIed
with as any mans toy, and passed over
and cast BY, as doubtful for a wife; 10 see
her grow prematurely old, last to be-
come the victim Of fellow who bought
her for her gold; to know her bruised in
drunken fits, seeking protection at the
dead Of night at neighbors' houses to see
her body's premium filtered through the
gambling dens, and herself centIess. Can
the world wonder that l am bitter2 Itis
my nature, and she to whom [ had treas
ured all, and who made me bankrupt in
love for anything, made me doubly iaun-
diced to that same world that bowed to
my wealth, while It hated me-"
We must have done with bitterness
now Beca says mildly, with a warning
finger
Quite done now" he replies; "oh,
quite done" He thinks of Wilde for a
moment with pang, but she sits there,
and he IS treasured, " and you shall see
her miniature -
Not now"
Yes now" He leaves her and de-
scends to the room in which we have seen
hlm IN the morning. He unlocks the Sc
cret drawer, and from II, amidst a roll of
letters, yellow with time, he draws =
miniture. BY the dim light of the single
candle he looks at it fxedly. At first a
dark scowl of hate, then changing to
sterness, slowly softening it as memory of
old-time love sweeps over his thought
There Is spasm on the lip, tears form
in his eyes, and as they blind him to the
artists work, her face as he knew it and
worshiPed it in its surprising beauty, is
raised to his trembling lips. Mary.