Oroville daily Butte record. [volume] (Oroville, Butte County, Calif.) 1856-1858, 1857-04-22
Opuille Daily Batte Returh.
THE sYLPH OF nv BOYHOOD.
BY LEOPOLD WRAY.

not have felt more thrilled with delight
than at the intoxicating prospect of
beholdlng my charmcr face TO face, and
peaking to her.
lis il possible cried l, with an out.
bnrst of gratitude toward my godfath-
er which would have led me at that
moment TO lay down my life for him.
Of course was far too much Devil
dered by this enchanting promise 10
question him IA to bow we were to be
introduced, or whether we were to cali
upon her without any such prelmina-
ries. In fact, did not recollect even
to wonder by what taHsman he was
going to unlock the gates of fairy land
for my especial benefit, until he pre-
ceeded TO inform me, By The way, that
he happened to know the manager Of
the theatre to wdich Zaphirine belong
ed, as well as provincial manager
WHO wanted to engage her, and tn he
had volunteered totake message from
the former to the young syl ph, on pur-
pose to facilitate my obtaining an in>
terview with her.
How kind. how generousn / NUT
tered. TO share -
Share treat might have kept to
myself-is that what you mean; = in
terrupted Mr.. TraveIs, guessing my
thoughts from my fragmentary ejacu>
lations. you for5et my age, boy, that
l have lived ii great deal in the world,
and seen number Of these winged Scr
apis, without their Wings
| only listened with one ear to what
my Godfather was saying, for the other
was hearkening to the music OF the
spheres, sounding from the distant
land OF dreams. was trcadnc en- air,
like one fresh from vapor bath, buoy
ed with delightful anticipatilons, bard
ly knowing which way | was goitg, and
about to run foul, two or three times,
of some passer-by' till snilingly re-
minded by Mr.. Iravcrs, that common
sense was better than genus when
walking the streets Of London. Th"
way seemed endessly long, in spite Of
my soaring propensities, and | had "A
dim perception we hat passed all Of the
bridges, when | asked my godfather,
with foolish, whether the land Of
nymphs was much further.
I'VE have to pass through some con-
foundedly dirty narrow sue IS to get
at it, observed my companion, ruth
lessly nprootlng tie fl lwcrs Of poetry
my Youthful Imagination bad flung over
the vulgar neigborhood we were in.
For though the day was gloomy, and
it had d'izzled several times since we
set off, the sunshine Of the soul had
touched every object with is fairy
wand.
After threading several courts and
alleys, we emerged into a shabby ittl-
street, when ny godfather stopped in
front OF an orange shop, over which he
read the name Of J nkinson, and then
observed: Thjs is it,
The sight Of the orange shop, com
blned with a sack or two Of pot toes,
the useful being necessarily combined
with the agreeable in poor neighbour
hood, logged me out of my day dreams
anew, but this time more disagreea1ly
than my god fathers remarks had done
q short time before. stared in doubt
and amazcment.
1T can't be here said | !; there's
not even a private door.
you did not think she lived IN a pal.
ace, did you = asked Mr.. Travers, with
Il quiet smile. The fact Is, Iephirine
isa virtuous girl, and maintains herself
on her salary, and that cannot be very
large at minor theatre, Of cou'sc
| now telt d gree of respect blen-
ded with my admiration, which made
me exclaim Indignantly that tn" mana.
ger must be brute not to provide thlS
divine creature with the means Of pros
curing a more congenial habtation.
Meanw hile. Mr.. Travers had entered
the shop where sat very fat, middle
aged woman, with good-humored,
though vulgar countenance, OF whom
he Inquired for Mademoiselle Zephi-
rne.
.IVaNu, sir SAID the GOOD woman.