The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1869-01-28

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taken for bagman, naturally hesitated a
little.
"If the goddess wished to enter into
conversation with me, l was determined
she should have an opportunity of giving
me hint-the slightest in the world
would have been suficient-that such pro.
ceeding would not be displeasing to her
Accordingly walked behind her as close
ly as l could. and prayed that she would
drop either her handkerchief or her glove
If it had even been her parasol,
wouldn't have called her awkward-that
might rush to restore it, and commence a
conversation, of which I had an irresisti
BILE and ensnaring opening ready pre-
pared.
81 watched for the fall of one of these
objects as eagerly as the sportsman who is
expecting the rise of the game. But the
treasure did not come; perhaps she thought
/ might keep it /; at all events she did not
| give me the chance.
What was I to do? I could not have
the impudence to walk before the girl, and
drop my own handkerchief 1t would
| have been rather too much in the sultan
/ style, and she could not have been ex-
! pected to pick it up. [ threw myself On
| bench for 8 few minutes, and, upon
looking round, saw that the object of my
thoughts had reached the gate of the gar
dens which leads into Hyde Park. fol
lowed her, and, upon looking back when
| was at some distance from the entrance,
perceived the evil spirit hurrying towards
it. I at once understood that she had
teen expected there some time pre-
viously, and that it was by the merest acct
dent, and one very unlikely to occur
again, that the goddess was at that moment
| walking by herself
My resolution was taken Immediately.
l would address her but what was to
say? I might have said thought had
had the pleasure of meeting her at Mrs.
Johnson's, or that fancied she was lady
had been introduced to in Timbuctoo :;
but these modes of address were common
place. Should I ask her boldly whether
she would have any objection to my
smoking cigar while she was in the park?
The very levity of the question would have
saved my vanity in case of a rebuff, but it
also appeared somewhat disrespectful, and
| therefore resolved not to put it. More
over, | now saw that the chased goddess
was walking st pace the quickness of
which was little fattering to me, and in
order to obtain any chance Of converse
ton with her, should have to run a con-
siderable distance. and speak to her in a
series of gasps. My resolution was there
L
at all for the present.
"Of course, however, was not so igno-
rant of the first rudiments of the London
art of love as not to follow her home. She
lived close to the park, and, as she stopped
abruptly st her house, had to pass the
very door. Out of sheer kindness to my
vanity, persuaded myself that she smiled
gRcefully as she glanced at me, although
it subsequently appeared that she had
done nothing Of the kind.
mot beings dramatic author, did not
dream of getting up Irritation with the
Diva's maid, and paying her far larger
euire for transmitting letters to her mis-
stress-it is process which does not al
ways succeed even ON the stage-but 1
loitered about the house from day to day
and probably was mistaken by the po-
lice for burglar Of superior attainments
until at last l ascertained the hour at
which my enchantfess made a regular
sally from her palace. followed her for
some time as faithfully as her spaniel
indeed rather more so--for the animal
once put himself completely in my power,
and l was only prevented by me recent
act against dog stealers from Walking Oft
with the quadruped, and calling the next
day for the reward, which, II had seen
"Nothing came Of all this, until one
day Florence Wilton-which I had as
certained to be her name, and which ap-
peared to be somewhat theatrical-was
observed by her ardent admirer to enter
q music shop in company with her evil
spirit. On their leaving the shop, en-
tered it, and, finding they had been pur-
chasing tickets for concert which was to
take place that evening, | Immediately
bought one myself, and had to pay twice
the ordinary charge, because Jenny Lind
was to appear there, as if she were the
person wished to see.
"When the time for the concert arrived,
luck and the box-keeper placed me next
to Florence, so close that / could have
squeezed her hand if l had thought
proper; but thought it improper, or at
all events that she would not allow il, and
I therefore pretended to listen to the
music. Next to Florence on the other
side, was the evil spirit, and behind her
sat Florence's father, a gentleman whom
at once respected as one respects the author
of a favorite work. After the first part of
the concert old Wilton withdrew for few
minutes. At this moment Florence
dropped her programme, but unintention-
ally, and even unconsciously. Did l at
that juncture stoop to pick it up, and pre-
with my foot, and waited anxiously, but
confidently, for what was to follow.
CHOW exquisitely Belg' ad0r0ta was
sung said Florence; 'and Studdini, how
admirable was his romancer
"'Studdini, though his upper notes are
decidedly harsh, and his lower ones much
wanting in mellowness, is, nevertheless, a
pleasing vocalist returned her companion.
what is the name of the air he sang?'
"'Oh,' replied Florence, it was some
thing about love and ingratitude. What
was the name of Studdini's air?' she ex-
claimed, looking in vain for the pro-
gramme she had dropped.
"' Pcur tant a naaour ne soyez pas migrate
l said markedly, as her eye caught mine.
"She bowed her thanks in confused
manner and proceeded to inform her friend
of the title.
1.-THE next thing I had to do was to
apologize for my politeness, and to hope
that my speaking unlimited to Florence
had not given offense
"She informed me that what I had
hitherto said could give offense to no one.
| But her bushes, as looked inquiringly
at her, convinced me that, in spite of her
| pretended inconsistencies, she was aware
| that had been addressing her personally,
while, at the same time. uttering the mere
| name of song. l believe that, under pre-
text of further apology, was going on
to attack the prejudice of society, which
prevented conversation between two per-
sons-however desirable such converse
| tion might be on the one side-in all cases
| where an introduction had not been OBJ
tanned, when I was stopped by Miss vii.
ton, informing me that if imagined had
offended her by utterine few words, it
was strange that should endeavor to i'm
prove my position by making long
| vanity and wounded II very severely