South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-08-25

Hadst thOu but known then what
thou knowest now, thou hadst not then
gone alone to SEEK thy fortune!
r "ADd dOst thou hope to fad her here ?
!. AS well that as another like herl Nay,
! even then, GOst thou believe she would
d still care for Tree, Emil?' exclaimed the
\ doctor, rising and going TO the dressing
!. table, on which was erected a small mir
:. ror. "Alasi thou art sadly changed!
3 fear she would find death more attractive
6 than thee.
"But coursgep exclaimed Dr. Pechal,
! again rousing himself from his deSpon-
/ dency Let US persevere to the end !
: One more attempt, friend Emil ere we say
l flrwell to each otherl Let us use well
the time that remains to usn With
\ which parting exhOrta'ions to the ample
and lugUbIi0is cOuntenance in the mirror,
| the doctor turned sway, replaced his
: library in his carpet-bag; and, it being al
ready late, we VII leave him in Undis
tuTbed possession Of his room
Next morning, having performed his
arid toilet, this unpleasant and mysterious
man appeared upon Broadway The pen
etrsiing glare of his spectacles, as he
shuff1ed onward, was ever and anon di-
rected at some passing face, whenever it
seemed to come within the range of his
wieId snd preternatursl intelligence. For
himself, such attention as he received was
not complimentary What a turning of
) tables, could they have recognized In this
uDcOuth individual the man who had re-
duced mortality to working formula
But their non-appreciation troubled him
not; he was perhaps used to it.
Having reached the Fifth Avenue
Hotel, the doctor paused, and looked about
him somewhat wearily. WHAT he sought
was apparently no nearer than ever. For
ali that, his destiny was even then upon
him; it was coming rapidly up the avenue
In spruce stage, with vivid medallions
and golden scroll work on deep ultrama-
rine background. Yei, so unconscious did
the doctor appear that, were it not an
established fact that Destiny never makes
a mistake in her appointments, aud is
always punctual, it would seem a mere
chance he did not miss her altogether.
The stage contained but one passenger
a charming young lady. To look at her
was a refined and exquisite enjoyment
She was the flower OF gentle breeding
and an indescriblble, scarcely -perceptible
aroma, peculiar to such flowers, hovered
about her like an evanescent mist. The
contrast between her very dark hazel eyes |
and straight, fine eyebrows, and the amber |
tint of her crisp and vigorous hair, made !
her beauty more striking than it would |
otherwise have been. Her complexion |
was clear and luminously pale, the skin |
drawn smoothly over the rounded flesh. |
All the refinement and fascination of her /
face seemed to culminate in perfect little
nose, with delicate nostIils aud pointed |
tip. The curve of her lips might have
seemed naughty, but that there hovtred
always about them the remembrance or
the promise of smile.
Swsyed by know not what mysterious
impulse, this rare creature turned in her
seat just as the stage was passing the
upper corner of West Twenty-third street,
aud looked straight at foreign,
ill-conditioned figure that happened
at that moment to be standing there.
The figure, at the same moment, raised
heavy and woe-begone countenance to
the stage window, and the shining specta-
cles and dark hazel eyes met. Perhaps
the extremes of human nature presented
no wider contrast.
The young lady recoiled with refined
little shudder.
What a dreadful thingl" Then she
gave a startled little scream.
For the dreadful thing had suddenly
frozen into an awful stare, rapidly shift
ing into an expression of wild delight.
He had made a clumsy rush for the stage
door, Hrenched it convulsively open, and
flung himself, painting and perspiring, upon
the opposite. Within the narrow limits
of that Fifth avenue stage extremes had
met at lasti :
And what did the high-bred lady do a? :
First impulse-scream for help, or spring {
from the vehiclel But the next moment
pride cast out fear-bullied it into sub
mission, rather. Ten times more almared, |
by reason of her high-wrought organiza-
zion, than any ordinary pers IN could have
been, no outward sign, save bloodless lips, {
betrayed it. She sat stern and motion '
less as a little statue, except that her heart s
beat so.
1t was all thrown away on DR.. Pechal !
He was at that moment too thoroughly {
impregnated with pleasurable emotions to {
admit of any other sensation. His first {
act, after recovering wind, was to draw {
forth the inevitable pocket notebook
From its pages to the pale little face and S
back again, he gazed with artless delight, !
as if comparing al excellent likeness with {
the original. One might detect, more {
over, in his expression, the secret self sat {
isfaction of the successful artist. But,
more skillful than his fellows, this man {
had drawn his portrait first, and by its :
means discovered the original afterward.
The comparison satisfactorily concluded, S
the artist pocketed his work, and surveyed L
his sitter complacently.
"How fortunate" he calculated, at last,
" that you have turned out to be womanl f
Had you been a man" The doctor
seemed loath to contemplate SO fearful an {
"Crazyl" thought the young lady, and 6
and irrepressible shiver of horror ran t
through her.
But being a woman" resumed the l
doctor, forcibly, all may be well Pray, S
take an interest in me! Believe me, am a
no stranger to you, and our individual
welfare depends exclusively upon each I
other" i
"Do understand you to say you are &C {
quainted with me, sir?" demanded she, j
at the first hop Aful straw. t
"Ah, none better" replied the doctor. c
You are not yet quite twenty-am l not
fifty? You are rich-am l not poor? a
Your name is - Here the doctor
paused. d
The young lady's hazel eyes were black +
with expectation. q
"Caleph - hazarded the doctor, with an /
insinuating grin, yet with an undertone of (
anxiety in his voice. f
Inc young lacy started, and Dlushed 10
the forehead. A moment she looked at '
the doctor earnestly with an indescTibable t
expression; then burst forth into amost de- L
licious little laugh. a
"Well, now, you must know me, though b
don't remember you, I'm sure. And how
strange that he never spoke of you eitherl {
But no" blushing again; "Pm not that y
Mabel Chapel still, if you please,
sir," with ravishing sweetness. 4
"Chapel-Mabel Chapel repeated the n
doctor, retiring behind his spectacles. 1t .
seemed TO be all he heard, as it was GER e
iainly all he understood, of this remarkable +
little speech. GtapeI-ah, yes, yes now 7
hat certainly is wonderful" And again q
4 broad smile of delight disclosed those a
lwful teeth. 4
Then he recovered himself, and turned s
70 address his lovely companion once +
more. But the rattle of the wheels over v
he Fifth avenue pavement drowned the \
est of the conversation for the present. !,
"Oh, nursie, he was SO dreadful" said a
old Il