, 1873-09-07
MY AVENGER.

:, u0mo h1thdft C2Ar. II eoonB almoBt cruol 10
disturb you AZ yon ua t'1oro, strotchcd out nt
full longth on tho hcartll-rug, with tho 1rellght
cleaning on yotr aatiii:shiooth cont and showing
OF your hugo bulk against It's ruddy glow. But
I fool sad and lonely tonight, old follow, and
would fa1n rcalizo in your comranionalip that
thoro Ia ono oronturo on oarIll tint truly lovea
mo- even though thht creature DO but dog.
30 como, eir-como-w mp! All, TINT ia
right; up with you, Ozar-up with you put
your great pawn on my Shoulders and rub your
head ayanBt my chook, which has soltom known
10 honost eareas. But gently, gently that
will dol Yon arc apt to forget that you arc
rather larger than a good.slzod calf 40 your
gambo1s arc tho roycrse Of lightsomo, aud your
fondness, when too dnmonstrativo, speedily
becomes oppressive. Sit down beBido
mo- now, md lny your hoad upon
my kneo, 80 TINT can rost my
hand upon it, for my thoughts are busy with tho
oventa of tho past, md tho forco satisfaction
that thrills my honrt uhenover look at your
massive Ghost and powerful jaws, and strong
white tooth, is tho only yoatigo Of gladness that
those ovonts havo left to me. .......
Tho 1iokcring tlan1o lashea up now, md
brings out in vivid dissnctnoss tho picture TINT
hangs abovo tho mantolpioco, picture that to-
morrow will claim no inconBidorablo ghare of 1T
tention from tho persons who will doubtless
como, In great numbers. to bo present at tho
salo Of "tho elegant country-acnt known III
haudosleigh, situatcd on tho Hudson River,
Just twenty miles from Now York, and within
ten minnteB' walk Of tho WoHtbrook Station"
bolioye l>avo quoted tho advertisement cor
roctly. Everything is to DO diDpoaod Of
to-morrow-houHp. grounds, pl"ntst' furni-
turo, pioturoy, bronzos. bookH-ovory-
13,,nu
and yondor picture. That shall remain In my
possession. No scandal-1ovng purchaser shnll
over point to 1t as O likeness OF tho beautiful
Mrs. Kerrison. and yory interesting rolio Of tho
celebrated divorce case. will keep that paint
Ing aa 4 momonto of my past folly and tho cruel
punigh1nent which awaitod my blind infatua-
| tlon.
| Tho picture WAS christencd by the artist "T Tho
| Sleeping Duenna," The sceno Ia in Venice, and,
| by tho costumes, tho action transpiros in tho
| middle ages. It represents large arclod win
| dow with carved and massive stono frame work,
and with q slightly projecting balcony, over
| whoao heavy Btono balustrade hangs rich d1a~
| pery Of silvor-gray damaak, whilo on It's broad
iedgo there stands alondor rosebush, plantcd
in m antique vase, aud bearing QUO or two brill
! liant blood-rod blossoms. Two poraons are
| seated In this balcony. Ono, IN agcd dame at
tired in dark hoayy-lookiug robo with sti1ly-
starched ruff and snshed sloevos clutches her
| great feather fan with inatiuctivo care while
her drowsy head droops sideways against the
framework Of tho window. and sho sits there
fast asleep. Tic other, 4 fair-hairod, childish
looking girl. leanB forward with smiling mouth
and downward-glanoing oyos, gazing intently
upon tho movements OF Bomo poraonago below.
| Tho expression Of pleased recognition and inter-
! foo ho}r
tor that it IL no chance ,pnssor-by that
| haa 90 attracted hcr attention, and
Imagination readily depicts tho gliding gondols
and tho gallant cavnlier on which aha looks. She
ia In tho act Of dropping from hor Blcndor out
stretched hand spray Of scarlet roses, appa-
rently Just pluckod from the plant ut hor side, a
lovo-gift or aignal to tho loVor boneath. In
her fair, frivolous faco, with ito coquettish yet
vanity, wo read no tragic story Of real passion,
Of true though guilty foyo. It IL tho faco OF q
| weak, rain, Needless woman; ono who might
hayo beon tho heroino Of home ancient Spanish
comedy Of cloak md Bword, or tho contra! figure
OF merry talo like thoBe told by Boccaccio and
Margaret Of Navarro; o woman beautiful
and fascinating, il ia true, with that
girlish, child-like bennty and seemingly III
| nocont fascination which POSSESS such WondrouH
power to enanare the hearts and poslldsr the
brains OF tho wiscst OF mou but lacking asl depth
Of teoling, all true nobility Of soul.
agsd tS' Tha 1 SeeS hsa @ s
beon swept aside by man, handsome md noble
/ looking, but no longer young !; u splendidly-at
tired, darl-browe1 'enetian, whose deep, pas
sionato eyes. aud frowning brow. and clenohei
hand rovoai to us tho love and jealousy and ro
vengoful ire of the betrayed husband, WHO hat
loarned, in that ono glance, the ntury Of htt
wifo's faithlesHreBB mud his own despnir. Yhert
~ nore than anger Or roVongo written on tha
and sorrow, cruel in its intensity, blond with th'
dcrcor FASHIONS, and contend with theu
for the mastery llo has loved tia
woan and ns noa1 Ia n,aa ds deuoe o
Poor shallow-souled, caEeleHs child. drorpint
her aignal-nowers with that thoughtiess smilo
how little sho dreams or haa ever thought OF til,
terribe. rotribution. which aho lan harsel
| dragged down upon hor heat, of tho stormy des
olation Blo has brought upon her huabandl
Ilfe.
think II, at the Judgment day, voice arise
to plead fqr euch wonlon aa these, tho words vii
DO thoge Of TINT dvnost uttyranco Of the Grea
know not What they did!" o.
have fleauently boon to'd By eonnois
seura aud artists that this picture ia remark
ovor, neither for tho excellence Of 1t
execution, nor tho dramatio intensity o
the Hceno therein portrayed, that be
came itB poesossor, but for tho Htriking resoln
blance Which the fouturos Of tho. golden-hairat
girl bore to faco coon then only for tho frs
. time, but already indcibly imprinted On m
memory-tho faco Of Maud po1nberton. Th
likenoBs is altogetlor an accidental ono; the III
: tlst had mover oven seen IBs po1nberton. bu
looking In the depths OF Ills soul for the faco @
.. vain, shallow, ul.priuciplea woman Lis geniu
portrayed for him that glrlish, soullass beauty
: aud ho traced the portrait Of my future wife.
married late III lfo. I vas what iH usual
termed q aelf-made man that is to say. Heayo
geve mo, not gonius, but something better
namely, common senae; and turned tho gil
to a profitable account. In my early days Va
too much engrossod in tho cares mud tolls Of lii
to waase much thought Oh the softer passion
: aud wlen at last tho goal OF my endcayors wa
reached and tho golden prize won, bud shape
q for myself al existence Wherein my business b
day, aud my Library In tho ovaning, tltlod up N
!, days, and loft no timo for the pursut Of thoa
= socnl pleasures for which, however,, folt coul
: speedily acquire a liking: was not, therefore
!, exposed to tho wileH aud Vaccinations Of 70,
: tuno-hunting mammaa and mercouary damaelt
aud reached the age Ut II, hoart-whols, fancy
. FREQ, and a single man.