New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-08-06
WATERING-PLACE IDYL.
presence.

A WATERING-PLA IDYL.
We have the highest poetical authority that
coincident with certain pathological phe-
nemena, ain the Spring yOung,man's fancy
slightly turns to thoughts Of love-" Why
this should be consequent upon livelier
state of plumage on tho neck of "the bur
"nished dover we leave to others to deter
mine. We might offer the Darwlnian by
pOthesis that young man in this condition
is apt to express himself through the medium
of gorgeous neck-ties and Girls colored"
scarfs to attract the female of his species,
but we merely want to say that the
season of Spring is not consistent with
American love-making. The cares OF bust
ness, the opening of the Spring trade and
house cleaning postpone the amorous express
sion to later period. 1t is not until the sea-
son of the shop" is over, the theater closed,
and a high thermometer interferes with the
more permanent pursuits Of avarice, that the
average American is ready for love. He effer-
vesces with the Summer soda fountain; the
palm fan that coOs his heated brow fans also
the first germ of an abiding passion. There
may be some filtration in Winter; the even
ing reception and theater party are not in
consistent with it, but StrephOn, whose other
name is John, and who is obliged to be at
the Office at II the next morning, forgets
Chloe at half-past II.
All this is but preliminary to an episode OF
the present Summer, which we trust may In
moral suggestiyeness compensate for the space
we allow it here. Sing, Muse, the story of
Augustus and Marie. Briefly, 0 Muse, extoi
the excellent moral character, business lnteg-
rity and social qualifications of that blameless
youth. Augustus was employed in a large and
fashionable emporium" for the sale of mems
underwear. He was familiar with scarfs,
hosiery, handkerchiefs and zephyr undergar-
ments. He was accomplished in his line. lie
knew the exact shade of necktie that suited
his customers cOmpexion-better than that, he
knew what was fashionable. To him the
secrets of the measuring tape were familiar; he
knew the exact number of inches which the
breast of the finely formed swell revealed
below his padding, and-was nobly reticent
He knew where the knock knees and bow
legs were, but wild horses could not tear that
secret from his breast. And yet he was not
happy. Glimpses of another and gayer world,
of another sphere of usefulness and display
beyond his counter were revealed to him in
the persons of the fashionable young men
who patronized him. His bosom may have
swelled with an infinite longing Why should
he not connect himself with that bright and
beautiful world, and mayhap marry an heiress
Perhaps no one knew better than he the hOl-
lowness of that superficial ornament which
attracts the fair So he regularly spent his
month of vacation in the giddy halls of
Saratoga or the fascinating vortex of Newport.
He looked well. His linen was irreproachable,
his gloves faultless, his cravats incompatible.
1t was at one of these places that the peer
less Marie dawned upon him. Beautiful, young,
stylish and ingenuOus-there was withal fas-
cinating air of mystery about her. She was
chaperOned by a lady who, even the unsOphis-
ticated Augustus could perceive, held her pO-
stion more by her money than her graces.
But Marie was all that Augustus could wish.
They became acquainted in the usual matter
of fact way; there was no heroic episode; mad
bulls and runaway horses were infrequent on
the corridors of the great hotel where they
flirted beyond preserving the integrity of her
skirt from the fatal fall of an orange ice, Au-
gustus absolutely did nothing. And so the
days passed with little of expression to mar
the mOnOtonous idiotic smile they shed upon
the happy pair The lady talked lightly of
names whereof Augustus had heard incident
ally with awe over his counter. Sacred precincts
to which Augustus had often directed packages
of A zephyrs were alluded to with fascinat-
ing familiarity. In that fatal moment Angus
tus hesitated; could he reveal his own con-
nectiOn with the Emporium to the aristocratic
fart Augustus fell Let not the reader
believe that he forged check or embezzled
from his employer. He only alluded to him
self as a capitalist, and spoke casually of the
money market. There was no engagement.
When they parted at the end of his vacation
it was with that sweet, vague significance that
closes the usual watering place Irritation. 1t
was for the season only, and the shutters of
common sense were to be put up over the
windows Of sentiment for the rest of the year.
They trusted that they would meet again.
And they did.
1t was week or two after his return, and
Augustus's soul was not yet in his vocation.
Already the heavier woolens were coming in
for the Fall trade, and Augustus smiled, albeit
sardonicaly at the change which oveflakes
all fashions and things, as he stood at his
familiar counter; BUT On extra AND peremp-
tory order for custOm-biade shirts Obliged him
to visit one of the many seamstresses en-
ployed by the Emporium. AS Augustus turned
down the narrow street of remote, unfash-
ionable locality and rang the bell of modest
tenement house, his mind reverted to the past
and he glanced nervously up and down the
street, lest Marie from passing carriage should
detect him with the omnous parcel under his
arm. He was relieved when the opening door
enabled him To enter But "a he did 80 the