, 1874-10-03
THE STORY OF sTERlCKER.


yot once agnin ut tho peculiar circumstances at
tcnling that crilno Of iufanticido Of which tho
gipBy woman, Azucona, Ind becn guilty. 1Iav-
Ing rohoivoa npon burning tho baby Of hcr densi-
ost foe. 1t was certainly, TO say tho loast Of 1t,
q atupla mistake to mako, that roasting Of licr
owu child instead. I Ind arrived at tho trito
decision that roay she Ind not deserved to DO
n ulothor. In regard 10 her proved incapacity for
taking care Of her oGfspring Tho invisible touor
u rather think 1t was Tanhorlik, for I asn,
referring, or about to refcr, to something
thai happened homc years sinco-had delivered
bis famous song from Ills prison in tho tower.
atll forthwith, being much applaudod, Ind ap-
peared upon tho stage; by special Permission.
rs 1t wure, or upon some sudden rosenting Of his
ierco jaslor. tho Count do Luna; to bow grate-
fully, to rocaivo further congratulations, aud
story might proceed in tho usual nay, All this
we bud goue through very comfortably indeed
! Wo had really enjoyed o,tr Vcrti, eyen to his
tron,boncs; tho soprano laad Hu,g hor bost hor
tho very ceiling Of tho house, like good coli, upon
n counter; the baaso lad produced rich tonoB
from strauEo depths, d bouuteous Lost m.gdt
bring forth luscious ana potent wines
from Hubtorrnnenn roGlonB; tho tonor
Ind shot amongst, u.s., now anil thon,
slIrlll q above Tic tine TINT lad lodged In our
cars, rendiug thonl, as though 1t had boon
barl.ed arrow. Altogether the representation
wien Hualen1y ttoro occurred au excitement hi
tho thcatro which could not ba Inscribed to Verdi
or his interpreters. Something OF gnsp. was
audible. something Of a cry; the sound Of some
mud questioning md conyorsing III hurried Eeh-
tonceB without regard to tho trAusactlons Of tho
stago.
| sitting In tho stalls.
Now, had soon tho glaaa fal1; Ind aeen
q, round, white, braceleted arm and q
gloysd hanl stretched out to arrest, aB It
! seemed tome, Its descent. Dut Of course. It
| was all dono in a moment: 40 rapidly. indeed,
thut there was acarcely timo for tho thing to
impress itsolt upon my mind, and tho instant
after il Ind happened began to doubt whether
much moro aa though had imagined the thiug
thnu actually witnessed 1t.
However. that tho accident Ind occurred
tlorc can be- no question. Tho gontloman upon
been carried into Lho lobby. 1Ie wae snd to bo
atauucd, II not killed, by the blow. A hetiot
prevailed that his skull had boon fractured. III
any casoo, iii ugly wound lad been inhicted upon
for crcscc,,t-aiapod fringe at tho buck, and
n few Balty lockK arranged over tho crown.
Tho blond ilud flowed tlaoly. dabbling aud dis
figuring Ills w1ito crayat md cnlbraidorou shirt
font. It was really. altogetllor, avery shocking
thing. There was i'm attending to tho opera at-
ter it. The tragic n,attess happening upon tho
stage were quite quenchcl by, this scrious acc-
dclt il, thu stalls. Who could now caro- about
tic Count do Lu,,as. beleating lia lous,lost
brother, or Azucona's bitter scream Of "Soi
yendicata, 0 nlrlto"7 Tho fato Of our bald
coulraIe wns OF much moro concern to us. l
lastencd to mike inquiries ~ to how he farel.
Ilo vas mt tIcad 80 much waH presently
clenr. In fact, .lo Was gradually recovering
consciousness Some ono waH ioosening his
collar Md tic; so,no ole elso. was dabting
his wound with n wot cloth. IIo llAa
| inst 7 1Hnr
Tho opera-glass struck him, and ho had fallen
back rs though ho Ind Leon shot Dut dis
trusted this account afterwards, when ascor-
tulnctl that lie had been scon to gtoop forward
ntill held tightly In luis hand. 1lo was breathing
heavily, rocking u little to and fro, mud nloauiug
at intervals. llo was nliddtc-ngcd nlan, pursy
Of figure, with luxllrinnt wlisLors that might
owe something OF their rich brown hue to art.
linked together as it wore, by branch limo Of
monutacho running across hia upper lip, and
with Ghayen chin such as, In deforenco to tho
pccuiiur aud unpicturosano fancy Of the Com
vogue with the British arny. Sill. I
WINS Of opinion. though hardly know on
what grounds exactly. that tho
itary sorvice Of my country. Then ho started,
lifted lis head and turned IN eye towards me-.
Immediately, but to my very great surprise, I
recognized him.
It was storickor. I huyo aaid, udyiaedly, that
lo turned an eye towards inc. Ills other eye
was fast closed seemed, indood, to layo nuElz
bacx into Lis hoad.
Then Ao moved trcmulous hand in my di.
rcction, Uo knew me, it seemed. liz tried 10
speak; hut it was some time poforo lo could
utter auy intelliglblo sound. AZ last wo t!iscoy-
cred laie meaning. llo haa lost something which
Ae desired us, moaning myself 1nd tho bystand-
Search was instituted accordingly. Aftor
while, worry near to the stall he bad occll..
pied, thole WAS picked up--a g!asa eye !!
It was now fact to me. though or
courAo it WIS nat . convenient opportunity Tor
pontleriug upon It, that Stcrc!sor wore or pod
sesscd 4 glass cyo haa mover perceived any
deficiency in hs organ Of sight, nor even Bus-
peclcd it. Tho glass oyo had always seeniol to
mo 4 genuine article by Whlul moan oue tnat
! he could really 500 with.
lie was eratiicd at thu recovery OF his glaas
eye. liz Was Woi enough now to duas it with
his handkerchief und-b1t this he did not ac-
compllsh without considerable ttiilcultY-so r.
lie ASPECT Of TINT portion Of his vsuSo was be'-
oltcd by the moro tenantcd nnd Furnished char
actor it now again ass,ltned. uo then took from
his pocket 1nluiature Mirror n9t much
! Bis artificial organ .Hc desired to geo That it
was properly adjusted, nnd vlat artists call Tin
daawinE With reSard % to hs oior ,;he leat'1sos a1at
tho severity with which lia roal eyo scrutlnizad
his sham oi,a; while yot nj it seemed, tue snm
ono was Of moro importance 10 hlnl, moro Cher
| iBled by him. than the renl ono
Dut something clso was nsang. e1irt-
Stud. For this also diligont search Was nude ;
a,,t again with auccesB. 1t waB foll'la on tho
floor Of tho lobby-a curious 'looking stud: q
+ pearl, thought, III tho llrst Instance bnt It
waB mt pearl exactly; ITO, nor white coraelan,
: Which WINS my second Auppos!lion. L was OF un
oDlong ahnpo, milky whtn aud so1ni-
transparent, III handsome settling OF bill
i | r ;> 1,nri