New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-07-05
From the New York Times-l
A PASSAGE IN TIE LIFE QH'
JOHN OAkHURST.
BY BRET HARTE.

JOHN OAkhV RSTs
BY BRET HARTE.
He always thought it must haaen
Fate. Certainly nothing could ha'en
more inconsistent with his habits 10
have been in the plaza at seven o, OF
that midsummer morning. Inc signs
colOrless face in Sacramento was Ut
that season, and indeed at any seasay-
where. publicly, before two o'cloche
afternoon. Looking back upon 1t er
years, in the light OF chancefni hide
1ermined, with the Characteristic 20
ply of his profession. that it muEe
been Fate.
Yet it is my duty, as strict chrOnof
facts. to state that Mr.. Oakhurst's pre-
there that morning was due to ven
Me cause. At exactly half-past Ne
bank being then winner to the amof
$4,000, he had risen from the fare,
relinauished his seat to an accOmd
assistant, and withdrawn quietly, vt
attracting glance from the silent, ms
faces bowed over the table. But we
en- cred his luxurious sleeping r00m,,s
the passage way, he was little shoot
finding the sun streaming through al.
yertently opened window. Somethn
the rare beauty of the morning, pas
something in the novelty Of the idea. Z
him as he was about to close the !,
aud he hesitated. Then, taking hit
from the table, he stepped down q %
staircase into the street.
The people who were abroad att
early hour were of class quite unh
10 Mr.. Oakhurst. There were mih
and hucksters delivering their wares, |
tradespeople opening their shops, l.
maids sweeping door-steps, and occasi0
child. These Mr.. Oakhurst regarded
q certain cold curiosity, probably quite
from the cynical disfavOr with who
generally looked upon the more preten
Of his race whom he was in the hah
meeting. Indeed, think he was not
gether displeased with the admiring gls
which these humble women threw aftx
handsome face and figure, conspicuous
iu q country of fine looking men, VIII
is very probable that this wicked vagat
in the pride Of his social isolation, "
have been coldly Indifferent to the adva
of fine lady, little girl who ran ad
ingly by his side in a ragged dress haG
power to call faint flush into his colo.
cheek. He dismissed her at last, but
until she had found out-what sOone
later her large.hearted and discrimina
sex inevitably did-that he was exc
ingly free and Open-handed with his MOI
and also-what perhaps none other of
sex ever did-that the bold, black eyet|
this fine gentlemen were in reality d
brOwnish and even tender gray.
There was small garden before wi
cottage in side street that attracted
Oakhurst's attention. 1t was filed VI
roses, heiiotrope and verbena-howers fa
liar enough to him in the expensive
more portable form of bouquets, but, a
seemed to him then, never before SO notaI
lovely. Perhaps it was because the d
was yet fresh upon them, perhaps it was
cause they were yet unplucked, but
Oakhurst admired them, not as posi-
future tribute to the fascinating and accc
plished Miss Ethelinda, then performing
the Varieties, for Mr.. Oakhurst's espec
benefit as she had often assured him.
yet as q dOucear to the enthralling M
Montm0rrissy, with whom Mr.. Oakhu
expected to sup that evening, but simI
for himself, and mayhap for the hOwe
sake. Howbeit he passed on and SO out in
the open plaza, where, finding a bench I
Ger cotton wood tree, he first busted t
seat with his handkerchief and then q
down.
1t was fine morning. The air was
still and calm that sigh from the syG
mores seemed like the deep-drawn brea
OF the just awakening tree, and the tai
rustic of its boughs as the outstretching
cramped and reviving limbs. Far away Il
Sierras stood out against sky so remote
to be of no positive color; 30 remote tn
even the sun despaired Of ever reaching
cd itr 9TH r
the whole landscape, until it fairly glittert
rare impulse, Mr.. Oakhurst took off his ha
and half reclined on the bench. with his ia,
to the sky, Certain birds who had taken
critical attitude on a spray above him, a
parently began an animated discussion r
garding his possible malevolent intention
One or two, embOldened by the silenc
hoped on the ground at his feet, until Ii
sound OF wheels on the gravel walk frigh
ened them away.
Looking up, he saw man coming slowl
toward him, wheeling nondescript yehicl
u which woman was partly sitting, partl
reclining. Without knowing why, Mr.. Gal
burst instantly conceived that the carriag
was the invention and workmanship of til,
man, partly from its oddly, partly fron
he strong, mechanical hand that graspe,
Z, and partly from certain pride and vii
Die consciousness in the manner in whic]
he man handled it. Then Mr.. Oakhurs
Jaw something more; the mans face wa
amlIlar. With that regal faculty of no
orgetting face that had ever given hin
professional audience, he instantly classifie,
under the following mental formula: "a
Frisco, Polka Saloon. Lost his week
wages. reckOn-$70-on red. Never cam,
gain" There was, however, no trace O
his IN the calm eyes and unmoved face tina
e turned upon the stranger, who, on tn,
o1trary, blushed, looked EN- barrassed, hes
;ated, and then stopped with an involun
ally motion that brought the carriage an(
q fair occupant face to face with Mr. Oak
urst.
should hardly do justice to the position
he will occupy in this veracious chronicle
y describing the lady now-if, indeed, an
BILE to do it at all. Certainly, the populu]
stimate was conflicting. The late Colone
whose large experience of 4
sex l have before been indebted
" many valuable suggestiops-had, re
ret to say, deprecated her destinations
A yellowfaced cripple. by dash-a sick
oman, with mahogany eyes. One of your
anked spiritual creatures-with no flesh
/ her bones" On the other hand, how
'er, she enjoyed later much compliment.
~ disparagement from her own sex.
iss Celestina Howard, second leader in
g ballet at the Varieties, had, with great
lucrative directness, in after years, de-
her as an "aquiline asp" Mile.
imborion remembered that she had al.
lys warned "Mr. jack that this woman
,uid '.empoison" him. But Mr.. Oak
rst, whose impressions are perhaps the
'st important, only saw thin, deep
ed wOman-raised, above the level Of
: companion by refinement of long
fering and isoldtion, and q certain shy
Rinity Of mannef. There was susges-
q Of physical purity in the folds Of her
robe, and O. certain pictdr.
ue, tastefulness id the details, thad,,1
;hout knowing why, made him think thbt