The Republican journal., 1875-03-18

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"We have missed you, Mr.. Polvins, >
said the fair enslaver; Il hope you have
not been unwell ?"
"Unwell ?-oh, no, no!''
"You have not been near me-us to-
day" Geprovingly), "not even at dinner; !;
and the trout We're superb
A sudden hope mounted within me.
Miss Tarlingford, pray excuse me
''Arabella is my name. and (whisper-
ing) you may use it if you like
"Oh, hideous horror" | thought And
went down like stick
"Mr. Polvins, | will say that you are
very-very inconsistent to be absent all
day thus"
"Miss Tarlingford, it is not inconss-
tency. it is billiards.
dear me. I should like to do bill
liards"
Heaven forbid!'
"Why SO, sir?"
"No, i do not mean that but ladies
should not play billiards"
"Why, what reasons are there why la
dies should not play billiards. -
"A thousand"
My dear Miss Tarlingford, if your
name We're not Arabella alas! alas =
there would be none"
Nonsense! now you are laughing at
me. Come, you shall teach me billiards. y
1T cannot be, Miss Tarlngtord" Glow
tragic tones)
Very well, sir if you do not like my
name you need not repeat it,
ts adore If If ic nCt that Eoro.i va
me-
Then will get my hat" and her light
footsteps tapped upon the stairs.
Here was a state of things Where
were my tirmness and resolutions now !?
Where was the Pythian probity fer which,
according to my expectations, Lillivan
was to have poured Damoniac gratitude
upon me? Was |, or was | not, rapidly
degenerating into infamy9 l felt that l
was, and | blushed for my family.
If her name had been anything but
Arabella, anything the initial OF which
was not A, then | could have justified my
self; but now-and | was about to teach
her billiards To what depth of depravi-
ty had come at last,
She rejoined me, beaming with antici-
patton, and radiant with the pvnrosn Of
| running down e+ni.e. together we went
into the billiard room,
Now this declare the ball room, with
its flashing lights, intoxicating perfumes,
starry hosts of cleaning eyes, refulgent
robes, mirrors duplicating countless Spen-
doris and ceaseless whirl Of vanity, may
add a tenfold lustre to the charm of beau
ty, and | know it does; the opera box en-
belllshments OF blazing gas, and glittering
gems and flowers, fresh from native beds
OF millinery, all odorous with divinest
scents OF Lubin, harmoniously duloined,
have their value, which is great and giori-
Gus, no doubt, and regally doth woman
expand and glow amongst them; in num-
berless accessories, do feminine graccs
nimby recommend themselves unto our
pleasant senses; but this | will forever
and ever say-that nowhere, neither in
, gorgeous halls, nor gilded opera box, nor
, in any other place, nor under any other cir-
cumstances may such bewildering power
of maidenly enchantment be exercised as
at the billiard table, especially when the
enchantress is utterly ignorant Of the du-
ties required OF her, ard contidingly seeks
manly encouragement and guidance. Con
trolled by the hand of beauty. the cue be-
comes magic wand, and the balls are no
longer bits of inanimate ivory, but poked
recklessly hither and thither, circulating
messengers of fascination.
| know, for I have been there.
Had Miss Tarlin gtord turned her thoughts
to the bowling alley, | might without dit
ficuity, have retained my self-possession,
| for her sex are not charming at ten-pins
They strike rampants, and hurl danger
around them, aiming anywhere at random,
| 01cly.
perform ridiculous filings in the air. injuri-
Gus to the alleys and their game; drop
f balls with affected languor, and develop
at an early stage Of proceedings q tenden-
cy to cutters, above which they never rise
throughout; and all this is annoying, and
fit only for Bloomers, who can be degrad-
ed by nothing on earth.
But billiards! what statuesque postures,
what freedom of gesture, what swaying
grace and vivacious energy the game in
wolves. And then the attendant dstrac-
tions-the pinching together of the hand
to form the needed notch, the perfect art
Of which, like first clinching, is unattain-
able by woman, who substitutes some
queerness of her own-the fierce grasp
ing and propulsions of the cue-the lov-
ing reclension upon the table when long
shots come-the dainty foot upraising to
preserve the owners balance, but as it
CLEANS suspended, destroying the observ-
er's-al combine, as they did this time.
to scatter the stern promptings of duty
beyond recalling.
First, Arabella's little hand must be
moulded into bridge, and being slow tc
cramp itself correctly, though plant as
politicians conscience, the operation of
folding it together had to be many times
repeated. Next shots must be made for
her, she retaining her hold OF the cue, to
get into the way Of it. Then all went on
smoothly with her-turbulently with me
until enthusiastically excited she must
be lifted on to the tables edge, "iust to
try one lovely little shot," which escaped
her reach from the ground
My game was up!
We were alone. Arabella perched upon
the table, jubilant at having achieved
pocket dismal and blue beside her.
''There, take me down." she said.
looked around through each window,
inclined my ear to the door, swept an arm
around her waist and forgot to proceed
| "Oh, Arabella Arabellai wherefore art
thou Arabella?"
"Do you wish were somebody else ?"
she asked, slyly.
"No, no but what of Frank Lillivan ?"
'Frank, do you know him?" with a
luminous face)
''And he has told-yes."
"Whatp"
"Of his relations with Miss Tarling-
fordp"
with Anna-yes."
"What Anna9 Who is Anna? ?"
| Dear me! my sister Anna. Don't be
| absurd!'
"But never knew"
"No-you know nothing Of her; the