The Hartford herald., 1875-04-28
VOL. l..

surprise, recOgniLeu hiLn.
1t was Stericker. Ihave said. advised
ly, that he turned an eye towards me-
His other eye was fast closed-seemed, {,
indeed, to have sunk back into his head.
Then be moved tremulous hand in my
direction. He knew me, it seemed. He
tried to speak; but it was some time before
he could utter any Ineligible sound. At
last we discovered his meaning. He had
lost something which he desired us, mean
ing myself and bystanders to search for.
Search was instituted accordingly. Al,
ter a while, very near to the stall he bad
occupied, there was picked up-a glass
eyel 1t was a new fact to me, though OF
course it was not q convenient opportuni-
ty for pouderiug upon it, that Stericker
wore or possessed glass eye. Ihad never
perceived any deficiency in his organ of
sight. nor even suspected it. The glass
eye had always seemed to me a genuine
article-by which I mean one that he
could really see with.
He was gratified at the recovery of his
glass eye. He was well enough now to
dust it with his handkerchief, and-but
this he did not accomplish without con-
siderable dificulty-to replace it in the
socket it usually filled. Certainly the
aspect of that portion of his visage was
benefited by the more teuanted and fur
nished character it now again assumed.
He then took from his pocket a nina
ture mirror, not much larger than crown
piece, and gazed al the reflection it fur
nished of his artificial organ. He desired
to see that it was properly adjusted, and
m tG;n 20 with ra-
gard to his other features.
There was something very curious, |
thought, about the severity with which
his real eye scrutinized the sham one;
while yet, as it seemed, the shan eye was
of more importance to him, more cher
ished by him, than the real one.
But something else was missing. A
shirt-stud. For this also diligent search
was made, and again with success. 1t was
found on the floor OF the lobby-acurious
looking stud: a pearl, thought, in the
first instance; but it was not a pearl ex-
actly; no, nor white cornelian, which was
my second supposition, 1t was an OBJ
long shape, milky white, and seEi-trans-
parent, in q handsome setting of brill
liants.
Stericker expressed great satisfaction,
if in q rather incoherent way. that the
stud had been found. He clearly priced
tiff not for its intrinsic worth, which,
without doubt was considerable, howev-
er-then, as / judged, for some associa-
tons, possibly of q tender kind, connec>
ted with.
He was now 90 far recovered that he
was left solely to my care. The opera
was over / forget whether there was or
was not ballet in those days, but think
not; in any case the theater was empty-
ing fast He sat for a few minutes Ion
ger, and then rose almost briskly and
said:
"I'm glad you were here. old fellow.
I don't know what / should have done
without you. A strip or two of plaster
over the wound, and shall be able to get
on again pretty well, | dare,say. Any
chemist can manage that for me. And
perhaps glass of hot brandy and water
would pull me together as much as any
thing"
l was glad to find him equal to the
proposed proceeding. / had not ven-
tured to hope for so rapid recovery.
"Not but what it was a nasty shock to
a fellow" he said
quite agreed thatit must have been a
a very nasty shock-a most unfortunate
accident At this he laughed very wild
ly. =,
"Whatever you call it, don't call it thai"
be said.
You mean that it was not an acci-
dent?"
1t appeared that be did mean that.
"But I saw the glass fall, - said.
"You mean that you saw her throw il
down."
"Saw? whoY / demanded, uncon-
sciously adopting the interrogatives oi
Hamlet
"Arabellal"
/ thought him wandering in his mind
| knew nothing of Arabella ! could moi
remember that had ever encountered,
out of works of fiction. any woman of thai
name. And then / came to ask myself
what, after all, did really know of Ster-
ECKER himself2 In truth, it was very little
at was Arabella's doing, Of course,
he continued. 81 know that very well
l know the opera-glass, for the matter o.
thdS O0khe gov ~ W hSAs
| Where / had first met Stericker l an
by no means clear am almost certain
that / was never formally introduced tC
him. But / had seen him at various
places upon numberless occasions, unit
seemed 10 have acquired quite habi
} Of seeing him. So at last-the thing wa
becoming really absurd-there was no hell
Tor it but to recognize him as an acquain
tance, at any rate. Finding each othel
so frequently face to face in the sam,
place, beneath the same roof and even a
the same table, what could we do, event
ually, but laugh, and nod, and say, "Wha
you herew And then we shook hands
Still / protest that knew little of hin
beyond what he told me. But, then
what does one really know of any mai
beyond what he tells one of HIMSELF Ant
certainly that is not always to be reliet
. on. did not, l may add, like Stericker
still less did respect him; although hat
: perhaps no special reason for not respect
: ing him, beyond mere prejudice Of a fan
} ciful kind. He was by no means, how
: ever, the man should have selected TO
. a friend, or even an acquaintance, ha
choice been permitted me in the matter
: But it wasn't / was doomed to NEE
! Stericker necessarily, and 80 it chance
. that We came to be almost on terms Q
intimacy with each other. At least b
? came to be on terms of intimacy with me
] And he called me ''old fellow" | di
2 not approve of this; indeed thought it
4 liberty; but what could ] do? l was nc
: really old, at any rate not so very old