The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1879-09-04
THE FATAL MIRROR.

Years ago, when i was first in Paris,
before went to study, I was at the op.
era ball alone. It is rather heavy work
to be there alone, and / went wandering
about until, growing tired of the noise
and nonsense, found darkish corner,
and leaned against the wall in peace.
In moment or two l saw q couple ap-
preaching, attracted, l suppose, by tue
quiet, as l had been. l had noticed
them before; the man was tall, and
dressed simply, in large white burnous
with short sleeves, leaving his nrms
bare-splendid sinewy arms, with o
bracelet about an inch wide, just below
the shoulder. II was made OF yellow
gold, and had 'Enfer' enameled on it in
blood-red fantastic letters. The hood of
the burnous was drawn over his head,
and mask with very long fall Of silk
disguised him entirely. The girl on his
arm wore white domino and mask Of
pink velvet, She was delicate, fragile
little creature, and when she sat on the
bench near me, and took off her mask,
/ saw that che was not more than seven.
teen, and had the loveliest, happiest
little face. set in deep golden hair. He
seemed passionately in love with her
he seized her little hands in his as if he
would crush them, and once / heard him
say, For heavens sake don't look at
anybody; it drives me mad heard no
more. | only saw, as | moved away, the
happy light die out Of. those sweet eyes
and deprecating, scared expression
take its place; but as I looked back, she
had her head Nesting on his shoulder,
and he seemed to soothe her tenderly;
poor little dove.
Later in the evening was attracted
by sudden confusion and excitement,
80 great as TO be marked, even through
the perpetual tumult of the place-a
crowd swaying and pressing noisily in
one direction. / pushed my way to the
spot; and there, with her fair face ex-
posed, the long locks already dimmed
by contact with the dusty floor, lay the
white domino, her little soft hands fall
ing helplessly. A tall old woman, kneel-
ing down, took the poor little spulless
body in her arms like baby, and press.
ed it passionately against her breast. -
In reply to my questions, they said that
her companion, "a great mask in a white
cloak, had suddenly shot her. through
the heart, monsieur; she fell like lamb,
pauvre petite. The man had fed; they
found the white burnous lying near the
door, but in the confusion he had well
and thoroughly escaped. I shall never
in oil my life forget the horror Of that
sight The happy, innocent, pure life
choked out in an instant, and the little
girlish figure lying on the dirty floor,
instead Of on some dainty white bed; and
then to be so miserably surrounded by
hideous, grotesque creatures staring Gu
riouslyl 1t was terrible.
Two years after that, was settled in
Paris studying. had been there about
year, when Anatole Barbty brought
young Englishman to my studio. Some
attraction, or accident perhaps, threw
us, George Holcomb and me, much to-
gether, until we were considered by the
rest Of the fraternity es intimate friends.
We were friends, If constant companion
ship and hearty affection make friends,
but we were not intimate II confidence
is necessary to intimacy. He was gay
companion, sympathetic, kindly, loving
nature deeply, full Of quaint knowl.
edge on many subjects. / cannot de-
scribe him, but / loved him in spite of
an ever recurring conviction that black
drop lurked somewhere in that passion,
ate nature. He had one failing: he some.
times drank deeply, and at such times,
he had two moods, one Of wild, reckless
gayety. in which he did and said most
brilliant things; in the other he was
G:Domy and unreasonable, with flashes
Of furious, short lived anger. He paint
cd strange pictures; they were masterly
in drawing and in color, but the subject
always concealed some deadly surprise
or some fatal misfortune. A doe feed
ing TRANQUILITY beside stream, while in
the thicket hon lurked ready to spring;