The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-11-04
A WRECKED LIFE.

A WRECKED LIFE.
I.
Several months ago there appeared il
all the city papers notice containing q
rather strange story about man having
been arrested on Sixth avenue where he
was walking in a state utterly 1ncompat-
ible with the manners OF modern civil
zation. With no other dress but his long
unkempt hair hanging over his shout
ders, and gray beard falling over his
chest, he had rushed out, clad in this un-
seemingly attire, from one of the by
streets, crying at the top of his voice:
"Stella! Stellap' As might have been
expected, he was not allowed to pursue
his course further than block or so,
when he ran into the sheltering
arms of one of the guardians of the pub
lie peace, who after administering to this
rebel child of nature preparatory club
bling, hailed a cab, pushed his patient in,
pulled down the blinds, and drove of
rapidly, before even the crowd of idlers
who had already gathered, could real
ize what a splendid opportunity tor ex-
traordinary and utterly unprecedented
'fun" they had missed. Upon invest1ga-
ton, the man who had mistaken Sixth
avenue for theroughfare of the Hotten-
tot metropolis, proved to be poor mani
&C who had lived for year in a dark
closet forming part of a basement room
In west Forty-sixth street, IN which an
old ragman had. his abode. Nobody
seemed exactly t. know who he was or
where he came from. The only informa-
tioA which the papers gave was that he
had been sent from the city hospital, and
that in his former neighborhood he was
known as the "mad Dutchman." No
name, no means OF Identification, could
be found.
Why did this story, which the next
DAY, after its publication, was buried un-
der the waves of public lite in the great
city-that great, never. resting ocean of
oblivion did this story impress
me so vividlya knew not. It was GER
tainly not the mystery in which the
whole affair appeared to be shrouded
which attracted my attention. For what
are those petty mysteries Of every day
life, which crowd our daily papers, to a
professional journalistic tool of his
profession, an ''item'' to he disposed OF
as concisely as .possible-nothing more
1t was that name-Stella-wh tile
poor idiot had shouted out into the street
in his madness, which sounded familiar
4 in my ear, and recalled in me long for
gotten memories of once dear friend. It
was more than twelve years ago-in Lon
don. Things and men were different
then, and looked somehow brighter and
more hopeful than now, Even the Lon
don fog assumed a rosy hue, viewed bv the
light OF the hopes, the dreams and the
illusions OF early youth. And as looked
back into this long past sunshine, there
arose In my memory face, which Tor
me, was in some way associated with all
those hopes, dreams and illusions.
George Nordhoff was indeed, bright
fellow. Though about ten years my SEN
Tor, he was in character and disposition
certainly the junior of the two. He was
the son of one Of the Oldest families of
Llvonla, and held at the time the office
OF Second Secretary OF the Russian Lega-
hop at London. never met man who
seemed so completely born on the sunny
side OF life as Nordhoff. Not very rich,
but just rich enough to indulge in his
artistic and social tastes, the universal ia
vorite with both young and old of both
sexes, possessing an excellent physical
constitution, and endowed with that
precious quality of the mind which en-
pables the man to always keep the golden
middle in sentiment, passion and enjoy
ment, Nordhoff was the type of the hap
Epy man. Somehow or other his happi-
ness seemed contagious. All ill-humor
vanished at his approach, and looking at
Ills beaming, good natured face, it SEEM
I'd impossible that such thing as tears
WOULD exist in the world.
4 Poor NOrdhoffl Ali this was true to
She day when Stella crossed his path; she
Twas an actress, belonging to the French
opera bouffe troupe which had given q
Few performances in London. She was
Eeither handsome nor clever, her singing
Bvas so wretched that 1t could be compar-
d only with her acting, and yet. Who
hall ever be able to fathom the mystery
f loves Nordhotf fell madly in love with
lis second rate actress, All of sudden
#e disappeared from the social circles and
aunts we had been wont to visit togeth-
Il. Strange inconsistency of passionl He
,tualy seemed to be ashamed of the
EnWOrthlness OF MS feelings, tor he stu
iously concealed even from me what it
las that engrossed all his time and ener-
fy. At last the day came when all at
hmpts at Discrimination were useless.
Sordhoff began even to neglect his Off
fal duties, light as they were. The Am
Nassadol, Baron Brunnow, had already
a several occasions reprimanded him
friendly, tatherly manner, and Nord-
Eff had promised to amend, but in vain;
III passion devouring HIM was stronger,
, len than his sense of honor. !.
at last the catastrophe came. One
gyht / awokc suddenly and found Nord-
: g standing at my bedside. He held
idle in his hand, and by its Pickering
ht could see that the appearance of
IMAM was utterly transformed. His
be was pale and worn, his dress in dis