The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-02-24
A Lover in Spite Of Himself.
CHAPTER !. (Continued.)

" was perfectly lneApllcaDie W he, euin
1t which way would. ! could neither
account for having supposed that l did
know her, or for having been mistaken in
my supposition. Both alternates seemed
alike impossible. 1t was easy to say that
! had never in my life met, much less
been acquainted, with any young lady
answering to her description; but it was
Just as undeniable that every feature in
her face was as familiar to me as the
Dresden Madonna or Venus OF Milo.
Here were two certainties, in irreconcila-
BILE conflict with each other, and it was
my unlucky lot to have stumbled be-
tween them.
began to have seriousdoubts whether
were not Observation-Disclosures my head
was quite right Could it be that my
yolitary habits, my unsociableness, my
taeiturnity, had begun to effect my rea-
sonf I am not exaggerating my feeling
lnsthe least. A genuine logical paradox
Is about the most appalling thing that
can confront man in this world. Leav-
Ing all consideration of my embarrass-
ment and awkwardness out of the cues
lion, the predicament of being at odds
70 to speak-with possibility. was be-
yond measure distressing.
However, cooled down at last, and
wisely resolving to give the mystery
lime to resolve itself, bent my steps
towards the concert ground and sat down
Ut one of the vacant tables.
The band struck up one of Mozarts
6ihfonies. | was Just beginning to for
get my troubles in the music, when a
Right stir near me attracted my notice,
and looking round, what was my dismay
10 behold approaching the identical per
sonages Of my late adventure! Guided
by fate, they sauntered on until they
reached the very next table to my own.
1t happened to be the only disengaged
one In the vicinity. They did not seem
to see me at all, and after few moments
deliberation they sat down.
have not yet attempted to describe
them. The gentleman was fine-looking
old fellow of sixty or thereabouts, with
ruddy cheeks. black eyes, and broad
white beard. He happened to be, and
evidently was, well-to-do English
squire.
The young lady, his daughter, is not Sc
easily to be disposed Of; in fact, it is folly
to attempt describing her at all. Hel
fathers face, though Of a. fine type, had
nothing in it peculiar or remarkable
hers, on the contrary, was face which,
once seen, could never be forgotten or
confounded with any other. Its cont our
was at once strong and delicate; and her
maidenly dignity of the expression was
tempered by the scarcely subdued spar
kle Of frolicsome spirits in the long blue
eyes. Of crisp, golden brown hair she
had more $han she well knew what to dc
with; it was packed and twisted all ovel
her lovely head, with little regard to
fashionable effect, but with result OF
lavish splendor which was unfashiona-
bic enough to prefer. Her complexion
was darker than the color of her eyes
warranted, it had a glowing depth and
intensity that Titan would have loved
to initiate; so that, although you woulc
not have called her cheek high-colored
made all other women's cheeks look dul
and Intellectual. Her lips were clear red
and unspoken eloquence dwelt in thei
curves. In figure she was tall, alert, anc
somewhat slender.
Inadequate as I perceive this attemp
at portraiture to be, Iscyrcely needed !
glance at her, as she sat at the neighbor
Ing table, to inform myself of every de
tail of her appearance. Her image seemed
to have been present to my inner con
sciossness before | met her--to employ :
metaphysical periphrasis for what was tt
ME very certain and definite fact. Al
hour previous to our encounter befor
the Porcelain Handlun2, l could hav
taken my pencil and sketched the out
line of her features as accurately as nov
that she was before me. The only diff
ference between her and this strange an
ticipation of her (or whatever it was) il
my mind was, as l now had leisure t
observe, that her hair and eyes were
good many shades lighter than those Q
my forecast. The eyes that ! ha
thought of were dark grey, almost black
and the crisp locks Of deep lustreles
brown.
The band was playing the second move
ment of the Sinfonie, and while tn
music lasted, she sat in quiet and please
attention, her chin resting on her hal
opened hand, and her glance directe
musingly towards the little group Q
statsary that stands at the outer q
tremity of the concert ground. The oil
gentleman, meanwhile, studied the pre
gramme and took pull or two at tn
tchoppen of beer which the kellner ha
Brought him. When at last the intel
mission came, the two engaged in CONVEX
sation, and then all the sparkle and mi
chievous charm of the young lady's fac
came to the surface; and if she had bee
beautiful. before, her loveliness was no.
well nigh intolerable. Presently the oil
gentleman lit a cigar, and, getting u
from the table, walked off to smoke i
leaving his daughter temporarily alon'
1t will not be necessary for me to ol
serve at this point, that I was a
ready in love; although l do not think
had yet realized the fact myself. Nevt
having experienced any sensation of tn
Find before nerhaps failed to attrihut