The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-03-29
HOW JACK HARRIS BECAME AN
ESTHETlC.
4 Suggestion From The0phile
Gautier.

The collar of the shirt was very low,
the cuffs were very large, the tails of his
coat seemed longer than is habitual with
coat-tails; there was, in fact, about the
whole attire what Its owner would have
called an exaggeration Of tone which
seemed in his eyes very fascinating. On
his hands were gloves with a great many
buttons going SO far up his arm that
their beginning, like the source of the
Nile, could only be a subject of specula-
Ition, and on his left wrist he wore a
heavy gold bracelet, apparently of Indian
workmanship. In his button-hole bloomed
a single white rose, fastened to its place
by pin in the form Of a diminutive
golden grasshopper. In the middle of
bis vast expanse Of shirt-front solitary
btfigy Of the Egyptian god Typhon did
huty for stud, and the crush-hat with
which he was solemnly tanning himself
Eyas lined with silk Of the deep golden
tolour dear to the Venetian masters.
This youth was, in fact, the aesthetic
Eoung poet Theocritus Marlowe, about
whose volume of poems, 'Erotica,'
mall part Of the world was talking at
jhe time. Jack Harris recognized him
1t once, not indeed as the distinguished
boet, but as one of his comrades or rather
lcquaintances Of the Balliol days, when
he was known as Adolphus Marlowe, he
bot having then adopted the high sound
ing Grecian name which he afterwards
eeemed SO specially to suit his artistic
nature. Jack, in great delight at meet
ing an old friend, rushed forward at
knce with smile Of recognition, Just as
Ihe poet dreamily raised his head and
became conscious of Jack moving towards
him. For moment the idea of flight
crossed the mind of Theocritus, but OBJ
Ierving no one year, he resigned himself
Ind returned Jacks greeting with sad
Iivility.
Beautiful play murmured Jack after
The usual commonplaces had been said,
land admirably acted. How thoroughly
he actor brings out the meaning of the
lne lines of the poet
Theocritus looked at him with weary
mile.
| Does her he inquired in a voice of
Ilanguid sweetness. Il hadn't noticed
him.'
Hadn't noticed him = The observa-
zion for the moment as completely dis
turbed the balance Of Jacks nature as if
he had experienced the shock of an
earthquake. To go to theatre where
famous actor was playing, and to observe
chat you had not noticed the actor at
all, revealed the existence Of state of
things as far removed from the mind of
Jack Harris as is any number above ten
from that Of an aboriginal savage. The
truth was, that Theocritus and a few
other aesthetic souls paid profound
artistic homage to the leading lady of
the company, and were wont to testify
their admiration by frequently visiting
Sthe theatre where she performed and by
only remaining in their seats so long as
she was on the stage. The moment she
went of, the admiring band would Ian
guidly rise and lounge about the lobbies
in a melancholy manner till the time
when their Lady of Pain,' as some of
the darker and fercer spirits amongst
them called the young lady, came on the
stage again, and brought them trooping
back into the body Of the house loftily
Indifferent to the annoyance they were
causing. Seeing the bewilderment OF
poor Harris, Theocritus took pity on his
Ignorance, and in manner and tone of
voice which seemed to claim as much
authority as did the shade of departed
Trophonius, he informed him that this
particular actress was not only the most
beautiful woman living, but the most
beautiful that ever had lived or ever
could live, that in her all the truths of
art and all the religion of the higher cul-
ture were incarnate, and that--here the
voice of Theocritus waned to reveren-
italy musical whisper-in her were pre-
scented all the graces of all the fair women
that had ever shone upon the earth,
from Helen of Troy to Ninon de pEnclos.
Jack listened in speechless wonder to
these outpourings of the poetic soul, and
hen, feeling that he ought to contribute
i.omething to the praises of SO rare and
adianta maiden, he ventured timidly to
tbserve that he thought she seemed to
Interpret Shakspeare's heroine admir-
bly,, that she thoroughly understood the
naracter, &c. He was doing his best to
opear poetic before his dazzling young
lend, who did not.appear to be greatly
Iterested, and he was warming up into
Enthusiasm over the character in ques.
on and over Shakspeare's heroines in
,neral, when he was interrupted by
heocritus, who coldly observed that he
ad no doubt that what Jack said was
sry true, but that really he had no
oinion on the subject, as life was not
ing enough to read Shakespeare. This
st axiom completely overwhelmed poor
ack. The lights began to dance before
is eyes; the floor and ceiling seemed to
e moving madly to meet each other;
nd Jack reeled for support against the
tall. He gazed wildly at Theocritus to
se if he was joking, but Theocritus
arely condescended to joke, and on the
yresent occasion his countenance wore
IN aspect Of catafalquic gravity.
Jack pressed his hand to his forehead,
and felt dimly conscious that he must be
l.ooco;oo. i or drunL ar nu+ nc ~, .o,n.,