The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-02-18
I N0OEET FILTRATION:
The Beauty I Met on the Oars.

4Ao oeauGy met On bne UafEs
'Pshawr' said Harry. and tossed the
| paper away.
..Don,t you like ftp I ventured to in
quire
| Like itP-no! It is made-up story.
The only good stories are true ones.''
.'Do you mean to say that all the
glorious fictions that have enchanted,
| that have thrilled the world are truep''
/ asked, little triumphantly.
mot true in all their details and COM
binations, of course" said he; .tbut
whenever you find any incident really
affecting, you may be sure that it actual
" happened. Now, in this story which
have read at your recommendation,
there is no such incident. The charac-
tiers are not alive, and the events never
occurred; at least. within the writer's
knowledge. can tell you dozen real,
true stories would beat it all hollow"
doubted"
'.What viii you betp''
"Who to decidep1
ssYou shall decide yourself Come,
I'll tell you one to begin with; and if
you don't say it is better than this
Mandy pamby affair I have been read
ing, I'll pay for the supper"
So set myself to listen
II took the night train at Columbus,
said Harry, settling himself back, to
spin his yarn more comfortably.
esThen you are the hero of your own
story" said I.
'tDon't interrupt me- Who said I
was heroP You will see. The cars
were full; but found a seat behind a
lady and gentleman, who had appropn-
ated couple to themselves, and were
wrapped up in shawls, sleeping very
comfortably.
1.-THE light from the car lamps fell on
their faces. The gentleman, who seemed
a foreigner, and who proved to be a Mex
lean of some distinction, was of middle
age-a dark, fine-looking, sombre, quiet
man. But the lady, young enough to
be his daughter, was of dazzling beauty.
A pale complexion, flushing with the
slightest tint of rose; an oval face; feat
ures regular as those of a Grecian statue
wasn't she beautiful?'
81 suppose she was,n said |, wishing
to be amiable, when thus appealed to.
II don't want your opinion on that
point / had been amongrough people.
/ had seen few that could be called re-
fined, or beautiful, for long time; but,
making allowances for all that, she was
certainly one of the loveiest women l
ever beheld.
when she opened her eyes IN the
pale morning light, they were of that
tinge of violet-grey, shaded by long,
dark lashes, so rare and so exquisite.
Her little hand, with its long, tapering,
white fingers, tipped with rose; her
slender, delicate feet; her form and
movements of perfect grace, all held me
in a kind of enchaDtmeDt.
1.-The cars ratified and roared along
down the Little Miami, and we were
nearing Cincinnati, when / heard her
speak. It was some trifiing question. ]
Tt had the petulance of spoiled child
and spoiled beauty; bat there could |
be no installing the pure, high-breeding
of her articulation. BY the time it was
broad daylight, had studied her well.
looking over my newspaper 1t was
Sunday morning, and no train left Gin
einnati until evening. Werode uptown,
from the depot, in the same omnibus, |
and I sat opposite. and SO quite near
her. |
..As i looked, what presume must |
be my last look at her, and must have |
expressed in that look all the admira-
ton and interest / felt-saying, with my |
eyes: ..Who can you be, o beautiful /
one?' she appeared to see me for the /
first time. Something must have told |
her what was thinking. A flush came |
over her face-very slight, indeed, but /
still perceptible. 1t was little surprise
and something which was not indigna-
ton.
i had given my checks for the Bur-
nett House; it was with a pang that
saw my new acquaintance prepare to
alight at the Spencer. But while the
general, as I heard him called after
ward, was picking up shawl that had
been dropped, / sprang out into the
snow, and with look-I doubt not of
mingled respect, and admiration, and
grief-gaye my hand to the lady She
thrilled me with the ightest and quick
est touch possible, as if she did not wish
% offend stranger. by declining what
ne meant for eivility; but did not say.
thank you The husband touched his
nat to me with cold, proud look, which
shall never forget.
Il re-entered the omnibus, went TO
he Burnett House, took a good bath
md breakfast, and then went and heard
oine fine music at the beautiful cathe-
iral NY railroad vision / laid away,
With sight or two, in the storehouse Of
memory.
SAT nine o. clock in the evening, left
n the cars for Cairo. The Ohio was
rozen. As / entered the car. my heart
BEAT as caught sight of La Signora-
The only vacant seat was near them.
received no salutation, and made
zone. / knew that she saw me; but
he did not raise her eyes. The gentle
nan looked ut me, as he might at any
,ther traveller, but without sign of ne
ocnition, or any emotion. unless there
vas 3 very slight darkening Of the
amplight. They made their arrange
nents like pracsieed travellers. and slept,
r seemed to Sleep sat still and
bought. Did you ever feel superhu-
nan beauty sinking into your heart.
eeper and deeper, with every moment 9
ssNell--'s
mo matter. Don't answer now.
aust tell my story In the morning,
nd all day. we were stm on the eal's
u =