Nebraska advertiser., 1882-04-27

ing, with an aureole OF splendOr
My first impulse was to fall PROSTATE
at her feet; but fortunately resisted the
inclination to offer divine honors, and
thought it better to follow in her train,
and fill my soul with the loveliness of the
earthly form.
In short time she glided to sofa,
as if weary of dancing, or talking, or
admiration, and, dismissing her cavalier
with a graceful wave of the hand, sank
back amidst the cushions with the lux
urious grace of an odalisque, while she
laid her bouquet on the sofa, too fa-
| tigued even to inhale its perfume.
] approached, and, with that seductive
Difference to women for which my man
ner is celebrated requested permission
to take the vacant place beside her. A
carnival ball has immense privileges, or
/ would not have dared the risk of such
n proposition The bouquet was in the
way, and gently raised it to my lips be-
fore handing it to the lovely owner.
"You are courtier, senor," she
said, with smile that disclosed two
rows of pearls set in coral. "But your
homage may be mistake. You know
my name, perhapsP
~ know nothing, serranita," / re-
piled, Except that you are divine.
Can the face equal that perfect formp
Will you not lift the shroudng mask for
one momentp But, que iniportd, the
face must be beautiful, or Nature would
have failed in harmony"
"Ah, senor,n she said, with some
thing of tenderness in her voice, the
beautiful seldom wear mask; they are
too eager for conquest and triumph.
You, | see, disdain to wear one. 1t is
only the consciousness of being hand
some can give one such courage"
"GrdcidS, serranita; but have / no
higher claim to noticep You may have
heard my nameP'
"All the world" she answered, "has
heard the name of the poet whose praise
confers celebrity. May |, too, hope for
a sonnetP A poet should have but one
theme-woman."
True, most lovely serrana; but in
spiration comes from love, and love
from sight How can l sing of unseen
gloresP Remove the mask, entreat you,
that / may behold the divine object
which is to kindle admiration into
poetry"
80 poet! poet! trust to the ideal,
/ advise you. The actual is always
disappointing. Alas! my poor face
could hardly kindle the flame of genius.
Imagination will give you higher in
spiration."
Imagination! Yes, we poets know
it well. A mere cloudland of frozen
icicles. But true poetry requires
passion; and passion only comes from
the actual, the visible, and the glorious
| l;t,r Df tha hnantif,,l =,
"And if l lift my mask senor poet,
will you find the glorious reality of the
beautiful in my facep Ah, do not dare
the trial Your poet-soul would recoil
from the actual, and II should lose
"Neverp l exclaimed impetuously.
go enchantress of my soul, try me
unmask. shall worship; l shall
adore"
Enough! enoughr' she murmured,
laying her fan upon my lips. "Wor-
ship, adore! mere idle poet-falsehoods.
Truly, Plato was right. Poets should
be banished from every well-ordered
state"
"And why, alma mia +?
because you poets are all pagans
and perjurers. You set up idols to wor-
ship, and you simulate false homage.
Poets do not need to wear mask; their
whole life is falsehood."
$50 like women, then; but confess.
Poets, at least, know how to love, and
are worth loving. Lift the mask, and
, you will Judge if / can love"
81 cannot. Sympathy and praise and
homage are enchanting to woman.
Why should 1 risk losing these subtle
, batteries, that make me believe | am
lovely enough to be lovedP If unmask,
the words will freeze on your lips; the
poet will be turned to stone"
Impossible! Your conversation
, charms me. What mind what intel
, lect! Yes, even beyond beauty
: / worship intellect; and l feel
, drawn to you by strange spiritual
affinity, wholly mental, believe me
, Beauty is mere ephemeral adjunct
, the true perfection is in the soul"
, This appreciation of intellect is. in
, deed, touching" she said earnestly.
| "Yet-shall / confess it'll would
rather be thought beautiful, even for a
moment, than hear all your praises OF
| my intellect. No. | cannot risk the
) trial. The flame kindled by intellect
| would be soon eXtinguished by-must /
say the word?--a fatal ugliness."
90, fear not, serrana! / DENY and
defy the ugliness. And where could il
: existP The features may be irregular,
but there is the grace of expression-a
very lovely thing. Indeed, prefer il
to positive beauty. And if the mind
charms, the face will also. l could
= swear it, From long experience / have
acquired certain instinct for the dis
cernment of masks. No; | cannot be
) deceived. have too good a nose for