The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-03-16
CHAPTER Y.

queen OF Inc McOdOtc, 6N.
CHAPTERX.
YOUNG FOLK DISPOSE.
She had said to him with n pretty
pretence of mystery. lowering her eye
brows, raising her eyes, and holding up
her finger warningly, as if to imply
that the greatest secrecy was impera-
tive: You shall have a surprise to-
night Hush, do not breathe word,
for it NAV be overheard. l am the
Mystic Maiden OF the Wilderness; you
are the forlorn knight lost in the maze,
and | am Turing you on to what fate
you know not, care not, for you are
desperate. and lam very beautiful
Then she burst into laugh as she
observed his expression OF uneasy
wonder. He did not know whether to
enter into her burlesque humor or to
attempt to ,hange it. He, like her faith
er, had felt that hsr merrimeDthad been
only assumed as mask for some other
emot, on, and a strange note in her pres
ent laughter made h m sure of it.
They were walking across the lawn.
he somewhat grave, she glancing CO.
quettishly at him, and apparently much
amused.
Il suppose that is part of your play"
he rejoined. smiling. 1.-The last words
of the speech are excellent because they
are true"
"Ah. but true things are not always
excellent or pleasant. pass the COM
pliment because it is in your part to say
nice things which are not true. How
funny YOU look Have taken you away
IL -, &l II
lectual feast which believe gentlemen
always indulge in when released from
the benumbing presence of woman
kind?"
Your satire is undeserved. am
glad to be your attendant"
And to endure my folly. you would
have added, but that would not have
suited your art Were you ever at the
Surrey TheaterP''
"1es; were your"
.Often: and / remember the grand
sensation scenes, and the fine way the
heroes SPOKE. and their valorous deeds,
and the pantomimes. and the oranges,
and the nuts we were requested not to
crack during the per ormance-oh, it
was Just ust-lovelyr'
Il see; it is a melodramatic burlesque
you are m, d tating.'
"Bur,esque. indeed! l am in earnest,
and everybody must be the same"
"Cuite right. The more serious we
appear to be, the more ridiculous we
shall be TO the spectators. 1t is the
very essence o. burles ne that the per-
former should seem unconscious OF any
buffoonery in his conduct"
.'It should not be difficult; we make
fools OF ourselves every day without
knowing it."
He there was a distant note of sad
ness which seemed strange undertone
in life surrounded by all the tang BILE
requirements of happiness.
"Some of US can not help it,
"None of rs can. | am afraid. Did
you-ever settle in your own mind why
we laugh at a clown squashing stuffed
baby when we should screamif il were a
real one?''
There are many profound reasons;
but the simplest one is that we know it
is lest"
"Ah. nv reason is better than that.
1t is because we delight to ridicule the
things which brighten us most; and in
the same way we sometimes take a
wicked pleasure IN annoying those we
like best. Did you ever try to tease
anybody you like very much?"
Il dare say I have done it often
. enough without trying. Most people
do"
IAN people do. But mean. did You
ever feel yourself compelled by some
evil spirit to say and do things which
you knew would be irritat; ng. while
YOU knew also that by and by you would
be very sorry, ami would have to make
it up?"
LAS joke. yes; but that would only
provoke laugh. and there an end. No
one would deliberately set about teas
ing another"
Not deliberately, but moved by
some wicked impulse, and with kind
OF fCn it, too. just as you have seen
naughty children en- oy the wriggling
of worm they have pinned to the
earth. | have"
..And enjoyed it?' heinquired. laugh
ing at her varying moods and incon-
sistencies.
1--WE are forget nc our play" she re-
joined. abruptly, as if she did not wish
to pursue the tran of thought she had
started. Come, Sir Knight, return to
your par. Here is the wilderness, and
there is the open glade. How pretty
the lights are coming in through the
spaces and breaking the shadows
beautiful, he said; but he was
looking at her face. and as the soft
light fell upon it the ad ective was most
apt. He was wondering in a dreamy
way: ..Was she too far above him
for him ever to hope to comprehend
her?'
Yes" she went on, snot observing
his look, at would make a nice enc
on the stage; and if we only had few
rows of Chinese lanterns about the bung-
allow, it would lock like the enchanted
home of wood-nymph. ;"
: ''Or of the Sleeping Beauty"
',Hew happy she must have been! !
should like to sleep hundred years.
Sand should ike to be the fortunate
prince who Weakened YOU"