Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-03-23
CHAPTER X.

Cttsen OF The M-ddOtC." Etc.
CIIAPTERX.
YoUNG FOLK DISPOSE.
She had said 20 him with n pretty
pretencc of mystery, lowering her eve
brows. raising her eyes, and hold ling up
her finger warninglv. as If 10 imply
that the greatest secrecy was impera-
tive; You shall have n surprise to-
night. Hush. do not breathe a word,
for II NAV ne overheard. | am the
Mystic Maiden o. tho 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 rs she
observed his expression OF uneasy
won ler lie did not know whether TO
enter into her burlcsgue humor or to
attempt To hGnge IL. He, like her faith
or. had iclt that her merrimenthad been
only assumed as n mask for sOme other
omot On.and strange note in her pres
ent laughter made h m sure of t.
They were walking across the lawn.
he somewhat grave. she glancing CO.
quettishly at him, and apparently much
amused.
II suppose that is part Of your play"
he rcioined. smiling THE asst words
OF the speech are excellent because they
arc true"
"Ah. but tire things are not always
excellent or pleasant. pass tie com
pliment because II is in your part To say
nice things which are not true. How
fpnny youlook, Have taken YOU away
too soon from the delights OF the intel
lectual feast which believe gentlemen
always indulge in when released from
the hcnumbing presence of woman
kind2"
Your satire j. undeserved. am
glad 90 be- your attendant"
"And TO endure my folly. You would
have added. but that would not have
suited Your art. We're YOU ever mt the
Surrey Thcater2''
+" Yes; were ypu?"
lotion; and | remember the grand
sensation scenes. and the fine way the
heroes spoke. and their valOrous deeds.
AMI the Vantomimes. and the oranges.
and the nuts we were requested not to
crack during the per ormanee-oh, it
was lust. ust -loyelyr'
81 sec; il Isl mclodramatic burlesquc
YOU are med tating.'N
.Burlosque. indccdi am i'm earnest.
and every body must be the same.n
lutte right. The more serious we
appear 70 be, the more ridiculous we
shall be TO the spectators. IL is the
very essence q hurles ne that the per
former should seem unconscious of any
buftoonery I'm his conduct
lit should not be- difficult; we make
fools OF ourselves every day without
knowing Il.
He g there was distant note of sad
ness which seemed a strange undertonc
ia q lie surrounded by all the tang bic
requirements OF happiness.
"Some of US can not help it,
'NOne of us can. am afraid. Did
you ever settle in your own mind why
we laugh nj clown squashing n stuffed
baby when we should scrcamff it were n
real one2''
There are many profound reasons;
but the simplest one Is that we know it
isa est"
-"Ab. NV reason is better than that.
It's because we delight to ridicule the
thugs which brighten us most; and in
tho. same way we sometimes take n
wicked pleasure IN annoying those we
Ike best Did YOU ever try TO tease
anybody you Ike very much?"
"idare say ] have done Il often
enough without trying. Most people
doll
--''iAh people do. But mean. did Won
ever feel yourself compelled by some
evil spirit to say and DO things which
You knew would be- irritat NO. while
YOU knew also that by and by YOU would
be vory sorry, and would have to make
IL up" ... ....--~l
''As Joke. yes; but that.would only
provoke laugh. and there nm end. No
one would deliberately set abolt teas
ing another" ,rIf
Not Eel betatclv. but moved bv
somc wicked impulse. and with kind
OF iCn u. too. iust rs Won have seen
naughty children On oy the wriggling
OF worm they have pinned TO the
earth | have" - rr
"And en- Dyed itP'' he N quired, larrh-
ing ut her varying moods and incon.
sis;enCies. .. f.
I'VE are forgctt ne our play she re-
Joined. abruptly. rs II she did not wish
To pursue the ira Of thought she had
started. Come, sir Knight, return In
yeurpar Hspis the wilderness. and
there - the open glade. How pretty
the lights arc' coming in thro gh tho
spaces md breaking che shadows"
rhea6tiful. he sad. but he was
looking at her face, and rs the soft
light iell uron.i IL the ad cctive was most
apt. He was wondering in dreamy
way; WAS she too far above him
Tor him eier TO hope to comprehend
Yes" she went on. not observing,
his look. ''it would make a nice END
on the stage. and IL we only had a few
rows of hinese lanterns about the bung-
allow, Il would lock like the enchanted
home Of wood Eympb.", ~
'Or OF the Sleeping Beauty"
"how happy stlc must have beeni I
should like to leopa hundred wears ~
"And ! should IKE to be the fortunate
prince who wakCncd ou."T I - -