Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-11-03
In the Syren's Embrace.
Joseph Medin in the Chicago Tribune.


''Do you love me truly, Harold7"
Lurline Neversnk was even more beautiful
than usual as she stood in the soft. mellow
light that streamed from the chandelier over
head. and. looking down fondly upon her, Geo
w. Simpson felt that to wreck forever the hap
pness Of her young life. to plunge her soul into
the turbid depths Of despair and hold it there
by the heels. were q crime than which none
could be more black. He knew that this girl,
whose weird. passionate nature made her heart
lutte for every passing joy or grief to play
upOn had given to him the one best love of
woman's life-her first. 1t was something to be
tendeTly proud OF. this iOve-sOmething not to
be worn lightly on the sleeve where all might
see it, but tucked carefully away In the wood
shed of mans soul. secure alike from carping
criticism or cruel jest. And yet as George w
Simpson gaZed teBderly into the dark. lustrous
eyes that were aglOw with hopeful expectancy,
he felt that the mae!strom of passionate adora-
ton into which Lurline Neversink had allowed
herself to be drawn would one day cast her
Young heart bleeding and torn upon the Jagged
rocks of his refusal 1t was terrible madden
ing thought. and it came with awful force to
George as he stood i'm tnat pallatial mansion
his feet sinking into the velvet carpet until he
was in danger Of becoming cock -ankled and
heard the words with which this chapter opens.
Bending tenderiy over the girl. George kisses
her in chaste. New Haven, Conn. manner, but
does not trust himself to answer in words the
fateful question she has asked. And then they
pass into the mushroom. which Is separated
from the hall by pOrtere of navy-blue velvet.
The windows of the room are shaded by cur
tains of the same rich color and the walls be-
tween them are covered with paintings. Statues
of Mozart, Beethoven and Guido filed inches.
while over the low mantel hung q full-iength
portrait OF Maud 9. No word was spoken until
Lurline had seated herself at the piano, and then
1t was simply request that he hand her Ger
tain piece OF music As he stopped forward to
comply the outlines of his face were brought
into strong relief against the rudy background
of his left ear, and Lurllne gazed at him in
tently His was such q cOuntenance as one sees
In old Italian portraits, in some Vandykes. show
ing power strangely blended with passion. His
mouth. beautiful as wOman's with its smile
generous and rare as q split Goldfish, was tightly
compressed and as bloOdless as marble His
eyebrows, dark, straight and finely penciied,
met over his dark-gray eyes, and In the latter
there was fixed res0ute expression that boded
no good to a square meal if be should happen to
meet one.
At last tho music was found and Lurline be-
gan to sing. Carried away by the Inspiration of
the moment she sang on and on until at last she
paused from sheer exhaustion. And then. see
ing that George was not q: her side, she turned
to the fcuteuii at her left. There he lay-dead
In all the proud grandeur Of his glorious man.
hood, while on his forehead fell the golden
dawning Of q grander day" He had died at the
moment when he was passing the stone that
marks the lOftiest point on life's highway-died
where manhood's morning almost touches 1t,
ana while the shadows were falling towards the
west. The mellow light from the chandelier
stole into the hushed chamber OF death and wan
dered over his stately form that lay powerless
and stricken, over his noble, handsome face.
telling, even In death, Of the deathless love he
bore her.
He had forgotten to plug up his ears.