Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1884-01-10
AN ODD MISTAKE.


"A richnent In madne1s thoughts and re-
membranes ntted. "--Haniet, Act ". SC. s.
sN$T REMEMBER, Lord Grsy.on," said
tbs q etof eosmniy, ''all | told you
IAU Nv very welcome 10 eomu to our bali,
thanE9 "a q rule, va only AJAX set OF
w.sv hisu and fnsidvus who know our
Ways and their Ways. Still, you are
good looking, humorous aud CHEEKY, and
II you are ssnaibis you osn enjoy your
self, and, maybe, do them world OF
gopd. bslisve in electricity as curative
asent--not the quack nonsense OF belts
and ch2ins and musical boxes, that only
shake the nerve.osntres, bot the real
elscsricity of animal spirits, the tonic of
good health
II shsll do exactly ss syn told, said
Lord Grayton, handsome, horid mus
cniar young man, strong 81 horse,
buossnt as q balloon, just bso,z after
Self impoaed exile Of five years in India
with the big game. "But tell me of all
those oonfounded cautions again. did
a lot Of dancing of various kinds year
ago, before | went after the tigers''-and
he laughed as mingled memories OF May.
fair aud the Lotus Club swan back to
him-''snd I've tried both Covroboree
and the Salopga but 'pon Lonor never
danced with lunstio girl YETI
''Ars you quite sure of that ~ said the
doctor, grimiy "thsy are to be met with
outside Of Copswood, l can tell you.
However, listen; the rule is simple. Be
Owl aud don't contradict. II old Craokton
asks you to play chess, play. He's a
good player and will beat you fairly il he
can If he can't he'll make false move
aud call 'checkmate' and you must re-
sign, II poor Snobby thinks you are the
Prince, and 'Sirs' you all over the place,
and throws out hints about being asked
to 6andringbam; il you are asked to
listen to the charming clock in Bakers
interior, or to avoid some one else, be.
cause he's glass and might break, you
must do your best to bs courteous to then
all, and on no account laugh at thsil
fapcies."
''sounds rather jumpy. And tn,
ladies 70
''I'ii sss to that, aud introduce you t,
the incest, and tell you what to avoit
speaking about /; the men will make tn
talking for themselves, the women don
talk much"
"Sign Of insanity, l suppose. An,
what am to talk about %
Empress OF Australia, or the stage, o
white roses, on Mr.. Mallock, or biacl
stockings. Ill give you the oue--neve
fesr only 1t may happen that one c
them will ask You to dance and then 20
must steer as best you csn-talk societ
or art on chance My own girls and thei
friends get on tsmously with the NAL
patients, and you must do your bes
nj M fs,fs. ~ t,a, l., 49,
tonight, and you must be of and dress
sharp, mind, as they all go to bed (
midnight"
'Qaeer thing this" soliloquized era,
ton as he completed an elaborate dres
ing, "bsginning my first season after fl,
years by dancing with lot OF lunatic
Hope they won't wear straw in the
hair; il they do | shall bolt to the Co,
gleton's danos."
rs had many strange adventures tn
evening as he strobe about the pref
ballroom at the Copswood private asylum
he was duly defeated at chess by ii
venerable Craokton, who deliberate
Slid back captured queen on the boar
and performed prodigies of valor wi
her. He sympathized with the gent
man who had swallowed crocodile, al
amused himself by counting the lights
each side OF the room and singing soft
TO himself, Sorry | can't admit
sorry | can't admit it -
had bssn an serostic editor once upor
time. he noticed the fussy little m
with pale-blue shaven face, who want
to stage-manage the l6 lsnoers, and W
piteously entreated the dancers to q
back over all that again, please, and I
and get it crisper )" and the erratic 10,
nalist who wrote paragraphs on his shi
cuhs, and many other strange folks Il
passed by in motley pageant of unsett
reasons.
There's King Lear whispered
docter, "a "a very foolish fond old M
fourscore and upwards" passed tn
muttering OF Brighton AS" syou kn
who he was ~ and he whispered na
in Grayton's ear that made that mol
man whistle softly. ..-5
"And are there any Ophelias, 'wh
young maids wits should b. as mol
IS an old mans life ?" asked Grays
showing that be knew Shakespeare
well as the doctor.
"Yes, but We keep their secrets. \
go and dance" snd the doctor took X
Lear of for cup of coffee.
1t was q sad, weird night altogett
and as drsyton watched it, IL remin
him OF Ksulbsoh's dance of Death -
ne felt oddly morbid as he thought Of
own lonely lite. He had once loved
given his heart to woman whom hs
both loved sud idolizsd he had vol
brains and position, and with her he
he could conquer the world. II wal
az ab8
she was lovely, and so hs took to
tigers. lie had got over it all now,
he shuddered as he remembered the
Of 1t all, and thought how nesr mad
he had been driven when he heard of
Intimate fate, and where her life
(, drifted to. So there were Ophalias b,
More like Audreys, he thought, 81
R wathed some rather uncou;h gambol
I in q corner. His eyes wandered 70
!. the room, and rested at last on a face
n 1t was an exquisite oval face, 50
what sad and wistful ia expression
that rare delicate olive color one So,
the south, with the skin OF SO iii
texture that the red flash springs
4 through the vein-tracsry at a
ment's excitement the large brown
4 were soft and dreamy, the chiseled IN
4 hair, looking black at night, was
II Greek fashion, close to the head, sW
II ing in undulatiug lines past the
A rose-tipped ears. She was seated
Il low sofa csrelessly clasping one knee
III both hands, She wore a simple '
i frock, just mysteriousiy ttilled rount
little white column OF throat, q
great blsck-rsd rose nestled in her Dr
OnA little high arnhad font II, r,
coiored nettled silk, kept swinging t
music. No one seemed to talk to he
Ri Dept the doctor, who smiled plesssn,
ri he passed and said something to y
she answered with a nod.
"0phelia st last, said Grayton TO
self and in melancholy vsin he W
he were Hamlet and could lie at he
and watch the play.
' Poor 0phelis divided from h
and her fair Judgment 2 =" (the q
ton was irresistible). 81 wonder
E sent her here-sOme brute Of a man
soldier lover killed at Kgssassin.
cious, hope this Meg Merrilles
going to ask me to dancei" and he q
away IS he saw wild eyed woman
ing down upon him, to y seat som,
nearer the pale girl with the blac
IN rose. ...-.#
Il For tins he watched her tn
IN tried to magnetic her. At last
III eyes met he stared her full in tn,
She never shrank from his look,
N. sort of plying light seemed to &
har sorrOWful eye5 A momant n