The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1884-02-26

The little boy used to kiss is dead
Translated from the German expressly the FLoRI-
DIAN by Fauntine Netter.l
FRIEND IN NEED.
Alfred and Emil were true and self
sacrificing friends The strange dissimi-
larity Of character seemed to be the
ground work of their strong and peculiar
friendship, for while Emil saw in his
friend his ideal of all that was strong and
manly, Alfred loved his weak Emil with
that pure and noble affection, with that
tenderness which we are accustomed to
bestow on representative Of the weaker
sen
After this friendship had existed tor
many years, and had brought to both un-
clouded happiness, there came time
when Alfred, with growing concern, no.
ticed peculiar melancholy in Emil which
had never showed itself before The cheer
tul, careless words no longer fell from his
lips, his bright, healthy humor seemed
suddenly to have beceme exhausted
Without worrying himself to find out
stcalthily what allied his friend, Alfred
one evening seized Emil by the hand,
and, pressing him down on sofa, said
shortly:
"Confcss ~
81 am to confess - said Emil with as-
sumed astonishment. "What do you
think | am trying to conceal that I must
confess to you?
Emil, you know have never tried to
force myself into your confidence, and
certainly shall not begin now. If you
can tell me what oppresses you, do so if
however you think you had better not,
shall not feel hurt at your silence"
Every glance, every nervous movement
of Emil's, showed that he was miserable,
and yet it seemed impossible for him to
ronfide in his friend.
AS he sat there, silently lost in thought,
Alfred began to sorrow over their broken
confidence. He was about to turn away
-dejection being imprinted on his coun-
tenance - when Emil, suddenly aroused
from his reverie, convuIsively seized Al
fred by the arm, and drawing him toward
him said, painfully:
Alfred, ] am in lOvew
90, your poor old boy" cried Alfred
with returning cheerfnlness, What must
hear? Well: your conduct has made me
suspect that; but who would be down
cast for little love: Tell me who the
fair one is who has succeeded in so COM
pletely upsetting you
"Do not laugh, Alfred, you will soon
comprehend the hopelessness of my love.
| love-our prima donna, Miss b."
so, you poor old boy" said Alfred
again, but in quite different tone.
"True, it is little bad, but l will think
over your trouble and then we will pur-
sue the subject further"
The next morning. after careful toilet,
Alfred hastened to the prima donna. He
found her reclining on an ottoman, from
which, at his entrance, she slightly raised
herself, and with slight wave of the
hand invited him to draw nearer.
For the first time Alfred comprehended
how beautiful and fascinating Miss B. was.
She was perfect child of art, kissed and
ordained by the MUSES., with lovely fea
lures, dark, glowing eyes, and a manner
so exquisite in itself that it was with
difficulty that Alfred could assume his
easy, natural style of conversation. He
told her of his friends great love for her,
even grew eloquent in his behalf, and
closed with the urgent request that she
would not entirely forbid him to address
her
81 am sorry for your friend" began the
cantatrice, if his love for Inc is really so
violent as you have pictured, but l can
give him no hope for the future, even
though it grieves me to know that have
been the cause of another's suffering.
can give you nothing for your friend but
receipt-though bitter yet a medicine
which will effect certain cure. Here it is,
already prepared.'
She took from a package of printed
cards one, and silently handed it to Al
fred. He scarcely glanced at it when his
eyes fell, and with few words of thanks
he hastily withdrew from her presence
This card had a terrible effect on Emil.
As his eyes fell on the card he sank sense
less in the strong arms Of Alfred. These
were the words he read
g Baron S. and Miss b. present hem
selves as betrothed."
A month later Alfred with his friend,
who was just convalescing from an attack
of brain fever, were making their way to
Italy. This land with its lovely climate
was to produce perfect cure of both
mind and body.
They visited beautiful Venice, and the
which they here received
we're so pleasant that Alfred, from Emil's
almost cheerful countenance, hoped tn t
be was beginning to forget. But it was
to be otherwise
They visited all the great cities, and at
last Italy's pearl, Florence.
They found the city in great excite
ment over some unknown cantatrice who
was to make her debut that night. Little
was known except that she was canta-
trice OF the fir order, and that if she
pleased her audience she would make an
engagement which should last for some
time.
Our friends wished to hear this cele-
brated cantatrice, and the evening found
@ho,c so.toA in the first row of the the.