The Osceola times., 1884-08-23
A VANISHING EFFECT.
ErrIE ROGERS.

a VAN lSdlNG EcCECI.
ErrIE ROGERS.
Two PERSONS man and girl-were
walking slowly down . picturesque and
precipitous path beside mountain tarn
that was set like glistening purple gem
deep in ridge of emerald wood, and
among peaks, all gold in the Summer
sunshine.
The girl was a trim, sedate and pretty
young creature, with the calm features
Of Madonna, large and meditative dark
eyes, and dark hair that was smoothly
knotted beneath graceful alpine hat.
Her neat figure was clothed in some
servicesble gray fabric, and her small
feet were strongly shod; she carried too
q fanciful staff, and q leathern strap
crossed one pretty shoulder, and sup
ported leathenl bag at her slim waist.
Altogether there was something about
her that suggested the scrupulous and
the independent, and perhaps also the
prim and the opinionated.
Her companion was tall and blonde,
and muscular, with dreamy brown eyes,
and Q womanish chin. His luxurious
moustache was fastidiously waxed and
perfumed, and he wore exceedingly
modish garments, and he had the inde-
6nably irreproachable presence of per-
sonage whom society delighted to favor.
As the two slowly descended, chatting
in desultory and harmonious fashion,
the young man abruptly stopped, with
an expression of sudden and intense in
terest in those dreamy eyes, which were
fixed toward little hollow beneath
them.
"Who is she, Annie? do you know
that lady on the bank below us?" he
asked the girl beside him.
She glanced in the direction indicated
but she perceived only an empty green
hollow, a blank wall of rustling leaves
and solitary Wild bird perched in song
less silence on huge bare boulder.
"Why, Al, see nobody at ALL" she
said
You did not see her because she has
gone. She vanished" he murmured,
with regret that was almost grotes que,
like vision, or figure in mirage.
shall wonder presently do beautiful genii
inhabit these unscaled peaks and unex-
plored forests, or If there be some en-.
chanting naiad of the tarn to allure and
elude the sight"
Annie drew her madonna brows to-
gether in pretty frown of distaste at
his little rhapsody she was much too
prim and practical to encourage any
proclivities for exaggerated sentiment or
enthusiasm of fancy.
"And l should wonder presently if
your WITS have gone wandering" she
said, in her clear and placid tones. al
am really inclined to doubt that YOU
saw anybody"
"Ah but did, indeed. And there
she is again." he returned, lifting his
large soft hand with an admonitory pest
ure toward sunny gap in the shadowy
frs. "Do you not see her now? She
has come--and again gone" he conclud-
ed, 30 disappointedly that the girl frown.
ed again, and with the least perceptible
scorn.
Il saw only an ordinary mortal dres-
sed rather elegantly in vanishing effects
of blue and yellow" she said, in her
quiet and uncompromising way.
81 fear you will be obliged to enlight.
en- me-" he remarked pleasantly. 81 do
not coSceive what you may mean by
vanishing effects in the clothes one
wears"
II mean," she instructed him, the
frown changing TO smile, that the
fabric itself is shot and shaded with diff.
ferent colors that brighten or fade away
in different lights. "And," she said
playfully, "your mysterious rambler
among the frs yonder see ms not unlike
the colors she wears she appears only
to vanish and then appear again. But
absolutely believe, Al, that her vanish.
ing effects have bewitched you"
He checked her playful raillery by an
other gesture of his soft and shapelv
hand.
There she is again." he said in sort
Of ecstatic whisper. did you ever be-
hold any human thing so fair:"
And she was fair indeed-this strange
stroller-with her perfect face, her eyes
of dazzling blue, her stately and slender
shape. Her golden hair glittered and
elaned bsneafA = immense white hat
= nshs goeed thesa hall n the shsdo v