The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-06-11
A ROMANCE OF BROADWAY.


~ have earned three shillings,
York, this blessed afternoonr' ex-
claimed, with Unsurpassed exultation,
as / threw down my pen, which l had
been diligently using for four hours q
was penning "an article" for certain
monthly" dear reader), pushed my
closely-written manuscripts from me,
and took yellow cigar from my hat,
which have made my chief pocket
since my fifth year, the time, l believe,
when my discriminating parents ex-
changed my infant cap for the manly
castor. Three York shillings have |
made this blessed day, heaven be thank
ed, and now can conscientiously take
a little tease in mine inn! Whereupon
ignited my cigar with self-enkind-
ling apparatus, a gift from my consid-
crate landlady-pray heaven she
charges it not in her bill--to save her
candles, and ascending the three steps
to my window, seated myself in my
accustomed chair, and forthwith pro-
ceeded to speculate on things external.
1t was that calm, lovely time, which is
wont to usher in the twilight of q sum.
mer evening. The roll of wheels in
Broadway beneath me was ceaseless.
Bright forms flashed by in gay car
riages! The happy, the gallant, the
beautiful, were all forth to take the
air on the fashionable evening drive!
Why was l not with the cavalcade?
Where was my Rosinante? Where was
my establishments" Echo answered
"where?" pulled away silently and
vigorously for few seconds, as these
mental queries assailed me; and, bless
ed soother of the troubled, oh, in
comparable cigar! my philosophy re-
turned.
Diagonally opposite to my window
stands one of the proudeSt structures
on Broadway. 1t is costly with stone
and marble, lofty porticos and colon
nades. The editice first attracted my
attention by its architectural beauty,
and eventually fixed it by mystery,
that seemed, to my curious eye, to be
surrounding one of its inmates!
A lady Of dazzling beauty was an in
mate of that mansion, and, for aught |
know to the contrary, its only inmate.
Every afternoon, arrayed in simple
white, with flower or two in her hair,
she was seated at the drawing room
window, gazing out upon the gay spec
tacIe Broadway presents of a pleasant
afternoon. saw her the first moment
took possession of my dormant nook,
and was struck with her surprising
loneliness. Every evening l paid dis
tant homage to her beauty. Dare q
poor scribbler, mere penny-a-li liner,
aspire to o nearer approach to such a
divinity, enshrined in dollars and
centsP No! worshiped like publ
can, afar off. "Tis distance lends en-
chantment to the view But she was
not destined to be worshiped by all.
One afternoon she was at the window,
with gilt-leaved volume in her hand,
when gentleman of the most grace
full bearing rode past my window. He
was well mounted and sat upon his
horse like an Arabian! He was what
the boarding school misses would call
an elegant fellow! well-bred man
of the world, remarkably handsome
man! Tall, with q fine oval face,
black, penetrating eye, and mustache
upon his lip, together with fine figure
and the most perfect address, he was,
what | should term, captivating man.
His air, and certain indescribable
CONNIE il fault, bespoke him gentle
man. As he came opposite her window
his eye, as he turned it thither, became
fascinated by her beauty! How much
loveler really lovely creature APP
pears when seen through plate glass!'
Involuntarily he drew in his spirited
horse, and raised his hat. The action,
the manner, and the grace, were inim-
liable. At this unguarded moment the
hind wheel of rumbling omnibus
struck his horse in the chest. The an
imal reared high, and would have fall
en- backward upon his rider, had he
not with wonderful presence of mind
stepped quietly and gracefully out of
the stirrups to the pavement, as the
horse, losing his balance, fell violently
on his side. The lady, who had wit
messed with surprise the involuntary
homage of the stranger, for such, from
her manner of receiving it, he evident
ly was to her, started from her seat
and screamed convulsively. The next
moment he had secured and remount-
ed his horse, which was only slightly
injured by the fall, acknowledged the
interest taken in his mischance by the
fair being who had been its innocent
cause (unless beauty were a crime) by
another bow, and rode slowly and COM
posedly onward, as if nothing unusual
had occurred. The next evening the
carriage was at the door of the man
sion. The liveried footman was stand
ing with the steps down, and the ham
die Of the door in his hand. The
coachman was on the box. | was, as
usual, at my window. The street door
opened, and with light step the grace
1ul form of my heroine came forth and
descended to the carriage. At that mo-
ment (some men are surely born under
the auspices Of more indulgent stars
ihan others) the stranger rode up and
bowed with ineiiable grace, and (bless-
cd encounter that, with the omnibus
Wheel his bow was acknowledged by
IN inclination of the superb head, and
smile that would make man of any
soul seek accidents sin the cannon 3
mouth" He rode slowly forward and
in n few gncnpdc ,ho oo,.;,o.a 81. a :