The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1884-06-05
OPnELIA,.
Milne Farmer.

You are:very welcome to come to our
ball, though as rule, we only ask a
certain set of wise men and maidens
who know our ways and their ways:
Still, you are good looking, humorous
ind CHEEKY; and if younre sensible you
can enjoy yourself, and, maybe, do them
aworld of good. believe in electricity
rs curative agent-not the quack non
sense of belts and chains and musical
boxes, that only shake the rerve CEN
les, but the real electricity Of animal
pirits, the tonic of good health"
II shall do exactly as I am Did," said
Lord Grayton, a handsome, ford, mus
eular young man, strong as horse,
bouyant as q balloon, just back after 8
self imposed exhile of five years in In
>'ia with the big game. -: >..,;.,
care you quite sure of that ?" said the
doctor, grimly; "the rule is simple. Be
civil and don't contradict. Hold Crack:
ton asks you to play chess, play. He's
a good player, and will beat you fairly
if he can; if he can't he'll make false
. move and call 'checkmate, and you must
resign. If poor Smoky thinks you are
the Prince, and 'Sirs' you all over the
place, and throws out hints about being
asked to Sandringham; if you are asked
l., listen to the Ginning clock in Bakers
interiors, or to avoid some one else be-
cause he's glass and might break, you
must do your best to be courteous to
them all, and on no account laugh at
their fancies."
Sounds rather jumpy. And the
ladics9'
III see to that and introduce you to
the incest, and tell you what to avoid
speaking about. The men will make
Tho talking for themselves, the women
don't talk much
Sign of insanity, suppose. And
what am l to talk about.
Everything save some one thing
tho Empress of Austria, or the stage,
or white roses, or Mr. Mallock, or black
stockings. I'll give you the cue-never
fear; only it may happen that one Of
them will ask you to dance, and then
you must steer as best you can-talk
, society or art on chance. My own girls
and their friends get on famously with
the male patients, and you must be off
and dress; nine sharp, mind, as they all
90, to bod at, midnight" *,
Gray had many strange adventures
that evening as he strolled about the
pretty ballroom at the Copswood pri-
vate asylum. He was duly defeated at
chess by the venerable Crackton, who
deliberately slid back captured queen
on the board, and performed progidies
of valor with her. He sympathized with
the gentleman who had swallowed a
crocodile, and he noticed the pale,
cadavero1s man who amused himself by
counting the lights on each side of the
room and singing softly to himself,
Sorry 1 can't admit it, sorry I can't adj
init it - He had been an acrostic editor
once upon TIME. He noticed the fussy
little man with pale-blue shaver face;
who wanted to stage manage the sixteen
Lancers, and who piteously entreated
the dancers to Ego back over all that
again, please, and try and get It crisp
cr;" and the cratic journalist who wrote
paragraphs on his shirt cuffs, and many
other strange folks that passed by in
tn" motley pageant of unsettled reason,
There's King Lear," whispered the
doctor, "as very foolish, fond old man,
fourscore and npwards,"'' passed them
muttering of brighton A's"; "yoQ
know who he was?" and he whispered
a name in Grayton's ear that made that
nolleman whistle softly. -.
'And are there any Ophclias, whose
young maids wits should he as mortal
as an old mans life?' asked Grayton,
showing that he knew his SHAKESPEARE as
we'll as the doctor. :,
eyes, but we keep their secrets. Now
go and Dance and the doctor took
King Lear off for cup Of coffee.
SO there were Ophelies here! More
\, Eko Audreys, he thought, as he watched
some rather 'incouth gamboling IN the
corner: His eyes wandered round the
room, and at last rested on face.
It was an exquisite oval face, some
what sad and wistfrll in expression, Of
that rare delicate olive color one sees
in the South, with skin of so fine a
texture that tho red flush springs up
through the vein tracery at moments
excitement; the large brown eyes were
soft and dreamy, the chiselled mouth
was half parted and the dark brown
hair, looking black as night, was worn
Greek fashion, close to the head; sweep
ing in 1ndulating lines past the tiny rose
tipped ears. She was seated on a low sofa,
carelessly clasping one knee with. both
hands. she wore a. simple white frock,
just mysteriously frilled round the little
white column of throat, and great
black-red rose nestled in her breast.
One little higharched foot, in peach net
ted silk, kept swinging to the music.
No one seemed to talk to her except the
4doctor, who smiled pleasantly as he
passed her and said something to which
she answered with a nod =
"Ophelia at last" said Grayton to
himself; and in melancholy vein he
wished he were Hamlet and could lie at
her feet and watch the play.
"Poor Ophelia! divided from herself
and her fair Judgment" (the quotation
was irresistible). II wonder what sent
her here-some brute of a man, or a
soldier lover killed at Kassassin. Gra-
cious! I hope this terrible Meg Mer-
rides is not going to ask nee to dance!"
and he moved away, as he saw Wild
eyed woman bearing down upon him, to
a seat somewhat nearer the pale girl
with the black red rose::
For time he watched her; then he
tried to magnetic her. At last their
eyes met; he stared her full in the face.
She never shrank from his look, only
sort of pitying light seemed to glow in
the sorrowful eyes. A moment passed,
and then she rose quietly and with per-
feet self-possessed grace walked over to
him-to his intense establishment sat
down quietly by his side, and said in q
soft musical voice:
"You seem sad tonight; am sorry"
For moment he was tongue-tied;
then he recollected his instructions and
, pulled himself together.
"Well, 1 think I was sad because you