The Arizona sentinel., 1885-12-19

went to her dressing-case
 "1 must make a confession, she said, suddenly turning and displaying in her hand small bottle, which she had taken from a drawer. I must tell you that am a confirmed opium-eater. I acquired the habit some years ago, when i'll and taking morphine as a medicine, and 1 have never been able to break it of. feel the need of the drug at this moment, and fear the pain of the op- eration of tattooing. But Ishall soon be beyond the reach of pain.
 ''So saying, she filled the hollow of her palm with morphine from the bottle and swallowed the huge dose at once with the aid of little water taken from glass.
 "1 wish you to stay,' she resumed, until am fully under the influence of the drug, and then proceed with your work precisely as l have directed. It will be an hour or more before the drug takes full effect
 ''Then she threw herself upon the bed, and 1 watched her silently from my chair. She lay quietly for a long time with her eyes fixed on the ceiling, but by and by the lids dropped over the great black eyes, and the long lashes lay on the marble cheeks, and she slept; but it was not a healthful sleep. She scarcely seemed to breathe, and I could perceive only the faintest movement of the white robe across her breast as it slightly rose and fell. It seemed like the sleep of death. At length l arose. and, arranging my tools and colOrs, went carefully to work. It was fully an hour, and perhaps two, before my task was done, for took the utmost pains. But through it all she made not the smallest movement nor uttered the slightest sound. At last the work was done, and I arose and looked around me. The lamp still burned brightly, and the little clock on the mantel licked briskly. Just as my eye fell upon it it struck three with peculiar, soft, far-off sound like distant cathedral chime. I can not tell why, but kind of terror seized me. 1 stared about me and lis tened, but heard no sound save the tick ing of the clock. Then realized where 1 was, and a dozen fears suggested themselves to me. Who was this woman? Was she married or single? Was this trick to entrap me? Had she taken too large a quantity of the drug, and was she dead or dying? 1 shook her slight ly, but her hand dropped limp upon the bed. It was long past midnight, and I was in an unfamiliar part of the city. Had she husband or brother who would bounce upon me in 9 moment2 If she was dead would be held responsible? I glanced at the silent form upon the bed, and then, packing up my tools, hurried ly left the house.
 ''The next afternoon, while working in the museum, chanced to look up, and my heart leaped to my mouth, for before me stood the lady of the night be- fore, her great lustrous eyes gazing down upon me. Calling me aside, she commended my work, paid me gener- ously and disappeared. I have never seen her since"
 s'It is said that ladies often have the initials or monograms of their lovers placed upon their arms?n was sug- gested.
 ''Oh, frequently! They often come in their carriages and have it done. Once I put the words Dear Harry on a young lady's arm.'
 ''Do they ever come afterward and wish it erased or changedo'
 "Oh, often. l had curious case once. A very pretty and stylish young lady came here in a Herdic cab. She said she had left her carriage standing near the Public Garden and had taken the Herdic to avoid notice She wanted the initial 'P' in fancy letter placed upon the top of her shoulder. "
 You see, she explained, P stands for Paul, the-the gentleman whom T. I am to marry. don't want it where it will show, of course; but put 1t just where the shoulder band will cover it when I am in full dress. Make it blue, shaded with red
 ''She screamed a little when the needle made the first prick, but she soon discovered that the pain was insie enifi- cant, and the work was soon done to her satisfaction.
 S How pleased he will be- she said, when it was over. But he shan't see it until after we are married, she added, as she went out.
 "A few months afterward Herdic stopped at the door and the same lady alighted and entered You see. she explained, with a very slight blush, that the gentleman whose initial you put on my shoulder doesn 't-doesn't come any more, and want it changed. Do you think-do you think you could change it to BP'
 Oh, yes, said l; that can be done very easily
 '' You see this gentleman's name is Bashford, and I thought you could change it easily
 ''So changed the to B, and put on few fiourishes, and she left. I thought had seen the last of her, until few months ago she came again and blushed in earnest.
 We'll said I, laughing, must I change it again! What is his name now?'
 |" His name is Mortimer, and ohi we are to be married next week, and my dress and veil are all done, and agn afraid of making him angry, for he knows nothing of the others Do you think you could change the B to an M.'
 |" That would be impossible, said I, but can cover the letter over with some other design, if you would like that
 "'No, I shouldn't like that. It wouldn't mean anything, she said, look ing almost ready to cry. Then suddenly she looked up and cried out: Oh, have it. I just dote on Beethoven and so does be- I'll let the B stand for Beethoven and you shall put on the first two meas ures of his sonata in A minor. Won't that be nice?'
 ''Seizing pencil, she marked staff