The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-27

| like an old-fashioned ogiye tower with an oriel
window near the peak. 1t was such face as
| one associates with Eremites and Anthonys-
J men who live most in their own mind. AS Aslrlc
| looked at the head. it became subtly fascinating
and he even felt himself longing to take sur
reptitous sketch of it as model for a Savanar-
| ola that he was meditating
mo Mr. Asiric Sterne. no man ever took his
| Own life. There is no need for that; murder is
cheaper, and for those who believe IN the future,
! far preferable
The artist began to feel his body twinge. 1t
wasn't fear it wasn't dread of any kind, but
| there was a nameless something's suggestion
! of purpose, too fathomless to penetrate. that
! fairly cowed the idle curiosity of the hrst mo-
| ments. yet, murder is, next to birth, the
most tremendous incident in the life OF a man.
| Think of it, Did you ever consider the divine
| nature of that act" Did you ever reflect, the
| immeasurable confidence the Creator had in
| man to intrust him with one of the functions or
| his own highest prerogatlve! ANY man that is
| born can release a soul from the trammels of
| the flesh All, wonderful. wonderful. most Won
| derfnl. You never thought of it in its majestic
! significance. And then consider: The blow
| that suspends the condition we call life; what
| does it do2 How do We know whether it sends
| the released spirit into another world or hastens
| its transmgration into another formg Have you
never felt strange recognition of persons. places
melodies and what not, that you could by no
earthly means nave seen beforeg
| He had arisen as this incredible rhapsody
reached the climax and uttered the words, like
an Orphic effgy-pulseiess. motioness, but with
eyes that transfixed the shrinking painter.
'However-we will. hope, have other oppor-
tunity of discussing this to me absorbing fas-
cinating theme. My real purpose in coming this
morning was to intrust you with the task of
| painting the picture l mentioned, but instead of
| the figure dead, l want you to present the as
| trologer executing the murder want you to
! fancy form benefitting the scene. The astro-
Logger, for example, displaying the symbol of the
star; you know the secret of the star In astrol-
ogy!'
| He came quite close to the dazed young man
as he asked this question and looked into his
startled eyes. ut is my freak-my fad, my mono
mania, or what you will, to perpetuate the won
drous power men have that make them only
ond to omnipotence9 Do you reflect that it
took the world 10. COO years between the killing
| of Abel and the coming of Moses to leave the
| potential gift God forgot to take from MANI You
painter of the first talent. l have studied
your work You have the secret of lineament,
hardly second to Rivera. Paint me pictures OF
| man numbering murdered-as others paint
love and ife Paint me my kind in that inspir
ing sacrifice. For each picture that shall catch
the hue and dye of death will pay you $l00."
But"
swat until am DONE For each picture I
will give 800. l will also give you the idea.
Begin with Wallenstein. Here. he added" tax
ing from his side pocket, ''are $50 in bank
notes You shall have the rest month from
to-day when the picture is completed. Could
have another cup of that inspiring coffee"
ConfuSeO-cOn1OunQou, ratner-AS1rlc IOOkeu
hopeessiy at the dying flames burning blue and
spectrally under the lamp. He got up to- carry
out the strange request, but stopped suddenly.
Il have no egg; without the egg. the coffee will
be thick and bad: if you will wait"
"Ahi That isn't needed. Let me show you.
We can make Turkish coffee, which takes grounds
and all. Give me something to pulverize the
grains"
This being readily mprovised, the coffee was
made. When it was ready, the stranger poured
the black savory liquid into the Sevres cup and
held it to Asiric. He swallowed it at a draught,
and the other drank more leisurely, the young
man felt sensation Of altogether noveleort
His blood flowed more swiftly in his veins His
brain began to work actively. The impulse to
paint came upon him overwhelmingly, irresisti
bly,. He caught up his crayon and began fever
ishly to sketch the outlines or the Wallenstein.
He drew the terrible scene in vigorous strokes
the visitor sitting with halfclosed eyes and
watching each movement
by the way, Asiric Sterne I haven't told you
my name
''you havn't told me the name"
My name is Damort Munde. A time will
come when you will remember that name"
1.-THE time will come" the painter repeated
mechanically, as in dream
1.-THE moons and the stars inhabit the same
heavens and move in the same orbit"
| His voice sounded like the vague echo of
| incarnation. Asiric repeated after the voice:
MOONS and stars move-move-" His chalk
| fell from his hand. He turned to look at the
! lips that uttered the words. The door was Just
closing. Damort Munde's yellow eyes were all
| he could see they transfxed him. and he turned
| again to the easel. By night the sketch was
ready for the canvas The painter went out
nearly borne down by physical exhaustion he
| had never known ever after drenching of cham
| payne and climb through the slippery mud to
| the hills. He tried to wonder the events
| of the morning, but he was conscious of OBJ
| truding spirit in him that argued and urged him
| to only the natural, the rational, if not the
| commonp lace-a freak of Damort Munde-
| man given to whims and with the money to
| crafty them. He felt in no humor for the
| noisy iocundity of Schoffs, and wandered to the
| Battery The place was gay with evening loiter
ers, and he dropped liStlessly into seat the
| green. Suddenly he felt rather than saw his
| patron near him. He cast quick glance about.
| Surely there was the dark green coat, the high
| black stock, the close cropped head-unusual in
those days. Damorts eyes were fastened upon
the painter as their eyes met; he made the
painter sign as if to wait. He turned to a
yelled figure beside him and said something,
then came to the young man. whose eyes
were fixed on the girl sitting alone on the bench.
1.-THE moon and the stars move together-ehl
| Il knew you were here half an hour ago. Moth
| ing supernatural, my boy. went to your attic,
| and finding you gone, / knew that after the
work of the day you would need Whit of sea
air. The moon controls the phenomena of the
| sea-"
| Asiric's eyes were immovably fixed on the de-
| serted figure on the seat beyond He nodded to
| the speech he had barely comprehended, and
said nothing. His interocutor slipped his arm
| through the painters.
Come, let us exercise the body-that pre-
serves the equilibrium Of the mind-a snless
soul must have healthfui body. Disease is the
secret of all crime"
He uttered these oracular epigrams in the tone
in which would say: "a stitch in time saves
nine-too early or too late is the trump of fate"
The young quilted his seat reluctantly, and
whenever the walk took them in the vicinity of
the yelled figure he cast furtve glances in that
direction. Dust settling down on the green,
and the crowd had thinned out good deal when
a registering crowd came halloong out of the inn
| opposite and struggled into the park A tipsy
young fellow, Haunting handkerchief shat
| looked like sheet in size. passed by the prom
enaders, shouting in drunken iocundty. Asiric