The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-09-17

tage, and the big Malthus-don't you
| knowP you used to call her the Nal
tese-and the beautiful Chapman. who
crushed all the young and old men al
the West end; and the blonde Farm
harm, who got up the picnic on that
Fourth of July, and fell into the water
while we were Grabbing and was pulled
out by the artist Ruggles, who made a
sketch OF her in her wet clothes-as
Ariadne. Do l remember? Can for
get Florence Berger, who SWAN like a
nautilus and was courted all through
the season by Jack Winterbottom, or
how they swan out to sea TO have their
trystP What's becumc of thom allF"
Married and settled"
''What, in two Inar~i'
'Oh, yes. KaIo Folgcr is widow.
You remember h.r? She had such a
voice. Shes iu Brazil. railroads or
something. 1t isn't near a4 jolly here
rs it used to be in the old times. Do
you think SOP"
Hardly. The sky isn't as blue, is
itP The sea isn't as bright. 1 was
noticing that, but didn't know it had
attracted Your attention"
Yes. Sometimes | have an idiotic
notion that I'd like 10 go down quietly
and dig in the sand again"
''Don't-thore are skeletons buried
there
81 know it People think they are
bits of shell. but they are bones. How
did You find it out?"
II watched the married women"
She started little.
"fell NO." said, ''about-"
mo names," she said, quickly. 81
know what you mean" Then, with q
woman's quick revulsion, she straight
ened up and half sang. half spoke the
lines OF coarse popular song, US if q
bit of rough frivol were the best de-
fense,
"Oh, he's all right!'
'Deadp"
Nonsense. Alive and hearty"
"And handsome as ever?"
80, yes He was at our last recep-
tion in Gramercy park. We had real
good hour, talking over old times"
'.Did you. indeedP"
"Yes. We got into the conservatory,
and he commenced in the same old
way, poor boy"
"How indiscreetr'
40, no; we laughed at it all. it's such
fun to 60 over ones follies. You know
how he rattles on. What o Jolly lark
our two summers were, he said, when
we strolled on that bank and swore
eternal love. How the sunset skies
grew into passion flowers of tropical
brightness for US, and the west famed
with celestial cities! And how rich we
were in golden hopes. and how oonti-
6ant I.o,.
Dorado you remember that day on
the Nipico river-alone do you remem-
Der my idiotic verses?' Yes 1 said.
4 can repeat every syllable and l
did. Let me see, this is the way it
went:
A breath of balsam,
bunch of clover,
A murmur of song where the brook fell down.
Tho clouds rolled by
And the birds sailed over,
And looked up and you looked down,
clasp of fingers,
little flutter,
A big drop tell on my hand like pain.
You smiled in your tears
And laughingly said it was only the rain.
A break of gold in the vines that Chamber
You said the sweet words that made you
mine;
And the ,un came out with flagon of amber
And drcnched the world with celestial wine.
30. it was too ridiculous, and we
both laughed there in the conservatory
like children again. You'll pardon me
for laughing ut it now, will you notP
These things have their humorous
side"
II will, indeed" l said; .'but the sea
mist is too heavy here; it is trickling
down your face. Let us go back"
Yes; my husband is waiting for
me-"
DO you admire comic poetry?" 1
asked, As she got up.
"Passionatcly."
''Then let ME quote the hackneyed
lines of that great humorist. Tennyson,
so that we can part with joke.
"What linesP"
The tender grace of a day that is dead
Win never come back TO me.
80 yes, it will," she said. Get
married and stop digging in the sand" I"
-Nym CripEle, IN Neso York World.