Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1886-03-12

ihB 10 recall my wandering thoughts
and return his hearty welcome with m
equal show of pleasure. l did feel In @
vague sort of way that his presence was
q godsond in the unhappy state 1 had
fallen into physically and mentally.
| You find me here en- route for home
after jtmkoting over half tho world.
Going home on the LAmerique In a
few days. Dcviish glad to see you,
| Russell, old boy; 1 am, indeed" Here
| made mighty effort to keep my eyes
upon my friend instead of letting them
wander to the fair vision looking down
from the canvas above us. 1t was inn
possible, and as my glance again rested
upon IL / found myself equally power
less to withdraw it, and the dim roaliza-
ton that was acting u part of an un-
mitigatcd idiot did not help matters in
the least. l felt myself rclapsng into
the bewildered rcvcric from which had
been aroused when Russcll's voice again
spoke;
al say, Matthews, you re not looking
rs fresh as daisy nor as rugged rs an
oak; too much Sightseeing and pleasure
seeking, perhaps, ch?"
Here my morcilcss molar, as though
angry at the brief respite it hadgranted
me from torture, gave q sudden growl
that made me vince, while dentist
with all his implements Of horror floated
spectcr-likc between me and my beauti-
full vision. | turned almost angrily
upon Russell rs l exclaimed: ''I am
quite well, although neither daisy nor
an oak; have a slight cold, perhaps; in
fact, am suffering with neuralgia to,
which, you know, | am victim. It's
a wretchcd disease; upscts ones nerves
feartully."
knew was lying coward, but If
had not known it Russcll's Economical
smile and another jerk from my aching
tooth would have brought me to an cX-
aspcrating consciousness of it. could
have struck my friend across his hand
some smiling face in my pain and rage,
but controlled the impulse and man
aged to divert his attention to the pic
ture. Before he had returned to me
again l had slyly whiskcd from my vest
pocket and hastily swallowed another
morphine powder and faced him with
forced complaisance.
We both turned our eyes to the por-
trait again as my friend asked, banter
ingly: HAS this fair, inanimato crea-
turc awakened fresh flame in your
sensitive breast, Matthews? You were
apparently spellbound before it when ]
came in, and stood at your elbow for
fully fifteen minutes before l dared re-
mind you of my presence"
only looked into the beautiful face
full of dreamy love light with conflict
ing emotion such as had never known
face to face with any woman in the
actual, living world. A strange fasci-
nation had taken possession of me,
mingled with feeling longing to know
the original, if one existed, and fool
ish, unreasonable jealousy, as | read
over and over the tracing in the frost
work, which, struggle rs / would, L
could not subdue. / was furthermore
conscious that Russell was regarding
me with mingled glances of curiosity,
anxiety and sympathy. This only in
creased the strange sensations that had
taken possession of me, and it was only
by powerful effort that / could COM
mand myself sufficiently to frame a few
intelligent sentences. l managed to
answer: "a burned child breads the
fire, and my many contacts with fresh
flames have made me cautious. But
do you know any thing of this picture?
The SUBJECTS wondrously beautiful, and
the picture itself superb work of art. :"
l listened for Russell to answer with
such poor Indifference rs / fancied was
assuming.
81 can only tell you that it is the por-
trait OF one of our own fair country
women. She was not much of Il belle
or beauty, believe, until she came over
here and received her credentials to the
honor. Since she has been the rage
heie for several seasons, American re-
ports are painting her glories and tri-
umphs in gorgeous colors, so she will
go back to New York to begin new
reign as social belle and beauty. Queer
fish, we Americans
In this strain Russell ratified on un-
needed. cared only to hear and know
that this strange sorceress before me
had living, breathing counterpart in
the world, here in Paris. Perhaps |
should see and know her. My blood
grew hotter and lcaped more wildly
through my throbbing veins at the
thought. Common sense made a
mighty effort to assert itself once more
and then gave it up, leaving me and my
absurd but uncomfortable fancies in full
possession of heart and brain; an un-
reasoning worshiper at unknown, silent,
unconscious shrine. A feeling of Jealous
rage put to flight for the moment or
absorbed all the more tender emotions
within me as my eye wandered again
to the incomplete sentence on the frosted
window-pane. Its significance could
not be misunderstood in the light OF
those tenderly smiling lips and half
yelled eyes. The thoughts that took
possession of me seemed to make my
wildly y-fluttering heart stand still and to
chill the hot throbbing of pulse and
brain with sensations so strange and
sudden that for moment l believed
Russell was right and that was really
ILL.,. framed the words at last: ''Do
you know her?"
~ knew her in New York several
years ago, but have not seen her since
she became Partisan celebrity"
"Her name?" gasped.
"Pcric Perfume. See, we have it,"
Russell answered. pointing to my cata-
logue. "'No. 80, Peerless Perle.
could not distinguish word line,
but the sound of my friends voice fell
upon my ear rs though it were to en-
grave the words it uttered indelibly in
my memory. ''No use, my boy" said
he, wasting your sweetness or doing
the pathetic in that direction. The
Perle has been the ailianced of Law.
renee Ashmore-you remember him
since she left offpinafores and pantalcts
hear she has had royal admirers
and would-bc lovers without number
but none thus far have been able to in
terrupt the course of true love which
would run smoothly enough but for the
old lady-aunt, i believe--whose prote'
get she is She is also to be her heir
css, provided this American lover car
be superseded by some one more to tho
old guafdian's idea of suitable match
Ashmore, you know, is every way de
sirabhe in an American sense, but ;
titled lover is what the old lady is am
bilious to secure for her Perle. This,
| an, told annnunta for har hninu knn