The National tribune., 1886-10-14
} DREAMER.
Poor James Bonds SOrrOwful Dis
illuSiOniZing.

40 whom the casual smile OF a woman changed
the whole tenor of his existence. de met her
In Mestbourne Grove, one Autumn afternoon
and Though she smiled not at him, hut at an
old crossing sweeper who was thanking her
with excessive volubility for siNpence, yet
her beautiful face was so charged with sweet
ness that there arose within him new sensa-
fiou which he could not define.
"Can this be love-" he asked himself gazing
earnestly after the graceful figure disappear
ing around the corner. PshaW! ~ il aDsuro'
don't even know her name"
He continued his walk more slowly toward
Kensington Gardens, where he was accustomed
10 go for his daily constitutional.
"Mhat Is love?n he proceeded. bnly
the dOvetailing Of angles-the meeting OF
extremes: therefore dependent upon the Logical
faculties which alone can classify, separate ana
unite. Consequently, withoutthorongh known
edge love is impossible. Yet her smile was
sweet--yes, il certainly was very sweet Az
the Thought of that exquisite vision the dul
gray ewes frightened, and the sallow, careworn
face wore peculiarly soft expression.
Bond rented lOdgngs-dingy rooms, Uttered
with books aud papers, from which ms lana-
lady was forbidden TO remove the dust lie
was seldom there, however, for he hNed IN
dreams the construction Of which occupied
most of his time TO the exclusion OF more sold
work. Why should he work he himself dld
not see the need, for the proceeds OF fellow
shin supplied him with food and books III his
clothes were shabby il was from want OF Thought
rather than from want of means A TALL gaunt,
black bearded man, with rounded shoulders,
he went about Ikea scarecrow, most tempting
object for the small boys in the neighborhood
20 pelt with Jokes aud orange peel
Walking homeward through back street ne
met a number of them just turned loose from
a board school They were engaged Ia tor
menting a cat held firmly by string round as
neck AT another time Bond would have gone
swiftly hy anxious only TO escape to peace and
ouetnoss, but now il was diforent-wby, he
could not tell. Some causes are too subtle Tor
analysis.
INV good children" he said, advancing
nervously, "you shouldn't do that, you know"
They turned aud faced him, dubious group
ready 10 assail or flee, according as he showed
weakness on strength.
"Why do you beat the unfortunate animalf"
hepursued.
Zoos it's mine" replied the ed-headed young
urchin who held the string.
Highly illogical, my boy"
"Findn's is keepins, you know, guv'nor.
Master wollops me, SO j wollops my cat"
Human, no doubt, but not humane" said
Bond with a smile. "Will you sell it2"
They opened their eyes and grinned at one
another. After pause the young spokesman
demanded: " say, guy nor, what'll yer give y
Ten shillings. See, here they are. lis that
enough"
Needless to say the bargain was struck on the
spot. Bond paid the money, put the cat under
his arm, and walked of, followed by yells OF
laughter In his threadbare clothes he GER
tainly looked an unganly figure at any time,
but the struggles of the sleek and handsome
tabby TO free herself from his embrace made
him more than usually remarkable object
Now, why did i buy this creature9" he
n. ~ eli np
sole mOtive2 No; each act is the resultant OF
two OF more forces. Though the comparison
may be carried too far, the cat naturally sug-
gests woman; she is the old maid companion
why not the old bachelors as well2 i am
lonely. There we get TO the bottom of the
matter-selfshness under the guise of bench
cence. Not quite the bottom, however; why
more lonely to-day than yesterday But stay
only fool searches for first causes. All, yes
her smile was very sweet"
Though the weather was by no means cold
he had fire lighted in his sitting room, IN ordel
that his new pet should enjoy the cheerful
blaze Abundantly provided with milk, the
cat soon made herself quite at home. Her
master, after silently contemplating her for l
few minutes, let his thoughts wander away int
the realms of fancy.
He had already given a name 10 the Fair I'm
known, and that name was Eulalie-the pref
tiest one he could think of. he depicted he
in her home, surrounded by smiling faces
father mother, sisters, brothers-all uniting
TO render homage TO the beautiful Eulalie; ant
then lac saw her in another home no less happy
himself her yis-a-yis and sole admirer. Some
how or other the cat purring on the hearth-rul
at his feet seemed TO be a link between them
IL was absurd, no doubt; he tried 10 struggl
back into more rational mood-but all in vain
he seemed TO have drfted into another spher
IN which reason WAS unknown.
Next morning Bond went out into the Grow
again. De was out of sorts, he told himself
and wanted a walk badly. And yet he lingeI
ed among the shops, looked absently into tn
windows and with furtive anxiety at th
passers by. But of sudden he turned scarle
for on the other side Of the street was Eulali
IA queonly woman, tall and stately, charm
ingly dressed, with fringe of dainty littl
brown curls on her forehead, and face like a
angels People turned TO look at her as sh
went by; had they bowed down before he
Bond would scarcely have felt surprised. Sh
was attended by a couple of handsome men
one deferential, the other more Obseryant of I'll
sights around Her brothers," commente
BOND, who had squeezed himself into doorwa.
and peeped timidly at her over the bonnets
two elderly ladies. AS each passing cab mOmen
arily shut her out from his sight his breat
came fast and thick; he almost feared lest
should never behold her again. he saw b,
chtci bhoii auu presently CUNT oub agar
Quite unconscious Of the existence Of h
shabby admirer, she proceeded on her way al
soon disappeared in the crowd.
Then with the desperate courage which
perhaps most common in timid men, Boz
plunged into the shop and asked the assistal
her name.
You mean the lady who was looking
these glOvesf" inquired the dapper yout
pansing in his task of returning them TO Il
box in order to stare with evident amuscme
at his questioner
"The LADY," repeated Bond, absently. The
was but one In the whole world for him. "Y,
yes, of course"
Il don't know her name, sir"
Bond looked disappointed. But seeing pa
OF gloves which had just been tried on
bounced upon them eagerly. What was u
strange thrill that went through and throuj
him? The touch Of q vanished hand
sympathy Surely lac was travelling the TO
of knowledge.
want pair Of gloves" he said, "The
will DO very nicely"
They are ladies', sir" suggested the ASST
ant
"oh, they'll do. My hands are not larg
He bushed as he spoke, for they were huge
Shall put them in paper, sir2"
Paper Yes, wrap them up carefully Clio,
arc apt 10 be soiled in the pocket"
10 was not very rational act he had Il
committed, aud yet he contriyed 20 cover
neatly with little pTetenses and SO disguise
real purport. Was not he a student of hum
naturct and was not the hand an index
character and was not the glove an index
the HANDY Here, then he starting at
beginning OF things az became a sound philo
pher So for the purpose Of his study he L
the gloves on the table before him aud rive