Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-05-01

DRY. I could scarcely believe I had not been
the victim OF an Authorization. But the longing
In my heart when / thought OF Bertha con-
minced me that something more real and per
at the bottom OF it. He who has never tasted
anything but milk will hardly thirst for wine.
with the sun. and taxed the faith OF our house
maid who was washing down the sidewalk,
VIII the announcement that was bent on ma
direction of 10th street. and, sauntering past the
| scene Of the nights exploit corroborated my
stone house with door-plate, Guedalla.
In the course of the ensuing week sum-
moned my audacity and not, It must be &C
knowledged, without considerable trepidatfOn,
paid my party call. Unspeakable was my re-
lief when saw that they did not know me for
eral mutual friends tended to dissipate any in
ward doubts that they may have entertained
OF course lavisbed most OF my attention upon
Bertha; and recurring to the topic OF our former
dialogue, NO." she said, 81 cannot yet remem-
Der. Nor is the feeling of familiarity with it
was a mere delusion. such mistakes are so
very common"
How after that called again; how I slowly
Guedalla household; how day by day became
more and more irretrievably in love with
Bertha; how as the reward of long waiting,
began to discern sparks Of a responsive senti-
ment In her own deep eyes; and how finally
one summer evening we dared to confess our
love, have neither the space nor the DISPOSE
ton to record. Eventually presented myself
before Mr.. Guedalla in his study as sutton tor
his daughters hand.
He listened attentively, ancouraging me by
numerous mods and cOnf1rmatory interjections,
and when had at length pulled the rein upon
and said: sYou have spoken nobly, Mr. Morton.
and thank you. / could not wish Bertha q
better husband than she will have in you. You
have spoken also with a frankness which will
strive to emulate. You have kept nothing back,
nor shall !. There is something about Bertha's
history OF which even she herself is ignorant,
Vnrv n xvn n RIGHT RI
know"
The exasperating gentleman suspended his
discourse just at this trying passage, and con-
sumed an eternal interval in rolling a cigarette
Blowing stream of smoke through his nos
triis ne continued, You must know, Mr.. Nor,
Ton, ana l confde 1t to you in the most rigid
privacy, that Bertha is not our own daughter.
She is adopted"
He leaned back in his chair and regarded
me as II to reckon the consequence OF his It'd
ings.
"Indeed?" answered. "Well?"
An, you take it manfully!' he cried, 81 was
sure it would make no difference. You love her
just as well?"
Better, thousand times BETTER" assured
him eagerly. "Now that she has no father or
ing than before"
"Ah, pardon me-" he interposed. "but she has
iatnef ana mother. We are hers truly as
though we had given her birth. She must never
Know to the contrary. Remember, pledged
you 10 secrecy before l spoke
For that matter, sir, my desires coincide
with your own. 1t would only pain her to know
Precisely. But to resume Bertha is now
one ana twenty. Sixteen years ago my wife
ana were In Vienna One day we visited the
imperial protectory in the suburbs There we
were impressed by the extreme beauty of one
| OF the little girls. We questioned the guardian
about her parentage but he could give us no
Satisfaction. A few months since, he said, the
police had found her wandering in the streets.
Their best efforts had been fruitless to trace her
aIh.ecedents. My wite's interest grew so strong
snat we ended by paying the ransom eXacted
| by the Austrian law and taking her away. We
named nam her Bertha for our own child, who had
oleu. we have educated her, and she is ours
by every right save that of blood
| And does she remember nothing of the life
| She led before you found her?'
Nothing defnite-Only stray scraps and ends
not enough to piece out II whole fabric. Or the
| actu;al facts she has not a surmse."
well and good, Mr.. Guedala. am grateful
| ior your confidence, and you may trust me not
| to abuse it. Now"
! "CcTt;iinly-now you may rejoin Bertha and
| inform her OF my consent
| We We're married u few months later
AS the reader is aware, when, in obedience to
Bertha's wish l discreetly wound it up at a
| Juncture prior TO my meeting with her in a
| Sixth avenue horse car. During the term OF
our cOurtship deemed it unwise to breach the
sequel: But after we were safely welded, and
she was mine beyond any peradventure or
| dispute, decided that the moment had ar
rived for me to tell the rest So one day in our
| cosy little sitting-room l opened my mouth
| and spoke without reservation.
Bertha looked very grave and did not volun
teer comment even when had finished.
| WELL, said, "what do you think OF it, Ber
| tina? Is 1t not weird?"
''Oh, it is horrible, horrible" she exclaimed
| earnestly, II wish you had not told me-
"Why, Bertha" urged, "you must not take
1t SO seriously, Nothing is horrible that turns
| out so happily"
"But to Think she rejoined, "to think we
| have to thank that hideous fetch for ali our
| happiness. 1t seems as though there were
| something wrong, something unreal, in Gun
| union, II 1t Is due TO the instrumentality OF
| that thing. Oh, it makes me snudder"
Preda a, WIN bertha, attempting to lay fhe
affair before her i'll more cheerful light; but
"At least" she concluded, 1--WE must mend
the evil now by getting rid of the idol-or by
| Nv hat! cried. BURN il? Burn this mira
Gle OF microscopic carving? You don't know
what you are proposing. You don't realize how
| rare, how valuable IT Is. 1t would lie criminal
| TO burn sucn piece OF workmanship, not to
mention the insratitude vi the proceeding
Better than that, We might present it to some
mo, shall never be contented until it is ont
OF Existence; shall never tell secure from its
back?" avs
!9uoted the legend, which knew by rote.
| NOT until my heart be pierced will nv
| potency be uudOne,'" repeate Bertha Chow
| is one TO pierce its hearth
answered, trying to treat the subject with
levity.
Exactly, but how?'
| with IL gimet."
Good, fetch a gimlet and bore the hole'
! ION, BERTHA said deprecatingly resolved
| upon last appeal 'you are not gong to insist
| ON demolishing it? Try to think of what a
| sacrince IL would be. just look at its exquisite
| modelling"
| No, no., she protested. 'If you wish tc
| ODllse me, you viii not discuss the subject II
| you love Inc You won't refuse to grant me such
| a little favor. Perhaps am unreasonable but
IL Is Wles privilege 10 be SO. 1 shall never
| rest IN You have dealt with that horrid mon.
| ster as he deserves"
] 1t was with a load on my mind that nro
| cured a gimlet and set about the task of de.
| structiOn. The poor fetch lay passive in INV
| hand. 1t did not seek to defend itself with liz
| electric weapon. Indeed ever since our wed
| ding day IL mad conducted itself in this reSOect
| In the most uneXceptiOnablc manner; AS thol,yh
| us mission IN this world had been fulfilled
| bestowed one remorseful thought upon the
| Indian artist VINO long centuries ago with in.
| calcuable toll had done what now with ,
| single turn OF my wrist was fated to undo and
grating my teeth, applied the point OF the
| glmlet upon spot Il little above the waist and
| began the distasteful operation ~
| My wife was behind me, bending over n, "
| shoulder. The surface OF the idol had inst
| broken beneath the gimlets pressure when NV
| wife startled me with two sharp screams, ms II
| OF pain. 80 -
why, darling" cried sprng1ng to her side.
| w nat Is the matter? Are you suifernc?r
| Look, look there" she gasped pointing in
| front OF her. Her face was white with Terror
| She seized my hand AS though to support her.
| self. Hers was as cold rs ice.
| l looked In the direction she indicated NV
| blood curdled at the spectacle witnessed.