The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1886-05-16
A NARROWING TALE.

The curtain rose upon the indescribably beautiful
scene In the jungle and the heart breaking sweet
ness OF poor Lakme's song to the lover she had
nursed back to life and happiness stole upon the
thrilling senses, noticed pearly tear-drop start
from the fine eyes Of my left-hand neighbOr,
"Ah" thought i, "there speaks q woman sympa-
thetic heart. She too, perhaps has loved. She too
perhaps, has fonnd the loved In the hour of trial
fathess and unworthy"
But she leaned forward to her companion and /
heard her say
~ have watched that bald spot on Theodore
Thomass head for the last nfteen years. II didn't
used to he any larger than three cent piece. And
now Just look at It,"
And really near-slghted man, though having
pawned his opera glasses, could not fail TO note the
difference. There was o time, within the memory
OF the present youthful writer even, when Theodore
was comparatively innocent and no doubt cOrre-
spondingly happy His capillary attractions at that
period were numerous and PLENTIFUL and he posed
sialnesque and handsome on tapeatrled dry goods
box, all the array OF musc-mad maids and matrons
dotted wildly upon hls immaculate dress-st and the
picturesque hollow In the small OF his back. In
those simple and gaileless days he was wont TO
uckle our not oyercrltica ears with the unso
Gated melody OF "TTanmereip or "Schubert's Sere-
made" and later on tho tlnkllng prostness OF Ama-
ryllls." Even "Boccherlnl's Minuet" brought no
wrinkle TO his Joyian brow, and no needessly Cark
Ing cares TO his connding audiences.
But from the fatal evening when Theodore was
compelled TO throw tho bass-drummer at the Second
Secretary OF the Peruvian legation who came In
late and chatering right In the middle Of the Ninth
symphony, he was a changed man. Lnes OF craft
and cruelty began to form around his eyes, aud un-
easy tossings upon his pillow, while he brooded
dark schemes OF vengeance In the dead watches OF
the night enlarged the bald spot ON the back Of his
head from ten cents worth 10 a quarter. II was
then he began his career Of crime with the seem
ingly harmless March from Iohengrln. Aiasi Tam
hauser followed In rapid sequence, and the bald
spot, with long ponderings and pl0itings Of the
dreadful things to come, was as big and shiny aa q
atandard-sllv ver-" In G0d-we-trustn trade-dOllar.
Then Theodore transferred his baton and Ills bald
ness TO Cincinnati and ts famous School OF Music.
The true inwardnoss OF istrouble with the manage
ment has never been given to the world, but It left
him soured and mlsanthropcal for life. No wonder
that he drew The line when groyeing board Of dl.
rectors demanded he should write an oratorlo for
the Musical Festival on the theme Of Cincinnati mu-
nlcpal anthem, "koot Hog or DIE" with realistic
eifecta for the pcco0 and Is hal c0rnet. Who would
not have brlstled at thing like thatY Aud the bald
spot was as big AZ u buckwheat cake.
so once more Theodore went upon the road, and
NOW deaf and domD asylums marked his pathway
aud hospitals for the Insane sprang 10 beiug In his
wake the vain ana frivolous world which had
whlspered and nirtei and gIgged Ia the midst OF
aaddhtes aud pianissin,0s or when there was a
specially tender passage for tue oooes had aown the
vino and was TO reap the whirlwlnd. For Theodore