The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-02
my toilet with infinite care and TO descend the
staircase. past the threshold and out into the

/ staircase, past the threshold and out into the
/ street
After walk Of some minutes, hailed a cab
that was jogging sleepily along and muttering to
| the driver few syllables which could not dis
| tinguish, was ratified over the cobblestones
/ whittier could not guess.
By and by the cab halted, the driver mug
wide the door, and out leapt.
Before me stretched band Of carpet up an
ordinary stone stoop, and above me was extended
| such awning as it is the fashion to erect
| stoop and was admitted by a negro into an or
| binary marble-paved hallway. The negro
guided me to the gentleman's dressing room;
| and having repaired the damage wrought upon
my appearance by the commotlon OF the drive,
Joined the stream of guests that flowed into
| the parlor.
The parlor was entirely unfamiliar to me.
| could have sworn that had never been received
there before 1t was brightly lighted, hot. re-
| dolent with the scent Of flowers, uncomfortaoly
| crowded, and noisy with the buzz of converse
ton and the clatter of laughter. made my
| obeisance to the hostess, who was total stran-
| ger to me, and proceeded to circulate among the
| people,
thought recognized a face here and there,
| out was by no means sure and did not venture
to address a mothers son. l felt dazed and
| giddy. had no control over myself, or should
/ have gone away.
| stalked foriornly to and fro. and speculated
| upon what the denouement Of this adventure
/ was likely to be.
| Abruptly hush fell over the assemblage La
| dies and gentlemen settled themselves in their
chairs and Abandoned talk. as if to listen to a
| speech or to music
| Somebody whispered to somebody else, miss
Bertha the daughter of the house, is about TO
| play. Let us go into the other room"
| I pushed through the throng into the back par
| lor.
| There was man seated at piano. Out OF
| sight some one was audibly tuning violin.
| The pianist struck a few preliminary chords.
| xvso 1;vn;c po1 frnr horr
For an instance believed that should swoon.
My heart bounded into my throat The violnst
was no other than my regal beauty OF the street
| car.
| What fatality had thus brought US together9
| They played the Fri King" SO that ones hair
| rose on end and afterward, impromptu by
Chopin, the mighty, passionate, plaintive melody
Of which penetrated the inmost marrow OF my
| soul and set it quivering with delight as acute
| as pain, but better far than the music was the
| consummate grace of Miss Bertha's movements
now soft and wooing. now swift and fierce as she
| dashed the strings. l watched her with infatu
ated eyes until the last sobbIng note had expired
| into the air.
| AS soon as she had DONE the stupid audience
| destroyed the beautiful effect of her music by
| clapping their hands SO loudly that you would
| have wished to stuff their ears with cotton.
| Hand-clapping after music is too boisterous-
| even for applause it is incongruous, like dose
of bitter medicine after an exquisite dinner. 1t
| efaces the sweet impression that the music
| should have left.
The audience clapped their hands until the
skin must have blistered; and then they trooped
| around my heroine to prefer their congratula-
tions. I appealed to motherly-looking lady
| who was tanning herself at my elbow. and say
| ing that hadn't the honor of Miss Bertha's &C
quaintance, begged her to present Inc.
| She eyed me quizzically, as much as to retort.
Nor have the honor of yours" but her good
nature triumphed, and she replied, Certainly.
only dear me, how awkward, IL can't recall
| your name, Mr.p
| "Mr. Morton" said.
"Oh, yes; indeed, Mr.. Morton. Well, come
| with me-"
The LADY, introduced me very pretiily, and
| Bertha greeted me with IS much graciousness
| was entitled to expect. / sat down beside her
and told her as well as could something of how
| deeply I had been affected by her music but
| my heart thrilled so keenly at her near presence
| that had no triang hardship in speaking CO.
herently. am sure blushed, and am afraid
| l stammered like schoolboy. She responded
| languidiy. as natural in one to whom COM
| pliments like mine were an old story but in the
| midst of an indifferent sentence her eyes bright
| ened up, and she exclaimed with vivacity,
'Why what have you there2 l have seen that
| before" designating my idol.
"Oh, this is rather unique present had
given me the other day" answered, detaching it
| from my chain My arm tingled violently as
| my fingers came In contact with it. II IMAGINE
| it is exceeding ancient and il little supersti-
| ton were permissible should imagine also that
| it was manufactured under the immediate
pervision of no less distinguished an individual
| than his satanic majesty. 1t certainly behaves
| very extraordinary at times"
Where have seen it before?" unused Bertha.
| sit seems as though had been familiar with it
| years ago."
| She reached forth her hand; and rot without
| few misgivings 1 deposited it therein. She
had on glove, however, and that perhaps pro-
| tected her from its shock. At any rate she
| grasped it quite fearlessly and scrutinized it
| until every detail of its anatomy must have
been stamped upon her retina.
mo" she said, II cannot remember; and yet
know that this is not the only time have held
| it in my hand. Its odor seems to awake far-off
"reminiscences, dim and obscure like those of
| former life. Tell me all about how you came
| by it."
| jumped at the opportunity to loiter by her
| side and recounted every circumstance connected
| with its history, from the embarkation of the
| old Hungarian Jew down to the English version
of it's legend furnished by my friends legal
| friend. The marvellous element of the tale did
not appear to impress her.
mo" she reiterated, II cannot remember;
and yet am sure that If I could remember, I
should be able to tell you much more about it
| than you already know"
She gave it back to me- and while was re-
| placing it on my watch-guard, somebody else
| was introduced to her. and etiquette compelled
| me to move away.
| AS left the house had the presence of mind
| to note it's number and the name that was en-
graveQ on the uOOr-plate-Lne name was dueQal-
| Ia The street was among the seventies, east of
| Third avenue.
| Not until again faced myself in my own
| lodgings was the. overwhelming singularity of
what I had gone through fairly borne in upon
me. Then l could scarcely credit my own mem
| DRY. could scarcely believe had not been the
victim of hallucnation. But the longing in
my heart when / thought of Bertha convinced
me that something more real and permanent
| than an hallucination must have been at the
bottom Of it. He who has never tasted anything
| but milk will hardly thirst for wine.
| After sleepless night, l rose next morning
with the sun, and taxed the faith of our house
| maid who was washing down the sidewalk, with
| the announcement that was bent on before
breakfast stroll bore rapidly in the direction
of Seventisth street, and sauntered past the
scene of the nights exploit, corroborated my