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

18th street Ensconcing myself in corner near
| the platform, soon became absorbed by the
| don't know how long had been seated thus
| when my revery was violently interrupted by
S I'LL Jingle up my arm; nawa AVA sS,s Vas the
| result.
"Ah," thought, "now the electrical condt-
| tons have been restored. Let US see wnetner
their cause is apparent"
| / glanced down at my watch-chain. There
hTng the IDOL as a., as You e.pe
though it had been pricked with a pin. Then
In my clasp was as harmless as a dove.
| 1 raised my eyes, considerably myst,nea i
they were arrested by something which ban,
| tshed all other existences fathoms deep in the
inane. A face, directly opposite me, a woman's
| burned itself then and there into the tissue Of
my life, disclosing unconceived attitudes OF JOY
and anguish. Describe her? Should l at
body would scott and cry, incredible; save only
those who have seen her with their own eyes;
and TO them my warmest description would
seem pitifully cold and inadequate.
Suffice it that gazed upon this woman's
pletely as at the Masters fiat the water was
changed to wine She sat there calm and
proud in her imperial beauty, unconscious Of
the spell she was weaving around my heart
Her eyes, aglOw beneath their lashes, were
fixed upon the talisman that hung from my
chain!
So gazed upon her as boldly as I chose
without running the risk OF giving her Of
tense.
But at last she started and seemed to shake
herself free from brown study; looked out Of
the window TO learn her whereabouts; and sig
nailed the conductor to stop the car.
No doubt 1t was an ungentlemanly course TO
take, and favored of the Bowery, but forgetting
my engagement in 18th street, got out and
followed her, maintaining judicious distance
SO as to be unObServed.
/ followed her back up 9Th avenue, hoping
that she would lead to her dwellngpia and
hat w aintU Of tS finn tn rnrlS
upon, might in the future be enabled to find
out who she was. She disappointed me, how
are situated on the thoroughfare in question,
| near its junction with 23d street. / followed
her into the shop only to lose her in the cloud
| OF ladies that was dense about the counters.
To search for her there would have been as
| futile as to search for needle in stack OF
hay. So posted myself at the door by which
| We had entered and stayed for an hour and
more like sentinel, getting thoroughly chilled
| through. and scanning each face that went by,
oblivious of the fact that the shop had q dozen
| separate exits out OF anyone Of which she might
have passed at any moment without my sus-
pecting 1t.
When this fact full dawned upon me, quilted
my station and departed to atone for my delin-
quency in 18th street.
But the countenance of the unknown beauty
| haunted me all day. dragged perfunctoriy
through my accustomed routine of business,
and was heartily glad when the hour struck tor
| the greatest possible Dispatch it was necessary
| that should travel by the 9th avenue line OF
/
| them, fell, by a natural association Of Ideas,
| into a condition of sentimental melancholy
| which was, to say the least, cOnspicuously at
variance with the mundane character of the
| equipaSe.
| swallowed hasty dinner and mounted to
my own apartments to be alone with my fair
| tormentress. 1 threw myself upon "a sofa and
| wondered whether should ever set eyes upon
| her again.
According to its already acquired trick, my
| hand played with the idol on my watch-guard.
| Rapidly, without warning, an influence crept
explain.
1t was as though will not mine seized sud-
denly upon my members, while | withdrew to
| q corner OF my brain and watched my own per-
| fOrmances as II they were those of another per-
| son. 1t compelled me to rise from the sofa on
| which lay and hurriedly to divest myself OF
the clothes had on, substituting for them my
evening-dress. 1t compelled me to elaborate
my toilet with infinite care, and to descend
| the staircase past the threshold and out into
the street.
| After a walk of some minutes hailed q cab
to the driver a few syllables which could not
distinguish. was ratified over the cObble-stOnes
| whittier could not guess.
| By-and-by the cab halted; the driver flung
| wide the door; and out leapt.
Before me stretched a band of carpet up an
o tdhaa stone stoop and above me was ex,
erect where festivities in progress. ran
up the stoop and was admitted by negro into
guided me to the gentleman's dressing-rOO
| and having repaired the damage wrought upon
|
| 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, redo
| lent with the scent of flowers uncOmfOrtably
| crowded, and noisy with the buzz of convers;I-
| ton and the chatter OF laughter. 1 made my
| obeisance to the hostess, who was total strall-
ger To me, and proceeded to circulate among
| the people.
/ thought recognized q face here and there
but was by no means sure and did not ven
ture to address a mothers son. felt daZed and
| giddy. had no control over myself, or should
stalked foriornly to and fro and speculated
upon what the denouement OF this adventure
Abruptly hush fell over the assemblaSe. 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"
lpushed through the thrOng into the back
parior.
There was a man seated at a piano. Out OF
| sight some one was audibly tuning "a violin.
The pianist struck a few preliminary chords
The V1olinist emerged from her concealment.
| For an instant believed that should swoOn.
My heart bounded into my throat. The violin.
list was no other than my regal beauty OF the
What fatality had thus brought us together?
They played the 81 Fri King so that ones
hair rose Oh end; and afterward, an impromptu
by chopin, the mighty, passionate, plaintive
melody OF which penetrated the Utmost mar
| row of my soul, and set it quiv ering with a de
light as acute as pain, but better far than the
| music was the cOnsummate grace OF Miss Ber
| thas mOvementS-nOw soft and wOOing, now
swift and fierce as she dashed the strings.
watched her with infatuated 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 homogeneous like a dose
OF bitter medicine after an exquisite dinner II
effaces the sweet impression that the music
| should have left.
| The audience clapped their hands until the
| skin must have b.istered; and then they trOOped
around my heroine to proffer their congratula.
lions. l appealed to a mOtherly looking lady
who was tanning herself at my elbow, aud say.
Ing that hadn't the honor of Miss Bertha's &C
quaintance begged her to present me.
She eyed me quiZZically, as much as to re-
tort, "Nor have the honor of yours" but her
good nature triumphed. and she replied, Ger.
| tanly,-only, dear me how awkward IL can
| recall your name, Mr."
"Mr. Norton" said.
"Oh yes, indeed, Mr.. Morton. Well, come
with me-
The lady introduced me very prettiIy, and
Bertha greeted me with as much graciousuess
as was entitled to expect. l sat down beside
her and told her we'll as could something ol
how deeply had been affected by her music
but my heart thrilled keenly at her near
presence that l had no thrilling hardship in
speaking coherently. i am sure I blushed, and
| i am afraid / stammered like school bow
She responded languidly, as was natural in one
10 whom compliments like mine were an old
ESt., L,,t tho l-t xxf.