The National tribune., 1886-10-14

self He made her out TO be all that is pure
and lovely. "She is generous" he said; did
she not give sixpence TO a crossing sweeper L
never gave sixpence 20 a crossing sweeper in
my life. Ny temper is vile, hers is sweetness
itself Did / not see her smile? She is the
most beautiful woman in the world. i am the
incarnation of ugliness." lie looked in the
glass aud saw IL was true. And so he had no
difficulty in constructing his golden image be-
fore which he, vile creature of clay, meekly
bowed his head and did obeisance.
There was strange pathos in the love OF
this solitary student for an unknown woman,
whose influence, unconsciously eXerted, had
gone far beyond the limits of her personal ac-
ouaintance. Had il done nothing else IL would
have raised him above the dreary level which
he had SO long occupied, but il presently took
a more practical turn. When he beheld has
cherries room, the cat, the only homeiy thing
in il. aud thought Of that perfect home of his
fancy, there flashed INTO his mind the question,
Where is the money to come from, and what
am 1. 20 aspire 10 such she even II
had the money? This thought fell upon him
like a thunderclap; il threw him into a stupor
out of which he emerged trembling.
Awakened to the reality Of his dream, the
strong man girded up his lOns, and put forth
the strength which had hitherto lain dormant.
Though he could not fOrego the pleasure oil
seeing Eulalie every day, if possible, the after
] =
20 work. Many years before he had begun to
write book, which he had not had the energy
10 finish: he now took il mp again, and worked
at il day and night. Fame and fortune opened
out before him; useless before, they had now
become priceless for did they not lead to
how the blood coursed in his veins at the
thought-Eulalie!
Dissatisfied with the condition of his rooms
he had them swept. So much to the land
lady's surprise and delight, the dust was
cleared away, the furniture put in order, and a
/ tolerable air of comfort restored. IL was by
no means the perfect home he had depicted,
hut il was, at any rate, one step nearer
The cat-that subtle bond Of union between
him and her-had grown quite friendly. AS
/ he wrote she often sat on the table and
binlled wonderingly at the round-shonldered
scholar bending over his desk. his sallow face
flushed with his exertiOns and his dull eyes
| Frightening as his pen raced over the paper.
The pile by his side, small at first, daily grew
/ in magnitude, and the book upon which SC
much depended was nearly finished.
But about this time a dreadful uneasiness
seized upon him. He had not seen Eulalie for
a fortnight. When the fortnight grew into a
month, and the month into two, he became So
alarmed he could work no longer. Nainly he
attempted TO allay his fears by assuming that
she had gone out Of town on a visit; he felt
that he must see her, and so satisfy himself
that she was not merely a creature of his i'm
agination. Roaming the streets day after day
! he searched for his unknown love, but found
her not; she had vanished from his life as mystic
riously as she had come into it.
AT length, in despair he again entered the
shop where he had asked her name. He had
seen her there many times since. The same
dapper assistant was arranging gloves in box
and the whole scene was so exactly the same
that Bond paused in bewilderment, half-in'
clined 10 think the past few months had been
a dream. Advancing to the counter he STAN
mered out:
"Have you seen her latelyP The lady
What are you staring atr You know who
mean"
"Seen her!p exclaimed the assistant, with
fash of remembrance. "The lady, Oh! ali
that's good joke" he ended with a mos
Objectionable laugh.
"A good joke!" said Bond absently. 81
don't understand you"
"You read the papers, / suppose, sir"
~ don't Speak plainly, man."
"The lady"-he grinned as he spoke" has
Just been tried for obtaining goods on false pre-
| lenses"
"You lie, YOU cur" shouted Bond. Quicl
as lightning his clenchcd fist shot across tn
counter and fattened the astonished you'll
against the shelves behind.
A crowd collected in a moment. Drunk,
said one; Mad, % said another; and those be
hind began TO press forward, and those in from
TO sheer away. In truth, this gaunt creatur
with the flaming eyes looked violent enough
for anything. Amid a general clamor for tn
police, the proprietor Of the shop fortunatel.
appeared upon the scene. He was not going 3
have fuss made there, he said; SO Bond wa
hustled into the street. He turned when b
got clear Of the crowd.
"Tried, poor thing!" he shouted back
"But she was acquitted. j swear she was &C
Quilted"
"She was guilty, though" cried the assistant
viciously shaking his fist from the doorway.
Pure and sweet and beautiful"
"Guilty, or I'll eat my hat"
"shut mp, you IDIOT" cried the proprieto
And, shaking the youth by the shoulders, b
pushed him back into the shop.
Bond scarcely knew how he got back TO h
} rooms. His pile of manuscripts lay on th
table; the cat sat purrng before the fire; ever,
, thing was precisely as he had left it. But oh
; how different il all seemed He dropped int
a chair, and the veins stood out i'm his pa
, forehead, and his hands worked convulsivel.
Eulalie in a felOn's dock Could men be
2 mad, so cruel so uniustG IL was impossible.
Z One solitary idea now took possession of hi
e to find Eulalie, though with what object he di
= not determine. BY a strange chance he M
e her in the street next day; met and scared
j recognized her. Moving swiftly and stealthil
:, along, as if she feared 20 be seen, with her ha
4 in disorder, her face no longer touched by thi
: art TO which il had largely owed its beaut
d and her dress old and slovenly, she was indie,
e dreadfully changed. Bond started back VIII,
r he saw her, his face deadly white; he press
J. his hands 10 his heart, il gave such a pa
7 ful thrOb; he could scarcely believe his ON
d eyes
His earnest gaze seemed 10 discompose he
8 for she dropped faded old umbrella in u
q mud, whereupon he rushed forward, picked
4 up, and handed il 10 her She took il witho
a word Of thanks, scowl being all she ga
I him. Then she hurried away, leaving him
!, panied bewilderment. He could only repe
9 over and over again, Her smile was We
II sweet"
"A bad un, sir" said policeman, who hi
e been watching this little scene. "A regular b.
5, un." he winked in the direction of the retres
ing woman.
But Bond was already out of ear-shot hurr
r ing after her in obedience 10 an irresistible IL
e pulse 10 offer her all he had yearning TO Il
Is his love and acquire the right TO protect h.
b Though his ideal was little more than a mel
Dry, the woman remained, and, in his eyes, S
d was still beautiful. With her by his side,
cared not what the world said. Never had
&c love been stronger than il was at this momel
But though lac dlyed down one obscure strt
& after another he could not find her. And
length, murmuring 10 himself, All, yes,
:" smile was very sweet" he YEARLY dragg
himself back 10 his lodgings
Once again, and for the last time, he saw b
es II was on the following afternoon. He v
sitting at the open window, absently caressi
st the cat upon his lap, when she happened
II pass by the opposite side of the street. Loo
Is ing up at the window she suddenly stopped a
an stared Before lie had recovered from his Al