Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-06-19


The room in which we stood was quite dark,
required leizure TO accustom themselves to the
obscurity. Then, as they took in their surround
ipgs, was heartily glad that had come.
ana curiosity.shop, the divers elements merg-
ing tremendously together in a soft glamor of .
candle. An armored knight with battie-axe
| alOft, guarded the entrance. The walls were
hung with tapestries and bannerets. Great
quarto volumes in blackened leather bindings
down. said the DOCTOR pointing to an ebony
settee, inlaid with Arabic characters In ivory.
TOR himself upon chest of carved Italian oak.
HIS finely chiseled head chimed In excellentiy
| with the environment. He looked like an
This Is my workshop" he continued. SIS it
worth the trouble Of a visit?'
IT is like slice of the Arabian Nights,n re-
matter-ofiact New York a asfE .A4TEi Il
eyes, this is my wSrfsK66ip5,," he repeated,
mot waa prs susss S yoa Is trader 4r4
mo. not exactly-do Son like perfumes9n he
inquired abruptly. Without waiting for an
answer, he approached a bronze vase, stls-
saeins n. and stes ea1 spark aha y RI1
delicate and delicious fragrance began to Der.
meate the air. - .zEr@
"Do you like rare jewelse" he asked with
equal abruptness. "Look at these" Loosing a
redish satin bag. he emptied quart of 81 liter
ing precious stones upon the rug at my feet.
them.
put third QuestiOn,-''and music-are you fond
of muster
The next moment he was RECALLING me with q
solo on madeline. His playing was mastery.
The tense voice of his instrument now 0uivered
AS daintily as the breeze Ant0lig The RHXes OF q
rose bush, and anon rose and fell like the wall
OF human soul. / myself was swept up and
carried away by it, like straw on the wind.
had never listened to such music as his before.
There was wild minor chord running through
1T that pierced and thrilled my heart. had
never supposed that the pretty tinkling mando-
line was capable OF such heights and depths Of
sound. was all in q tremor when, as suddenly
as he had commenced. he stopped. The music
broke OIL in loud, discordant crash.
"There!' he cried. ITO reSume-what do you
guess my trade is?"
"a musician OF course-a great one."
Change the frs, syllable of the word my
81 am not inclined to doubt it,"
w ny should you bes but stay. l will make
closed them. Twice or thrice he clapped his
hands.
NOW, open them again." he said.
opened them. Could credit the reality of
what they seemed to see?
Immediately in front of me, her arms resting
aheetionateiy upon the shoulders OF my magi-
twice to identity. Precisely, in every line and
feature, the lady ofmy stiletto!
dropped upon my knees. Why should at
tempt to disentangie the emotions that over
powered me? AmaZement, hope, fear 10Y and
incredulity, were mingled IN inextricable con-
Finally was aroused by burst of laughter
emanatng from Dr. Pexias.
Get up, my young friend" could hear him
say, land rub your eyes. This phantom that
have evoked for your benefit is flesh and blood.
truce to magic; Mr.. -, Mr.. - All, par
don, your manner"
"Rosweli," gasped.
"Mr. Roswell, take pleasure in presenting
you to my daughter, Miss Elsa Pexias."
She did indeed turn out to be the DOCTORS
daughter; and the doctor himself proved moth
ing more redoubtabie than a venerable POrtu.
guese gentleman, of Hebrew lineage, with an
al their supperboard that evening" could not
escape feeling that the whole transaction was
unreal ana that presently should wake up 10
IND that had been dreaming. One thing was
certain; Miss Elsas face was the accurate
counterpart OF the stiletto's, only vastly more
beautiful, because it was tralIght with Life and
youth. improbable as my good fortune seemed.
there it was staring me in the eyes.
l paid my di:estion-call with commemorate
prOmptneSs. Then trumpet up an excuse for
calling again in the course of the same week.
The following week called three times Atthe
expiration ct month 1 had acquired the pre-
posterous habit OF calling about every day.
Toward the middle of July the doctor an
| nounced his intention OF leaving town for the
country. reminded Jordan of his prefer of a
vacation, and suggested to the doctor the pro
priety OF our summering at the same resort He
expressed his utmost approval. So we went to
till late in August.
II it were not for a Person, vino at this juno
trre talks ominousiy OF the virtue of reserve,
should like nothing better than to recount the
happenings of that idylic summer / shOuId
like to tell how by moonlight Elsa and were
wont to wander along the beach together and
how as the waves dashed in at our feet-but the
Person, wno is dangerously near my shoulder
threatens to eoniisGate my pen If I continue.
stretched beneath appleboughs in a certain
orchard, and 10 Catalogue the books / read
like, above all, to tell how everv Sav
L discovered new beauties in Elsa's face
how every day her eyes grew deeper, her
voice more silvery, her touch more electrical
But the person, who claims to be an authority
warns me that to indulge these desires ofmine
would but impede the action of the story; and
so must depend upon the readers imagina-
ton to supply the elepsis.
in September, after we had returned to town.
induced Elsa to go with me for a walk in Cen.
| trail Park. There mustered my utmost au.
dacity and told her that loved her. EIsa's
| reply was such as to make me realize that half
loaf values INFINITELY more than no bread and
10 encourage me to speak with the doctor. From
MIN anticipated no opposition, because l sup.
| posed that he had already more than susrecfed
nay aspirations. But on the contrary he avowad
that the suspicio had not entered his mind
''Of course he admitted, lit ought TO have
has been so very marked. But fond parents are
blind; and besides, Elsa is SO young that the
| idea OF her marrying had not occurred to me. /
only sentiment for her Was that of an elder
| brother"
We were established at a cafe table, He called
the waiter and ordered kirschwasscr for two
he said.
y
tions?" inquired.
Nov am going to explain to you nv theory
OF Inatrimony-with the assistance OF this ex.
cellent kirsch. He slipped drop or two of the
deeoction and thea went ON, AZ am q firm be-
lever In the adase that marriages are made in
heaven. AT least, l believe that people are
lated Tor each other. Before consent to a mar
rage between you and Elsa, l must be per.
Suaded that you are the man of Fate'S selec.
tion."
Not a hard matter that. Is not the fact that
love ner, and that she is not totally diferent
to me- sulhcient?"
Not altogether. / demand some palpable
token rom the quarter % Fate herself, some
That seems unreasonable. do not under.
stand"
"Of course you do not, you are not o philoso-
pher. You take for granted, because YOU han.
pen to feel tickling in the region OF your heart
that you are calculated 20 make Elsa u good
husband. That isn't logical. 1t doesn't follow
AS lar as my personal inclinatiOns are con-
cerned, am very fond of you, and could not
have a son-!n-law more TO my taste. But In
sucn grave affairs AS This / dare hot trust NV
inIi> iduai ia il nent. must, rs l nave said
advise with Fate"
but that is superstition"
'Call 1t SO II you wish. Superstition is a noble
institution am sorry to see it depar ting from
the world. My young friend, for example her.
Is this glass of kirsch. With your eyes Won
behold the substance, the material. But over
and above the material there is the flavor the
Voiative to be held in the hand and weighed
Correspondingly, here is the universe"-tiIting
his palm, AZ though the object in question had
been contained Internationally their avoS ond