The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-20


astray. l felt that brief as our ac-
| quaintance was. she had already spoiled
me for other women-she who, was now
| dust and ashes / can assure the reader, If
| he needs such assurance, that / passed a very
| sentimental Sunday afternoon. per Podio o
ramor, for love or hatred" / kept repeating to
myself What could the words signify The
hilt for love, because it bore her portraits The
| blade for hatred, because it was instrument
of deathl Probably in Italy, long ago, its mis-
| sion of hatred had been fulfilled. Perhaps in
America, at this late date its mission was yet to
| be accomplished
| light. When night fell / laughed at myself, and
went around to a friends house for supper,
| where an animated discussion of the tariff issue
banshed all less practical concerns from my
mind.
The next day, however, began to appreciate
that something serious had happened
The face pursued me from my house to my
Office and lowered between me and my accounts.
1t filled me with melancholy and unrest, it stole
away MY appetite. My companions at lunch
gled with myself, but the struggle only aggra
waited my distemper. Was / in love2 In love
with dead womans facet had no experience
to judge from, but if the pain in my heart was
not love knew no better name for it.
My work suffered that day. Strive as I might.
I could not help it. Finally I pleaded head
ache, and hurried home in advance of my won't
ed hour. | was foolish enough to spend the en-
tire evening closeted with my enchantress. The
time few past on lightning wings Dawn had
crept up shivering from the east before it oc-
Cured to me to go to bed.
Days and weeks slid away. Constantly /
progressed from bad to worse A spell bound
my faculties. The more / battled with it the
stronger it waxed. neglected my business, my
calling list, all my worldly duties. In a hundred
impossible places / saw that woman's face. /
would be crossing the street when deserted her
standing by the opposite corner, but on
my arrival there she had disappeared.
A horse-car would jingle by She was
| would chase the car, overtake it, get aboard.
No; had deceived myself. She was not there,
after ALL My weakness at these junctuTes NOR
titled and appalled, me. My heart would leap
would tremble, my legs quake beneath me. The
crisis over flood of perspiration would burst
out from the pores of my skim
Rarely had a lucid interval I employed it
in ridiculing. in laboring with myself. Then her
sweet, paintive face would rise before me, and
common sense would be supplanted by remorse-
remorse that had been disloyal TO her even for
an instant
was abominably morbid, unpardonably NOR
bid and was fast becoming i'll. AT length /
determined to resort to heroic treatment
So long, argued, as retain possession of her
portrait cannot resist the temptation to feast
Ely eyes upon it, thereby adding fuel to the fire.
My only salvation lies in getting rid of it. Thus
mind. l determined therefore to part with the
stfletto The question was merely one Of means
how?
Not give il away. The prospect of another
man owning it was uncomfortable Well, then,
destroy it. But again the queston-how? AS
the fruit of much bordering resolved to cast it
| into the river.
consumed fortnight, however, in nerving
myself to the act. 1t was more easily said than
done. Eventually, Notwithstanding, succeeded
icir1y hafN do n1o nd H.
ing briskly westward, | leaned over the dock
and consigned the stiletto to the waters. hiss,
as Of red-hot iron, ripple, a long breath of re-
lief, and fed at top speed down the street.
ran for dear life. as ii had COME from the COM
mission of crime
But in the course of that day realized that I
had made things worse. Not for two consecutive
minutes was | free from her. would gladly
have exchanged my right hand for the ability to
undo the mornings work If had taken the
life of a human being my repentance could not
have been keener.
''See here, Roswell" my partner, Jordan, said
to me, as we were preparing to quit the office,
there is something the matter with you You're
worried. You're working too hard. You need
rest. Take avacation for week or so.'
mo" answered, "the work keeps me from
brooding. I shall be all right presently without
a vacation, thanks"
life. You ought to amuse yourself. Go in for a
little dissipation. Come with me to the ball to-
!Ballq What ball9"
"Why the Peacock ball-the great masquerade
at the Academy"
Hum" said, refectively, II don't know but
I will"
The idea struck me favorably. 1 went home,
put on my swallow-tail, and rejoined Jordan at
a restaurant where we died together He had
procured a disguise for mean ordinary domino
Of black and white.
AS everybody has attended the Peacock ball,
it would be superfuous for me to describe it. 1t
was gorgeous spectacle enough, and did for a
while furnish me with the distraction which
had come to seek
Many of the figures were notable. Two espe-
cally attracted my attention.
One was lady attired in rich brocade. A
pair of black eyes flashed out from behind her
mask, and there was an extreme grace in the
undulations of her body as she moved about
She joined in none of the dances, and seemed to
have no companion-unless the other figure that
! have mentioned may have been such. This
other was man of short stature, made up as a
| cardinal in crimson silk Tufts of grayish beard
escaped around the cages of his mask. Whether
by accident or design, he was always to be OBJ
served few feet behind the woman.
To enjoy a closer glimpse Of her, | squeezed
through the throng in her direction.
What my astonishment was the reader need
not be told when informed him that suspended
from this woman's girdle, beheld the identical
| stiletto which I had made away with that very
morning-the identical stiletto, or, what seemed
vastly more unlikely, its literal duplicate.
/ gulped down my natural reticence and at
tanning the womans side addressed her. To do
so was the privilege of masquerade.
Beautiful mask" said, "may I secure you
for waltz!"
She started. was conscious Of undergoing a
rigid scrutiny by the black eyes. Then she an
swered, II do not waltz" Her voice, as musical
as silver bell, quivered with charming timidity
THAT is pity beautiful mask" l said. THE
dances fail of their object-they are vapid, like
wine deprived of its bouquet, if you decline to
take part in them Still, perhaps should con-
graduate myself If no others are coming to
claim you, shall not be disturbed in my audi
ence.'
'.Hark, beautiful mask / resumed 'the
orchestra has stopped playing. and the moment
for sweeter music has arrived Will you not
sneak to meF
"What shall sayl" she asked, with childlike
simplicity.
"Ah that shall not presume to dictate. Only,