Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-07-17
0MPHALE.

NY uncle, the Chevalier de Rioux, resided
in a small mansion which looked out upon
the dismal Rue de Toetrnelles on one side and
the equally dismal Boulevard St Antoine
upon the other. Between the boulevard and
the house itraf a few ancient elm trees, eaten
alive by moses and insects, piteously ex-
tended their skeleton arms from the depth OF
q species OF sink, surrounded by high black
wallA Some eniaciated flowers hung their
heads languidly, ike young girls in consump-
ton, waiting for a ray of sunshine to dry
their half rotten leaves Weeds bad invaded
the walks, which were almost indistinguisha-
bic. owing to the length of time that had
elapsed since they were last raked One or
two gold fish foated, rather than swan, in
basin covered with duckweed and half
choked by water plaDts
NV uncle called that his garden.
Beside all the fine things above described
in my uncle's garden there was also a rather
unpleasant pavilion, which be had entitled
the ''Delices," doubtless By antiphrasis. 1t
was in a state of extreme dllapidation. The
walls were bullying outwarGly. great masses
of detached plaster still lay among the net
ties and wild oats where they had fallen; the
lower portions Of the wall surfaces were
the window shutters and doors had been
badly sprung, and they closed only partially,
OF not at all A species of decoration,
strongly suggestive of an immense kitchen
pot. with various effGuvia radiating from it,
ornamented The main entrance, for, in the
time of Louis XIV, when it was the custom
20 bui2d ''DeLces," there we're always two
entrances to such pleasure houses for pro-
Ia f,rr
with osules, folated arabesques and volutes
had been badly ,tisnHsntled by the infiltration
of rain water In short the "Delices" of my
uncle, the Chevalier de Rioux. presented a
rather laEnentable aspect.
1t was in this pavilion that my uncle had
lodged me-
terror, although remaining in a somewhat
better state of preservation. The bed was
hung with yellow lampas, spotted over with
large white flowers. An ornamental shell
work clock licked away upon a pedestal, In
laid with ivory and mother Of pearl A
wreath of ornamental roses coquettishly
tw,ned around Venetian glass; above tho
door, the four seasons were painted in cameo.
A fair lady, with thickly powdered hair, q
sky blue corset, and an array Of ribbons Of
hand, a partridge in her left, a crescent upon
ted and smiled with inefnble graciousness
from within largo oval frame This was
one of my uncles loves Of old, whom he
had painted as Diana. It will scarcely be
necessary to observe that the furniture itseh
was not of the most modern style; there was
In fact, nothing to prevent one from fancyins
Hvip af ha lima of f1a
and the NEUROLOGICAL tapestry with which
tho walls were hung rendered the illusion
complete
The tapestry represented Hercules spinning
at the feet of Omphale. The design was tor
nsnted after the fashion Of Vanloo, and in
the most Pompadour style possible to i'm
agine. Hercules had a spindle, decorated
with rose colored favors; he elevated his
little finger with peculiar and special grace,
like a marquis in the act Of taking pinch Of
snuff. while turning white fake of fax re-
tween his thumb and index finger; his mus
cular neck was burdened with bows of rib
bons, rosettes, strings Of pearls and thou
sand other feminine gewgaws; and a large
gorge de pigeon colored petticoat, with two
very large panniers, tent quite gallant air
TO the monster conquering hero.
W
cred by the SKIN of the Nemean lion; her
slender hand leaned upon her lovers knotty
club, her lovely blonde hair, powdered to ash
color, fell loosely over her neck-a neck as
supple and undulating in its outlines as the
neck of a dove; her little feet-true reali-
cation Of the typical Andalusian or Chinese
foot, and which would have been lost in Gin
derella's glass slippers-wers shod with half
htrsE fspe of
sprinkled with pearls In truth, she was a
charming creature. Her head was thrown
back with an adorable little mock swagger;
ner dimpled mouth wore a delicious little
pout: her noetrils were slightly expanded;
her cheeks had delicate glow-a patch cum
ningly placed thererelieved their beauty in q
wonderful way-she only needed little
mustache to make her a first class mousque-
.aire.
There were many other personages also
represented in the tapestry-the kindly fs-
male attendant. the indispensable little
Cupid-but they did not leave a sufficiently
distinct outline in my memory to enable me
10 describe them.
In those days was quite yours-not that
wish 70 be understood as saying that am
now very old; but was fresh from college,
1 could choose a profession. re the good
man had been able TO foresee that l should
lmbracs that Of q fantastic story writer, he
would certainly have turned me out of doors
forthwith and irrevocably disinherited me;
Tor he always entertained the most aristo-
cratic contempt for literature in general and
authors in particular. Like the tine gentle
man that be was, it would have pleased him
to have bad oil those petty scribbiers vino
busy themselves in disfiguring paper. and
speaking irreverently about people Of quail
ity, hung or beaten to death by his attend
ants
Well, then, ! had only Just left college. l
was full of dreams and illusions; l was as
baive as q rosiere of Salency-perhaps more
30 Delighted at having no more pensuns TO
make, everything seemed to me for the best
Ia the best of all possible worlds | believed
In an intnity Of things; 1 believed In n de
Eorians Shepherosss, with her combed and
powdered sheep; 1 never for a moment
doubted the reality of Mime. Deshoulieres
Cock l believed that there were actually
nine muses., as stated in Father Jouvency's
"Appendix de Dis ct Heroibusn Nv recol-
lectious Of Berquin and OF Gessner had Gre
ated q little world for me, in which every
thing was rose colored, sky blue and apple
green. . holy innocencel sancta nnplici-
tasi a. Mephistophelss says
When | found myself alone in this ono
>oom-my own room. all to myself felt
superlativsly overjoyed l made a careful
inventory Of everything, even the smallest
srticle Of furniture; l rumnased every cor
Ger. and explored ths chamber In the tulks,
"a 49, --5 me an Sha $o~~<l