The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-07-07


 on the point of crying out with fear when it's passion subsided, it threw It. self once more into the chair, resumed it's former position and, after a mo- ment's silence, ill which it seemed to be collecting it's faculties, which must have been seriously disturbed by its fearful gymnastics, said:
 "You must excuse my giving way to my feelings in this manner, but the thoughts of that wicked man and the evil he did to me and others always affect me deeply. Oh, the cruel, selfish, heartlessness of some men! Why are they allowed to come into the world to darken the homes and bring ruin, disgrace and death to the good, the pure and the generous? But had my revengew
 was half inclined to laugh at this remark. The imagination could scarcely associate the idea of vengeance with an umbrella, but when I re- membered the weird, uncanny actions and fierce passion exhibited by it but moment before, was prone to shiver instead.
 "What contradictory creature he was," continued the umbrella mus ingly. "He was always dressed in the most fashionable manner, dined, when he ate at all at the most expensive of restaurants and yet he lived in small dingy lodgings at the very top of building in an unfrequented part of the town, which must have cost him little or nothing. He was cool and self possessed, too, when among his associates and confederates, winning their money or losing his own With the same imperturbable manner and cynical smile. Yet when, after & night at the gaming table, he had climbed to his attic, he would often throw himself on his bed and sob, moan, weep and curse for hours to- gether. It could not have been from disappointment, either, for it was much the same whether he won or lost. It was after one of these parox- ysms, when worn out with grief or rage or regret or perhaps all together that she came.
 "l don't know how she found him out for he never told his most inti- mate acquaintances Che had no friends), where he lived. There were several light taps at the door, but he was sleeping soundly. Then the door opened and she came in. I shall never forget that vision of loveliness and sorrow. She was tall and slender almost to emaciation, but SO per- fectly formed and so graceful that looking at her, you could think of nothing but wildwood fern. Her eyes were large and of a violet shade and held light like that of a fawn coming timidly to eat from your hand. Her hair was a rich dark brown and clung in heavy waves about her broad, white forehead. Go ing over to where he lay she placed her long, white fingers gently on his brow and called softly:
 "Joe.' Her voice was like water running over pebbles. He opened his eyes languidly, but seeing her sprsng up fiercely and grasping her by the wrist, muttered:
 1 "sWoman, what do you want here?'
 "I came to see you, Joe. You have peen 50 long away rom me. came to tell you, Joe, that-that-'
 "I know what you would say,' he growled, savagely, but I'm not to blame for it. Go back to your coun- try lover and tell him your trouble :; don't come whining around me. You have done me injury enough. have never had luck since I knew you. Your white, baby face rises between me and every stake for which I play and shuts it away from me. Do you hear2 shuts it away from me-
 "The poor girl shrunk and shivered as though each word was blow.
 "I-I didn't mean it, Joe, indeed. l never meant to bring you harm,' she faltered.
 ! "Whether you meant it or not, you