Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-05-09
THE DEVILS REVENGE.

1t was toward the end of November;
the Imperial garden Of Vienna was de-
serted; a sharp breeze was whirling the
saffron colored leaves, shrunk up by the
early cold; the rose bushes, tormented
and broken by the wind, let their
branches drag in the mud Still, the
grand alley, thanks to its covering Of
sand, was dry and passable- Although
devastated by the approach of winter,
the Imperial garden was not without a
certain melancholy charm. The long alley
prolonged far away its reddening arcades;
beyond, the view stretched over the Prater
and the Danube; it was such a promenade
as a poet would have desired.
a young man was striding up and
down this alley with visible signs Of i'm
patience; his costume, somewhat theatre
cal in its elegance, consisted Of frOck
coat of black velvet, with gold facings and
bordered with fur, gray wooden panta-
looms, top boots, with tassels. coming half
way up his legs. He might have been 81
or % years of age; his pale and regular
features were full of finesse. and irony
lurked in the creases around his eyes and
the corners OF his mouth. In the uni
versity, which he appeared to have quit
ted recentIy-for he still wore the stu
plagued the Philistines, and shone in the
front ranks of the bUrschen and the foxes.
The narrow limit within which he cir
cumscribed his walk showed that he was
waiting for some one-pr0bably a lady;
for the Imperial garden of Vienna in the
month Of November is hardly propitious
to business rendezvous. Soon a young
girl appeared at the end of the avenue.
A turban OF black silk covered her rich,
blonde hair. whose ringIets had been
slightly uncurled by the dampness of the
evening; her complexion, ordinarily Of
waXen wilderness, had taken a rosy tint
from the bite of the cold. Draped and
wrapped she was in a mantle trimmed
with marten skin; little terrier accom-
panied her-a convenient chaperOn, on
whose indulgence and discretion you
could count.
imagine, Heinrich,'' said the pretty
Niennese, taking the young mans arm,
81 have been dressed and ready TO 90 out
for more than an hour. and my aunt kept
on with her sermons on the dangers of
Waiting, on recipes for Christmas cakes
and carp with blue sauce. / went out on
the preteXt Of buying some gray boots, of
which | have no need whatever. 1t is
for you, Heinrich, that / tel all these
little lies which am constantly regretting
and constantly beginning over again.
What an idea of yours il was TO take to
the stage! What was the good of study
ing theology so long at Heidelberg My
parents liked you, and we might have
been married today but for that. Instead
of meeting on the sly under the bare trees
of the Imperial garden. we should be
seated side by SIDE before a fine porcelain
stove in a nice warm room. talking of the
future of our children. Would not that
be a happy lot, Heinrichs"
"Yes, Katy, very happy" replied the
young man, as he pressed, under the
satin and fur, the dmpled arm of the
pretty Viennese; but l cannot help it.
The theatre attracts me invincibly; I
dream of it by day, | think of it by night;
! feel the desire TO live in the creation OF
the poets; l seem to have twenty exist
enceS. Every role that | play makes me
new life; all those passions that | express
] feel. | am Hamlet, Othello, Charles
Moor. When one is all that, he can with
difficulty resign himself to the humble
condition of village pastor. "
THAT is very noble. But you know
that my parents never viii have an actor
for a son-in-law.
mo, certainly, not an obscure actor; a
poor, anbulant artist, the puppet OF man
ayers and the public. Bat great actor,
covered with glory and applause, who
earns more money. they will not refuse,
however scrupulous they may be. When
l shall come to ask your hand in hand
some yellow coach, the varRish of which
viii be able to serve as a looking glass for
the astonished neighbors, and tall lackey
covered with gold lace VIII let down the
steps for me, do you think they will re-
fuse meP'
II do not think they VIII. But who
says, Heinrich, that you will ever come TO
that? You have talent but talent IS not
sufficient; you must have much good luck
besides BY the time that you shall be-
come the grand actor Of whom you speak,
the best time Of your youth viii have
passed, and then viii you be ready 70
marry Katy, growI old, when you have
at your disposal the loves Of all those
princesses of the theatre who are so joy
Gus and so gayly deckeds'
THAT future" replied Heinrich, sis
nearer than you think. / have an advan-
tagecus engagement at the theatre Of the
Corinthian Gate, and the manager is so
satisfied with the manner in which l
present Of :, 900 thalers"
Eyes, " replied the young girl, with a /
serious air, THAT role of u demon in the I
new piece. 1 confess to you. Heinrich, !
that DO not ike TO see a Christian as 1
sumo the mask of the enemy Of the /
human race, and pronounce words OF /
blasphemy. The other day went 70 see 4
you at the Corinshiau theatre. and at
every moment was afraid that veri- I
table he'll fire would issue from one Of /
the traps where you were swallowed up (
in flames Of spirits of wine. ! returned /
home ali confused, and l dreamed hor-
rible dreams
my good Katy. that is al imagination: 4
tomorrow. too. VIII take place the last
performance, and shall no longer put on /
the black and red costume which SO much |
displeaSes you"
''Se much the better; my mind is prey /
10 vague feeling OF alarm. and ] fear
that the role which has been So profitable
10 your glory viii not be profitable 70 your
salvation I am sf-Sid, too that you viii /
contract bad habits Ia the company of I.
those horrible comedians. | am sure that /
YOU no longer say your prayers; and | /
dare wager that you have lost the little
cross 1 gave YOU"
Heinrich justified himself By showing
the little cross, which was still shining on
his breast.
While they were talking thus the two
lovers had arrived at the Tower StrasSe,
In the Ieopoldstadt. in front OF the shoe
maker WHO was famous for the perfection
Of his gray boots After chatting some
time at the door, Katy entered, followed
by her terrier. but not without having