Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-10-13
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THE CAVE QUEEN.
a TRAGIC TALE OF THE TUNNEL.
BIT a HAeaARp wnrrn

TRAGIC TALE OF THE TUNNEL.
BIT 4 HAo0ARD wnrrxr
man and maiden. bearing In their hands
smoking, torch-iike lamps, stumbled ana splashed
sioog me Iocky moor and through the fuliginous
iNSness Of the Aqueduct tunnel. The rough coat
NOra oy the man and the trousers tucked into the
tops OF his high boots could not conceal the srtsto
rEauc grace Oh MS tall slender but athletic figure
TIE mdiden's face was wondrous fair though
somewhat soot-specked. The man strobe on In
moody silence, though at times he took the
maidens hand TO assist her over jagged heaps OF
Tuck or muck as unromantic miners call it
Suddenly the man stopped and shuddered
"Hark, what sound Is thatfs
III IL but the cllnking OF a tunnelmule,s chain
Billppo." said the maiden
fhhppo resumed his striding. The maiden tim
Ely spoke bis name, "Fillippo.,
well ne said, with petulant explosiveness
sorhinS suddenly TO face her. She raised her lamp
- -" 'nat ms brow wore a scowl almost fierce.
fnen sne snrank back from him In fear
On, Fillippo," she said reproachfully, .why
cost thou speak TO me thusfn
FnuPpe drew near the girl and tenderly took her
hand
"sioletta' he said, "forgive me. I know not
wat al say. great weight Is on my soul"
anu we are 70 be wed To- morrow" said the girl,
drawing the hand FiIippo mad extended 20 her
about her waist
Of Sn vlosstaI he began, .but hrs, let US get out
aza formed IN one OF the footprints OF panti-
spa S reporter OF morning paper, and reached a
arm about her waist, and, raising his torch, saw
- a e sas naa the approved upward trusting look
tioietta," he said, "Iny love! a terrible PRESENT.
IN. ms me with dread something that seems 10
- ~ me sn sncs me Joy you spoke Of is about
~ grasp. had q dream, violetta- Do not
1neaoer, child 1 have not been drinking.
! nad q dream In which saw a marriage feast
spread. A distant STRAIN OF music kept swelling
.Seoer, louder, ushertng In the wedding party,
music Hated, and a company OF skeletons was
oancing before my eyes, each CHASTITY dancer as
ne wniried oy turning his grinning head 70 look
Mere, hold my light"
violetIa having relieved Finppo OF his lamp.
slowly pushed his hands, palm outward, from him,
- II ne we're showing muck car. He was put
s.Snted his memory. when he Sad again taken a
ns light Violetta chung convulsively 10 his
.'On, Philippe, do not speak thus Let no gauzy
dream destroy our happiness Remember how
bright our future. You, so young, and yet. al
ready suo-inspector on the tunnel! What could
Fiippo smiled as violetta pictured his prosperity
tor Indeed ne was one OF Those favored by fortune
put ne ended BY heaving great sigh
sAlas Vioetta, II could but forget that fright
AAS wv otVAuUkcu VI until rtdCucu Il pOlut
near Champlain avenue shalt Here FIhppo
moved some stones from the wall and, having
helped violetta into The dark aperture, quickly
stepped In himself, and then from the inside
pulled the stones back into their places. that
casual observer would not have discovered the
secret passage II was safe al any rate from dis
oovery by the engineer Officers FillippO
vent a,,i in1S the hole and pulled the hole
convex exterior snTIaee Of TSe arc up and .ng
there they paused Both Philippe and viOletta
were familiar with the place, else It's weirdness
Uni a IA rnptr
cold They moved forward boldly In the blackness
that WAS not dispelled, but only made murky by
above, the moving currents OF air the tinkling Of
water, and now and then the grim CHASTITY form OF
out Of the 6lackness showed that they were
IN vast cavern The aQueduct arch formed a
ana wsS sr Pp9 str91s
their way some distance In silence, they APP
glare ssreaed fofsn sss,ne ON Sh Though uG 9Sis
rough portal FiIhppo and vioieIta entered a grand
suoterranean hall From great torches placed In
inches In the wall flames sWirled and sent a ruddy
glare high up against the frOwnIng and massive
gltterinS stalacites, and mere and there the
rocks were pillared and arcEed, Dividing on this
huge cave into apartments communicating one
Win another The tighIS and shadows, the CLEAN
nom the rock and the yliseening OF stalacliIes
amazed the eye and aideu a sense OF solemnity one
felI In entering this august chamber.
Far down near the end OF this cave were many
figures, some moving, some grouped about throne
IKE oals, FORMED OF uute0 Stalactlres. About this
throne the cavern was more brilliantly lighted
than at other places Besides torches about the
walls, q row OF hgnt-oesrers stood on either side
Asfuuppo approached he could see upon the throne
The form Of woman 1T Is well, violetta," he
said, I've not late" soon Filnppo and violetta
had joined the group about the throne. The
woman who sat upon the throne was tan and OF
majestic d ure- Her dark eyes flashing beneath a
low, white brow told OF treacherous depths or
passion: her chin and lower Jaw, though
lovely IN their outlines had a massveness that be-
spoke an Obstinate WILL She was large, but not
her head rested a diaden. She wore a loose robe
OF white gauZy stun, through the sleeves OF which
giimmered When Fillippo entered I % chamber
The dark eyes CLEANED as II several new rays had
oeen aoded 10 their glory. They followed Philippe
seemed 10 De glued 10 MN, " speak. Presently
. page touched F1rppos arm and said: "The
Lady OF the cave would speak with thee"
$50, Filippo," said vioieLta seeing that he lin
gered 40, tell her OF our happiness Tomorrow
and ask her blessing"
Philippe followed the page and presented him.
SET with low bow before The Lady or the Cave.
The Lady gazed hungeringly upon his handsome
face and tall and snapeg Inquire
approach, t1llippO," she said. "Seat thyself,
Philippe seated himself upon muck pile an the
lady feet. Ever ana anon she turned q glance
toward him that was fiiled with unutterabie ten
oernesA E1ilppo responded with q searching
diving gaze, that went down into her soul and
made a wild tumuit there. he thought he would
walt awhile before speaking OF violeIla and the
wedding tomorrow. Meanwhile the dark
the throne, turned away with a sour look. An
Filnppol thou, who 50 careiessly laugh and lest
with the Lady, II thou couidsL know the ieaiou,
hatred that that sour LOOK but slightly reflects
Aalvolio withdrew behind a neighboring rock
elenched dis nSts and ground his teeth
Then DC looked around the corner OF the rock and
seeing the Lady's eyes sill holding out their ten
der signals 10 F1nppo, again clenched his lists and
ground his teeth py giving his lower law a lateral
movement There were CONSTANT arrivals In the
chamber, which was soon tnrOng1ng with people
At last the LADY OF the Cave rose 10 her feet and
there was an expectant hum, which was soon
husned
"Frends" she said, In q musical penetrating
voice, jewellers In The cave, nave Assembled you
tonight 70 witness solemn ceremonial and 10
renew your own obligations by participating In
the solemn Initiation or a new sub-inspectOr Is
Ne neophyte nere?'
"Hers, your Ladyship,r responded a shaggy.
headed eaSe-dweiler, who came forward escorlin2
stranger
"His manner" demanded the Lady
.Ntchael Angelo Briano," responded the stranger.
Win voice Qulverlng with the emotions with
which the scene inspiI cd him
-What brings he here to show that he Is one OF
the eleey!" -
~Tnese, your Ladyship." said Briano, Who sd.
yancing and dropping upon one knee, presented
some documents
These the Lady Of the Cave glanced over
hastily, brienng them aloud as sne looked !:
"A regular appointment as sub-fnspector by the
engineer In charge. Good! Certificates that he
las never done any work himself and knows
nothing about II. Excellent! Testimony OF ply
ncians that be 10 near-slghted, being una Ole 10
Distinguish hole from a solid wall al a distance
h.. .k.e