The sun., 1889-02-10

borred environment From the point Of view to whici
her nature and conditions had focused her menta
vision love needed the eshiratnF Influence OF liberty
tho stimulation OF danger. and the enchnHtment o.
mystery.
Small wonder then that this green-eyed
slab. sided female poet OF passion dashed of
verses Wildly romantic. and with pen heated
white" Her productions found prompt nc.
ceptance by tho daily and weekly papers.
The magazine editors found them unavailable
for family reading Hernia won't from sane
tum to sanctum. trying in vain to sell stanzas
described as being like tho "torrid breath OF
the simoon." She became disgustcd with the
cowardice and satirical at the expense Of Il
tribe that respectfully declined to allow her to
send up a stream OF red hot lava In place
of tho usual shower bath OF lemonade and
claret cup." Sho quarreled with the limita-
tions which the Society for the Suppression Of
Vice imposed upon the frank publication OF her
maiden maginings:
| Hernia shrugged her shoulders She might repeated.
y the lovers to the verge of disaster then lust
before the fatal moment wrench them apart and sub
stitute astersks for curses Then school girls would
| paritato, the old maids THRILL tho married women
smile and the grin No harm would be done
MaIdcns and maids would lay II down with a long
drawn sish-of relief'-or regret'
How far Hernia, as a priestess and female
| poet Of passion. might have succeeded in con-
verting New York editors to her views OF lit
erary propriety will never TO known. for Just
| then her mlser unclo died and left her the
| house In tho Second avenue and one million
| dollars. Sho wrote no more simoons or lava tor
rents This circumstance. communicated by
ono OF tho craft as If IN all unconsclousness OF
| its significance, strengthens our suspicion that
tho female poets of passion are passionate
| in cold blood rs 1t were. and throb and
thrill and yearn and cling and kiss not be-
| cause they nro really consumed by an mex
! tinguishable poetic fire, but because they have
| bonnets and boots and corsets to buy. With a
million dollars in bank the production OF erotic
verse ceased utterly in Hermias case.
Tho first use to which the OK poet of passion
put her money was to purchase the marvellous
beauty which nature had failed to provide. The
details OF the process by which Hernia Suydam
became ono Of the most beautiful women in
New York would possess great scientific in
terest, but unfortunately they are but vaguely
explained by Gertrude Atherton. long inter-
view with fashionable physician, some visits
to a hairdresscr's four months OF training In
cottage oh tho south shore of Long Island
under the care OF competent nurse, and
Hernia was ready to stand before u mirror.
Meanwhile the house in Second avenue had
been remodelled to suit her vivid II somewhat
eclectic tastes. The large drawing room was
"Babylonian." The library and dining room
looked like tho rooms Of fcudal CASTLE"
The largo hall suggested n cathedral" Her
poudoir was "A scene from the Arabian
Nights" A conservatory. back of the house,
was built to resemble Jungle OF India:
It looked enough like jungle to deceive the most
suspicious Of tigers The tiles OF the floor
painted with rank growth Of grasses and ferns
Through the palms and tropical shrubs that crowded
tln p1nr Wild Fnr
giles marvellousy stuffed and poised. The walls were
forgotten behind tapestry OF reeds and birds OF tho
Orient. In pool and on its surface
foated tho pink, fragrant lilies that lie Eastern
lakes
Still more gorGeously Oriental was Hermin's
bedroom in lower Second avenue:
The inlad foor was thick with rugs that had been
in the looms OF the Orient The walls hung
with cloth of gold and the ceiling splendid picture
OF Nautch girls dancing in the pleasure palace Of
Indian prince The bed enameed to represent ivory.
stood dais. which traled wonderful Hindoo
shawl On the couches and dvans were fung rich
stus feahered and odd strips Of Indian conceitS
Tho sleeping separated from the boudoir by
Of pillars and from the unseen apartment tho
smell Of burning incense
1t was in this apartment that Hernia faced
looking glass for the first time since her
course in beauty culture:
pillars mirror Ivory framed reached from aoor 10
ceiling. Hernia and walked a few steps toward
the glass withou. daring to raise her eyes Then
q little cry. she ran to the lamps and turned them
ont She flung of her c,o,heR th-ev the ,hrg b,
called her nightgown over her head. and jumped into
bed She pulled the covers her face. and for
minutes lay and revIsd herself Then with an impa.
tent and audible exclamation at her cowardce she got
up and lit every lamp in tho room.
She walked over to tho mirror and looked long her
self fearfuy at first then gravey at last smilingy.
She was beautiful. because she was unique
sue nann "ss ,m',n M IL was ',n anu easue she
nos, round and no,b,d AS an ivorv Mia sh. snnsS
the nighgown from her shoulders the line of the back
OF her head and neck beautiful to see and crisp
waved strand Of shorter hair that had fallen from it's
place looked like piece of gold hgree on an Indian
Her shoulders did SLOPE but they might have
and cnrvsd I, SLOWLY han Ia, !, ,ons .trsa, ~
side She mus, ALWAYS have had A weli,haned arm ,or
tapered shoulder to wrist but health and caro-
alone could give the transparent brancy and awsss