Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1889-12-25

no matter how complicated or brilliant
were the figures, or how distinguished
were the dancers. Crowds of dudes at.
tended every night for no other purpose
but to suck the heads of their canes and
look at and adore her. The florists
shops were riaed to procure fancies rich
and rare to throw to the ETHEREAL beauty
whose freshness and innocence were az
puzzling as they were unique.
Mademoiselle Rosalie was indeed q
shield to her friend. That veteran
coryphes in her green and salad days
had undoubtedly had many an affair OF
the heart, and was experienced in all
matters relating to gallantry. But the
aroma of her girlish days in Provence
seemed to well up in her everyday later
life, and she was the good angel of Eva
At the slightest evidence that the or6i-
nary 6gurantes Of the ballet were dis.
posed to indulge in the coarse persifage
so common to these persons, she would
burst forth in what had a remarkable
verisimilitude to Gallo oaths of pro-
nounced flavor, and which, with her
flashing eyes, determined character and
unquestioned influence, both with the
master of the ballet and the manager,
had their immediate effect. So with the
outbursts of jealousy that the exceptional
enthusiasm which Eva's beauty and
graces excited in the audience. 1t soon
became generally known that to attempt
to inoculate Eva with the coarseness of
the ordinary figurante meant hostility
in a quarter which was both vim
dictive, influential and courageous be-
yond the usnal run OF even the old
soldiers Of the profession, and the at.
tempts were dropped. AS to the fops
who availed themselves of their privi.
lege of access behind the scenes, there
were no sooner signs that Eva was being
distressed, than Mademoiselle Rosalie,
cool, determined and perfect mistress
of cutting irony, would emerge from
some convenient nook, cigarette in
mouth, and treat the hardy intruders to
q game of repartee in broken English,
largely interspersed with French, from
which they were glad to retreat.
Walter Beaumont also played very
useful part in this part of the programme.
A graduate of a leading college, with
nothing but his own efforts to rely upon,
he was reading law, and eking out his
subsistence by stray newspaper work.
Chance had thrownhim into the domi-
cile inhabited by the Burlings, and cir
cumstances had favored his admission
to the circle His love for Eva was not
long in res hing the stage of unlimited
devotion. At the time when Mademoi-
selle had coneummated her scheme for
getting her pet on the stage, Eva and
Walter were devoted TO each other, and
the young man was only wait
ing for his admission to the bar
and the attainment OF q reasonable prac.
tice to claim her for his bride. 1t was
his delight to attend the ladies to the
theater every evening and to return after
the performance to escort them home.
Many too presumptuous dude had had
occasion, in his too audacious homage to
the fair Eva, to realize the fact that the
student-like looking gentleman who was
always in attendance in the obscure
alley when the spectacle was over had q
grip Of iron and the heart of lion. No
single individual ever needed second
lesson from Walter, and his courage and
muscle were only called into requisition
from the constantly recruited ranks Of
the admirers of his betrothed.
We have briefly outlined the status Of
things when our story opened. The op-
tical disability of Mrs. Burling had be-
come go grave that special and expen-
sive medical treatment was required to
save her from total blindness. Her
daughter and friends were provided
in heaped measure with everything
but money, and Eva. had taken the
desperate measure of appealing to her
finty-hearted uncle.
"oNLY A DREAM."-IT CONSEQUENCES.
Our story shifts from tenement house
to pretentious French flat in the neigh
borhood of the Park. The famous Tower
of Babel is almost duplicated in this
lofty building, whose topmost stories
make habitation therein impossible
without the aid of elevators. In sky
psrlor, directly under the pediment, in
an apartment meanly furnished, sits the
owner Of the edifice, in itself d fortune.
The weather is so severe that only
abundant warmth, which is furnished by
patent heaters, would save it's occupants
from freezing. OF the gas he is evidently
economical, for the lights are turned
low. In no feature of the room is there
the slightest suggestion or reminder that
any heart had ever pulsated with affec-
tion or concern for this lonely man
There is absolutely nothing to relieve
the sordid nakedness of the room. 1t is
a lair, rather than an apartment, and its
occupant is an animal, rather than a
human being, judging by all its acces.
sories. And yet this is the owner of the
costly and elegant block which yields
him plentiful income, and of many other
buildings beside.
He grasps in his hand an open letter
and his attitude is introversive and
melancholy. 1t is Christmas eve, and