St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-12-25

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tiers, concerts or hotel life at that time?
Every human beng who knows OF a
home IN the wide world, be it ever so
poor, seeks the brightly glimmerlng
flame of his hearth. But theaterS, con-
certs and entertainments go on all the
same-undef the special flag of charity
benefits. For there are many who have
no home. no family in strange land:
many-with perhaps none on
earth. And it is they who seek, at
Christmas time, brilliant halls, gay as
semblies, floods Of light, and strains of
merry music. And they laugh with
laugh from which no gladnesS rings;
and they Shiver in the warmth of the
sparkling lights, and Shudder under the
clinging folds OF their velvetS and furs.
We find ourselves in one of the magni
ficent halls devoted TO music, song,
athletics and sport. of which Paris
abOundS: one of those palaces, which
form a happy medium between the
Alcazar d'Ete and the Cirque FrancOni.
The house contains q rich and brilliant
audience, but it is half filled
only. and upon the lips of those
present Unveils an artificial smile, and
in theirhearts fingers a hidden frost,
for it is Christmas time, and all the
rich and beautiful and distinguished
people, who sit about in the half-empty
Space. have at that moment no home
with its warm happiness and CHEEKY
comforts and MISUNDERSTANDING yule-
log. There are rounds OF applause, the
air is laden with perfumes, the strains
of music float in merry rhythm. On,
for the magnificent acrobats-the
three brothers Reyelle, the American
artists, the only, the indispensable of
their kind. the stars, the gods of the
season. How it flies, and turns and
twists and glitterS. The dark brown
giant. the blonde AntOniUS. and the
youngest Of the three. who whirls like
snowflake through the air. The hum
dreds of eyes of that whole audience
are Spell-bOund. their breath is huShed,
they forget the place, the time-the
Christmas time-human strength and
grace and daring intOXicate the senses of
the homeless multitude. Between the
moments OF anxious, breathleSS silence,
they cry with JOY and eXultatlOn, as
each daring, dangerous feat develops
after the other: bravo, Revelle. Bravo,
the brothers Revelle?"
One mouth alone among the thTong
remains silent, one human being amidst
thai GuulCilEC OOCS lluI DIP
plaud.
1t is a young and beautiful woman.
She is clad in soft and costly furS. aud
over her delicate. nObe face spreads
marble paleneSs-dOubly pale in its
frame of dark hair. Her eyes are rivited
upon the stage and the performing aero
bats. The stately, distinguished-lOOk-
ing gentleman beside her with bis full.
dark beard and the commanding air ola
grand Segneur, bows down to her and
looks searchingly into her face.
what is the matter. Liza? Are
these hazardous feats frightening you?
You are trembling ?''
''DO you not see how dreadful it is?"
says the beautiful woman. ''If he
should fall = = F." She stopped
shudderingly. and yet could not turn
her face from the danger before her.
"He? Whom do you mean, Lap
Him. Richard Revelle, the pro-
gramme calls him"
And why are you trembling more
for him than his other two brothers?
Are you in love with him?'
The woman made an impatient geS-
ture, but still her eyes were fastened
upon the daring acrobats.
IN love?'' she said. Il told you that
/ am frightened. You do not under
stand me. / feel the danger in the air.
You have no idea of such PRESENT.
ments."
Are you a prophecies then. Liza? A
clairvOyant?' the man smiled almost
sarcastically.
She answered softly with deep, Vi
brating voice: ''Do not Jest: | am
neither prophecies nor sibyl, but it is
christmas time, and it Is said for US
NOrthernerS who dwell along the surf
dashed coast of the sea the next
hour has no veil to hide its fate.
You wise and learned people of rank
and distinction smile incredulOusly and
call 1t superstition; but ask the old.
the lonely, the people of our northern
coast and they will tell you that it is
true. Second sight they call it across
the channel, the 'yule sight our people
call it, who dwell along the bleak shores
OF the northern coast. It's Christmas
time, and as | watch with trembling the
daring feats of those men Wonder. it
SEXES hold of me- see the fatal mis-
hap-it grows dark and lonely around
the One-it surrounds him steathily-
now it takes hold of him Just as he leans
the smiling face-ahI"
The Stitled cry of the pallid woman is
repeated by a hundred Threats: fright
ened, shrill voices fill the space; every
one jumps to his feet in terror and con-
fusion, The brothers were building an
artistic pyramid, and Richard Revelle.
the blonde IcaruS, with his laughing.
gem-sparkling eyes, his joyous smile
and Jaunty wave of the hand, has missed
a S0mething-nO one knows what-in
his daring leap through the air and
plunges downward. His brothers bend
Ia I'm with
as he lays there a limp, lifelesS mass.
1t was on the following morning.
The pale-faced lady and the stately
gentleman sat in the handsomely fur
hished parlOr Of hotel situated on one
of the fashionable bOulevards. How
gentle she looked in her cloSe-ftting
black dress, her dark hair ripping in
qlmple waves around her sweet, guile
less. pathetic face.
Her cavalier lounged idly in a corner
of the room smoking a cigarette and
strOking his magnificent beard compla-
Gently with his well-kept manly hand.
The snow whirled outside IN thick,
white flakes.
You did not know the acrobat, Liza,
and your ineXplicable fear was only
caused by the 'yule sight, as you call it.
Have you had this strange second sight
often?'
Her large. dreamy eyes gazed into
empty space. II was child, scarcely
twelve years old, when it came to me
the first time," she replied. "Tiens
Prince, you are my good and noble
friend-my sutton, the world calls you;
the wicked world perhaps my lover
but we both know that you are neither
81 would gladly be the former" he re