The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-08-20
HER LAST ROMANCE.

F'You are too romantic"
Mrs. Merriweather turned her face
upon her.
What did you say, Amina?"
II said you were too romantic" re-
peated Amina, with sullen delibera-
ton.
Amina was the daughter of a de-
funct Italian fiddler wild-eyed,
erratic dreamer, who had drifted to
these shores and for few years kept
the red-eyed hunger-wolf from the
door by playing in the orchestra of the
opera. There was nothing Amina did
not owe to Mrs. Merriweather. 1t was
the rich widow who had gathered her
in and given her home.
Mrs. Merriweather stood before her
and in the abrupt arresting of her
movements all the tinkling bangles
on her wrists gave tongue. Mrs.
Merriweather was very fond of bangles
and pendants and tinkling cymbals.
She looked very stately in her dignifed
pose, and scarcely more than thirty
five.
ut seems to me-" she enunciated,
with disarming gentleness ''that 1
Amina."
rs though she had been glass. But
what had that to do with it? She felt
convicted of ingratitude.
She suddenly flung herself out of her
chair and down on the floor at Mrs.
Merriweather's knee.
''Oh, don't mind what l say! I'm
wretch! You've been a angel to me
md I'm unworthy as any viper!'
Mrs. Merriweather smiled benignly.
such scenes were not new. Upon the
whole, it was not unpleasant to have
this half-indignant, half-protected
austerity close to one. 1t made one
feel young-almost girlish! And the
alterations of passionate, adoring
fealty were pleasant also. They gave
color to daily life.
Mrs. Merriweather's smile curved in
to a youthful archness.
You love me so much and yet you
don't seem to think that others could
love mel"
Amina was on her feet again, serious
and almost sullen as before.
MIR. Pallatine is young. l don't
think he is more than thirty" she said.
This indeed, was venturing much!
Mrs. Merriweather drew herself up
again, and this time there was no
doubt about the steely point in her
eyes.
'tMr. Pallantine is poor and a gen.
tleman. That means that he has tastes
which he cannot satisfy. To 90 about
giving readings-gifted and fastidious
as he is-cannot be wholly agreeable" :"
Il should think it might be more
agreeable than being patronized by fine
ladies'" supplemented Amina.
Decidedly, ''said Mrs. Merriweather.
sweeping from the room, you forget
yourself to-day"
Amina sat down by the window with
her hanGs III heI Jap. A wretch? Of
course she was a wretch. Why had
she not been left to starve by the body
of her dead father in that bare room
long ago?
That evening Egbert Pallatine, read
ing '.Ulf in Ireland Mrs. at Van Hook
er's reception, was conscious of Mrs.
Merriweather's fascinated eyes hang
ing on his face.
One hour later, when the recitations
were over and some music to which
people had listened with patient
resignation had been performed, he
| found himself in the midst of the push
for the supper-room close to the
widows perfumed pink brocade and
elaborate blonde head and opulent
white shoulders and throat rising gen.
erously like a full-blown hot-house
| flower out of her low corsage and
plentifully bedewed with diamonds.
He offered his arm. and Mrs. Merri.
weather rustled along beside him,
showing all her wholesome white teeth
and chattering graciously.
II am desperately hungry" she de
clared, land when you have ATTENDED
to me in that way you will have to at
tend to me in another way also. The
affair tonight has given me an idea"
| Pallatine wheeled rather wearily.
When he had returned with some salac
and fricasseed oysters and croquette:
and sandwiches on plate and stooo
before the widow holding her cham
pagne glass, she proceeded:
| Il shall have some tableaux at m,
house. And they shall be described, az
it were, by recitations. You will dt
the recitations and you will give MI
the benefit of your ideas as to how
such things as you think could be tit
tingly illustrated by tableaux vivants
There! Will not that be new idea
/ want something that has not beef
done before. We must begin prepara
tions at once"
When they got back to the drawing
rooms move was being made by tn
younger people to break into dancing
Pallatine, having in some way be
come free again, made his way t
where Amina sat alone against tn
wall.
..Aren't you going to dance?n h
said, looking at her as he dropped int
seat beside her. She wore cow
of dark red crepe, almost high in tn
neck, and her small olive-tinted head
with a knot of waving black hair
looked like cameo. Mrs. Merriweathel
who had regained her good-humo
long before the evening, had urge
Amina to wear something little NOR
youthful.
You look so prim," had said tn
widow, gazing, not without con
placency, at the Venetian vision {
robust charms thrown back by tn
mirror, as her maid gave deft touc
, here and there to the bodice OF th
: pink brocade.
II don't care about dancing" We
E Animals reply to Pallatine's remarl
II don't care for this sort of thing
: anyway. Only Mrs. Merriweather
good enough to bring me. She is a
ways good If were better myself,
suppose should enjoy it more"
. .'Why don't YOU enjoy it?" PAIL
: tines eyes had grown as serious as hi
own. He had abruptly awakened
the fact of how profoundly bored |
: had been all the evening. He had Ii
: before felt so rested and comfortab
/. as sitting by the side of this solem
. little girl who took so determinedlytl
: air of dependent.
= Because was not made for it,
suppose"
; stWell," Pallatine's voice sank u
consciously, perhaps Twas not, either
But your family used to be We