Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1891-12-26


10 remember that he was a married
man
Certainly China ladies are prettler
than the regular sort, he said. ''As
for the men--now that fellow there,
mam'selIe--is he folks toog mean, is
he alive. animated, like you, you
known And as he pointed to the beau
] his under lip protruded scornfully. II
can't say like him much, he added.
He is a good deal of puppy. should
think. But perhaps he is friend Of
yours, and have hurt your feelings
again" for once more La Belle ap-
peared to brush away a tear.
IF he Is a relation began Mr..
Pendleton.
"A relation All. nonl" cried La
Belle. lie Is rascal; bad man; a
vera bad manr'
II thought as much. " said Mr.. Pen
dletcn.
II ate 'inl" cried La Belle, clench-
ing her little fist ~ ate i'm and de-
spisel'
do you, nowq' said Mr. Pendleton.
''rve no doubt he deserves IL.
"'E is my enemy and e is yours
also, said La Belle. Il come tonight
to expose i'm. Zis is why allow you
to know zat which we of china keep
secret always-zat we live like zose
ozers, she sighed "But 'e-oh, yes
e is all re same as efrybody-s-hl
watch" she said, after a long pause
Watch him we'll"
Suddenly the hand that Mr.. Pendle-
ton touched became cold The face
glistened in the light of the lamp-al
that stood upon the arm of his chair
was a china figure which he caught
lest it should fall, and placed upon the
mantelpiece., But as he stood before
the fire, puzzled beyond description, he
saw the figure of LIE Beau, at the other
end of the chimney, move, resume its
mask. throw it's cloak over its shoul-
ders, look at the face of the bronze
clock, take lnincing step forward,
spring from the mantel to the table,
thence to the floor and vanish through
the doorway.
"Hulloi" cried Mr.. Pendleton, what
does all this moanf'
Monsieur" said the voice of La
Belle. Monsieur, vat zis means is ex-
actly vat / am come to tell you. Eat
man-zat rascal. is my 'usband. ave
been true to Inn @ pretend to adore
me. Alas monsieur-'ow can l tell
youY Alas e is false to mel"
''False to such beauty as youP
said Mr.. Pendleton.
''False," replied La Belle. "Ah,
monsieur, you are as unhappy as l. For
whom belief you e desert rueT
mot for Jeanette, there, on the
Sracketa' asked Mr. Pendleton.
"Ah, nonl'' replied La Belle; "she
is true to Jeanot Non, monsieur, she
who 'as rob me of lis art is madame,
your WIFE"
"Ehl" roared Pendleton.
Madame, your wife, " repeated La
Belle.
'sYou don't mean Mrs. PendletonT'
cried Mr.. Pendleton.
"Alas monsieur, / dor said La
Belle. 81 know by my own art 'ow
you suffer,"
"Ohl But can't believe it," cried
Pendleton. II can'tl Mrs. Pendle-
toni But still of course she. knows
nothing about it; she can't help it; she
couldn't believe that a fifty-cent china
image would be in love with her"
"Can she notp replied La Belle
''Behold the proof. Today / found
zis."
And from some fold of her robe
where it had been concealed she drew
a note which she handed to Mr. Pen
dleton, who read these words;
DEAR LIE BEAu-Certainly you are the love
, liest little fellow ever met. bought the pal
. OF figures for your sake. never cared any
, thing for La Belle. And 30 you arc alive, an'
love mel To think of 1t! / am amazed. o
course, mustn't love you. There's poor, dea
old Pendleton. I'm married, and I'm exceed
ingly particular In my conduct, | can't he'll
: wishing Mr.. Pendleton looked like you; but b
I never will However, that Is not To the pur
pose. suppose there is no sin in little fun
I especially II Il 10 not found out. am going b
9 q wedding tonight, and you can come after m
I find tho direction below-in carriage.
course the china ball Is late. What a Lowell
8 affair It must bel will have q Vatican cos
r tune made and powder my hair and wear
a mask and look rs much like china as car
Your admiring AMELIA A. PENpIEroN.
my goodnessI' u gasped Mr. Pendl'
; ton.
''Oalm yourself, monsieur" inplore
: La Belle.
u |
''Great heavensl" shrieked Mr. Per
dleton.
sDo not exasperate yourself like zis,
sighed La Belle.
''pn smash the puppy" cried MI
f., Pendleton, seiEing the poker.
= Monsieur, of what availf' cried L
y Belle. ''If you smash M. lie Beau, b
: will become some broken china. n
Won viii beliefe, oh, nevair, zat he
I capable of Eis conduct, but ave p'
), tience. Come to re ball wiz me. b
y hold madame on his arm. Zen you ma
= be avenge."
''rn take the poker with me" sai
y Mr.. Pendleton.
> A moment moro, and he seemed
= = fit through space and darkness. The
u he was in a great hall decorated wit
flowers. The music of an orchestl
sounded from some unseen spot, an
y everywhere about him moved al
breathed tho living likenesses OF all Il
|" china figures ever seen In any Of Il
-. a., -, ,,n,-e ~ fha WORLD IN, mr.