The morning call., 1891-07-22

K Z. wAeeENER.
1t was early in January of the year IS,
when the word-famouS Harzberg Menagerie
came for the first time to the city OF Buchar-
est For more than a month past the place
had been in a commotion over tho number
and rarity of its collection of animals, the
bewildering feats of its magnificent trained
ljons and above all over the beauty and
daring of the lions mistress and tanner,
Mile. Hernia Dalstrom. A Swede by
nativity, young, charming, distinguished,
cold as the snow of her frozen cline and alb
solutely unapproachable.
She passed, It is true, for standing ia a
questionable relationship to the proprietor,
HarZberg, and did naught to contradict the
calumny, if calumny it was, but the rich
and gallant BOyaTds, who laid their hon.
ages at her feet and SedulouSly sought to win
her favor, encountered nothing but chill
polteness and n Satrical reserve that sent
them away discounted and deSparing.
Briefly all that one knew about her was
that she lodged. in common with the HarZ-
berg family, at the best hotel, went to and
from her work always in carriage, and
neither visited. received visitors nor gave
rendezvous in other places; a veStal severity
that piQued interest and curiosity TO fever
heat and made tile beautiful Swede for
midabe rival of the celebrated MOntez and
La Cavatina
Such was the condition of affairs and the
public mind when there came one evening
TO the Harzberg Menagerie the young Prince
ManaskO, who had Just returned from &
foreign tour and, as they said, doing
Paris" He had heard, of course, like all
the world, of the wonderful grace and
beauty of the daring young Swede, but
fresh from the French capital and the al
lurementS of its beautiful sirens tue smile
on his lips was still tritte skeptlcal, as he
came at last TO stand before the lions
cage, awaiting HermIa'S appearance and
the opening exercises.
As suddenly as Il shadow comes on the
wall the back of the cage opened and she
was there. Tall, slender, cold and calm as
a statue of aibP, milk-white skin, tint
like the dawn on either cheek, crop of
golden CurlS clustering thick about "a broad
open brow and clad in a short tunic edged
Stth ermine above the regulation tights
wOmac or angel. the Prince for a moment
was uncertain Yhien.
Enthralled aud fascinated he followed with
eager gaze and throbbing heart every move
ment OF the slim, 1.-the body, every turn of
the sharp, keen lash, fearlessly piled with g
vigorous hand upon the tawny hide of her
refractory beasts and shudderinG like ter
riied school-b boy, when at last the exercises
ended with the vanishing from sight of the
beautiful blonde head into the open jaws of
roaring and recumhent pupil.
Scarcely had the young Swede Quilted the
cage alicI lHlS ClUSlllt, leaf when lIls IIl0CG
bowed before her as she resumed the peliSse
that she had thrown aside on entering and
that was presented to her as usual by Edgar
HarZberg, the proprietor's eldest son.
As handsome man. this princely Boyard,
as Hernia was q beautiful womanl And
while offer no explanation of the vagaries
of the human heart and fancy, the TACT re-
mains tnat it was neither with pride nor
coldness but smile of indescribable gentle
ness and sweetness that she responded to
his fatterng words.
From that on the Prince came every even
ing, and Hernia received him not only
with a smile but even singled him out with
rapid glance Of the eye as soon as she en-
tered the cage, and was coldly enraged when
she left it If aught interviewed to hinder the
Prince from being at hand to put on the pc
lsse that it had once been Edgar Harzberg's
duty to place about her shoulders
Nevertheless, second month had come
and gone since the arrival of the HarZberC
Menagere at Bucharest, and this, so far,
was all that the Prince ND been able to OBJ
tain, despite the prayers and pTuteStations
with which he sought to make her his own.
An unexpected rival, however, came to his
aid; Edward HdrZberg, in fact, who said to
her one evening, as She passed into the cage:
TIL now, Hernia, with many others, 7
have believed that my father had claims
upon you that dared not disturb, though l
loved you myself and have suffered torment
because OF it, as also because of this love
never will consent that you entangle your
self with this princely B0yard, who. more
over. Is allianced to a woman of rank and
shamelessly amuses himself with YOU"
Hernia answered nothing, but when the
Prince came that evening with his prayers
and pleadiugs she said to him simply:
Tell me first if what they say of you is
Iue-that you have already fancee in your
own citation In lfe?"
1t is true, Hernia" the Prince respond
ed, but you have only to say the word to
put an end to this wearying romance and TO
fnd me at your feet. your willing, abject
slave"
But you do not love me. l sayW
"Show me how TO prove that dor
She drew herself erect with proud, i'm
perative gesture.
"Come tonight then" said she, "to the
little door that leads to the menagerie d.
rect, an hour before midnight-we will
seep'
An hour before midnight-good, 1
Gomez
He came; and when he lett the menag-
erie again in the middle of the night and in
the midst OF black darkness two soft, cling
Ing arms embraced him tenderly and two
burning lips attached themselves to his own.
Naturally, before long nothing else was
talked of IN club or city but the affair of
the Prince ManiaskO and the beautiful
Swede.. and naturally, too coming in the
ears of the Princes courtly father, he,
troubled and uneasy for the future of his
son, determined to hurry as much as posi-
bic his marriage to the Princess Skeboloff
to whom he had been from childhood be-
trothed.
There was terrible scene between father
and son, but the Prince was forced to yield,
and an evening came when Edgar HarZberg
once more resumed the Interrupted duty of
folding the silken mantle about the beauti-
full shoulders. Then for Hernia succeeded
anight of anguish and bitter tears.
Two evenings passed and she still vainly
waited for the coming of her beloved.
She wrote him then, but received no re-
Spouse. The fourth evening as she left the
cage and enyeloped herself in the shetering
mantle Edgar, who had watched her, say
ing nothing, but waiting in his turn, said to
IF you would know the reason why he
comes no longer, Hernia, tits l that can
tell you."
"Speak," said she listlessly. "What mat
tiers it now? l am ready for anything"
q" He comes no longer, the Prince Mani
asko," Edgar responded, because tits only
three days now before he celebrate his
"Tis falsel You lieP" cried Hernia
feIcely..
"No, tits truth tell you"
And the woman he marres?"
"Prettv Pr
Beautiful. young and rich"
"A peal Of sharp, shrill laughter broke from
Hermia's lips.
You suffer, Hernia" cried Edgar
eagerly-"y0u suffer and would be avenged
or the blood Of your country women runs no
longer in your veins. Promise me but
single tear and your revenge you shall have
Il will kill himp'
No, Edgar. no; do not wish that you
should sacrifice yourself for me-"
And ne is to go unpublished, then, that
sc0undrelr cried Edgar passlonately.
Most certainly nOtl Butt must be
left to me. In my own way and time the
punishment will come"
As said before. the talk Of the club-room
and city had been the affair of the Prince
Maniasko and the beautiful Swede, which
explains of course, the sudden within Of the
Princess Skeboloff, as her lover sat at her
feet the following morning, to 60 herself to
Harzberg Menagerie.
|, too, desire to see, said she with
knocking smile, ''the beautiful beast tanner
al uhntrn al 4 Irar IL l.