The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-01-17
Select STORY.
JAMES PINK'O LAST ILLUSION.

at is, suppose, as likely to come to any
thing as your previous fascination. You
are certainly an odd person, james"
''Oh, no, Maria; this is quite different |
assure you have learned caution with ex,
perience; and if the world has taught me no
other lesson, it has taught me that the eyes
of man are really the least trustworthy of
the faculties with which he has been en-
dowed'
"What nonsense As if you are ever
likely to come to such patch of wisdom.
Why, it was but last year, at Oban, you
remember, that you fell in love with wo-
man who was grandmother over and over
again. She tricked you as easily as if you
had been babe, what with her paint and
powder, false hair and false teeth. And |
can't say you did yourself credit when you
vowed to me that you were about to offer
your hand and what may remain of your
heart to person who proved to be two
thirds bereft of her wits. | don't know
which county asylum she now resides in,
but l dare say you know; and, indeed,
knowing you as do, it really would not
surprise me to be told that you were still
in respondence with her. There's one
thing, the letters on either side would have
about an equal share of sense in Them"
''You are too monstrous, Maria, to go on
in that way, protested james.
"And now," continued his sister, 'you
come with fresh story about a siren sit
ting somewhere at the receipt of custom,
with the loveliest complexion you ever be-
held, and demeanor the perfection of
modesty, simplicity and grace. A deal you
know about compilations; though warrant
if it is given to men to know the qualities
they most excel in, you ought TO be re,
markable judge of the creatures simplici
ty"
1t was in this way: James Pink, who
was a country lawyer under no obligation tC
work for livelihood, passed three or foul
months of each year of his life in travelling
about the world. During his travels he
periodically fell in love. He was accom-,
panied by his sister, Maria, lady of forty
five to fifty, who sympathized with none oi
her brothers tastes. Least of all was she
by nature disposed to view charitably his
love fancies. In feet, they caused her intense
irritation Why this should have been Sc
we cannot tell. But the truth was that nc
sooner did her brother begin, ,timidly enough
one or other of his stories about new i'm
preston made upon his heart, than she was
wont to toss her head and otherwise mani
fest little temper, blamable in a girl ot
twelve or thirteen, but very singular in q
woman of mature age.
Upon this occasion they we're at Naples
1t was spring, and Easter. They had
viewed with complacence the pet lambs
which the Neapolitan children are wont tC
lead about the streets during the later days
of Lent, fattening them upon grass, cab
bage-leaves, or what not, in readiness fol
the butchers knife on Easter Eve Neither
the one nor the other of them had growr
at all cosmopolitan in the course of theil
ten or twelve years travel upon the Cont
nent Each regarded with horror thost
customs of a country which differed from
the customs of their own small village il
the North of England.
"They do not do that sort of thing III
Carsforth" was, with James or Maria Pink
a common sort of condemnation, indicative
of the extreme of dispraise.
If either of them was disposed to be a
all liberal in his or her estimate Of wOrlC
which differed from Carsforth, it was jaime.
Pink But he was cautious to keep hi
opinions to himself
Thus, they had driven to and fro ii
Naples, with their eyes fixed upon tn,
smoke of Vesuvius, when Vesuvius was il
sight, and at other times with expressions
of pain upon their honest faces as they re
marked the CRIME and filth which accom-
pany the color and viyaci:y of Neapolital
life. Maria Pink, on these occasions, jour
neyed with a small golden smelling bottl
in her hand; and however picturesque wa
this or that grouping of lads or lasses
ragged men and ragged women upon III
hot nayement Of Santa Iln.ia. which sh