, 1891-01-21

Il am willing to allow that it is fun
n.y." L said, but, after all. there is a
rude pathos in the man, an untutored
chivalry. Nearly every man loves and
reverences I'M It is old fashioned,
/ know, but it has a breezy sweetness
of its own, like the lavender and rose
mary of our grandmothers; don't you
think soF'
There was no reply. imagine that
Esculapius is sensible at times of his
want of ideality, and feels a delicacy
in ~conversing with me. So l went on
musingly:
with such natures love Is an in
stinct; and it is t o instinct, after all,
that We must look for everything that
is fresh and poetic in humanity. We
have all made this sacrifice to culture
"a sacrifice of force to expression.
Isn't it so, my lover
Still no reply.
Il like to picture to myself the affec-
ton of which such a man is capable
for no doubt he loves this girl of whom
hNspeaks; not of course as you-as you
ought TO love me, but with a rude,
wild sincerity, a sort of rugged grand
eur. Imagine him betrayed by her.
A man of the world might grow white
about the lips and sick at heart, but he
would find relief in cynicism and bitter
words. This man would act some wild,
strange act of vengeance. The cultured
nature is n honeyeomb, his is a solid
mass, and masses give us our most pict-
uresque effects Don't you think so,
my dearf'
And still no reply.
"Esculapius."
We'll, my love"
Isn't it barbarous of you not to
answer when | speak TO your
Possibly; at least, it has thai APP
pearance; but there are mitigating cir
cumstances, my dear. was asleep"
Two weeks later the colonel brought
his wife to call upon me. She was a
snowy, loud voiced blonde, resplend-
emily overdressed. At the first oppor-
tunity her husband motioned me aside.
Isn't she about the gayest piece Of
calico you ever sawf' he asked, with
proud confidence. Doesn't she lay
over anything around here by a large
majorityr'
''She is certainly a very striking wo-
man, " | said, gravely. and one who
does you great credit. But 1 am a lit
tie surprised, colonel. No doubt it was
a mistake. but l got the impression in
some way that the lady was n bru-
nette."
The colonel's countenance fell.
Now, look here" he said, after a
little reflection, 81 don't mind telling
you, because you're up to city ways
and you'll understand. The fact i.
this isn't the one. You see, 1 went on
to frisco rs you advised, and planked
down n check for $500 the moment 1
got there, Now, said /, Bob Jarvis,
don't do things by halves; just you
take that money, my girl, and get
yourself n ring that's equal to the oc-
l don't care If it's a cluster of
solitary diamonds as big as a section of
well piper Now. l call that square
don't youl Well, God bless your sou,
madam, II she didn't take that money
and slip out with another fellow Soma
white livered city sneak-beggin' your
husbands pardon-who'd been hangin'
around for a year or more. OF course,
| was stuck whom l heard of il. IL was
his one told me. She's her sister. 1
could see that she felt bad about it. 1T
was a nasty, dirty trick, she said, and
I'll be-demoralized if 1 don't think so
myself, and said so at the time; but,
after all, it turned out n lucky thing for
me. Now, look at that, will your
l followed his gaze of admiring fond
ness to where Mrs. Jarvis was bridling
and simpering under E~sculapius' com
pliments.
Isn't she a nosegay1 But don't you
be jealous, madam; she's just wrapped
up in me. And constant" he added,
shaking his head reflectively; why,
bless your soul. she's as constant as
sin"
When l told Eseulapius of this he
sighed deeply.
whats the matterT' l asked, with
some anxiety.
He threw back his head and sent a
little dreamy cloud Of smoke up
through the acacias.
Il was thinking, " he said pensively,
what a wild, strange act of venge-
ance' 1t was,"-Margaret Collier Ora
nam in Argonaut.