The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1891-09-26
coarse mouth. Talking to him across

may be only lnat llldll D ldiioi 10
distinguished. But distinction in
Indifferent garments, that is dis
tinction indeed, and there before me
l saw it. A young, slight, carelessly
dressed man, his bearing was attrac
tive and noteworthy beyond any
thing l can express. His appear
ancewas perhaps little too unusual,
for the contrast between his soft
straw colored hair and VINE brown
eyes was such striking one that 1t
attracted attention from the real
beauty Of his face. The delic7cy OF
a cameo is rough, added the con-
noisseur, parenthetically, compared
to the delicacy of outline and feature
in a face that thought, and perhaps
suffering, have worn away, but this
is one of the distinctive attractions
of the old. You do not look for 1t
in Young faces such as this.
On the desk between the two men
lay a fine opal-this one, said Hay
den, touching the more brilliant OF
the two stones. The younger man
was talking eagerly, lingering the
gem lightly as he spoke. inferred
that he was offering to sell or pawn
it.
The proprietor, seeing that |
waited, apparently cut the young
man short. He started, and caught
up the stone. I'll give you'll heard
the other say, but the young man
shook his head, and departed abb
ruptly. | found nothing that |
wanted in the place, andsoon passed
out.
In front of shop window little
further down the street stood the
other man, looking listlessly within
eyes that evidently saw nothing. AS
l came by he turned and looked
into my face. His eyes fixed me
as the Ancient Mariners did the
Wedding Guest. 1t was an appeal
ing yet commanding look, and II
felt constrained to stop. l couldn' t
help it, you know. Even at my age
one is not beyond feeling the force
of an imperious attraction, and
when you are past sixty you ought
to be thankful on your knees Tor any
emotion that is imperative in its ma
ture. So 1 stopped beside him |
said 1t was fine stone you were
showing that man. | have a great
fondness for opals. May | ask if you
were offering it for sale?
He continued to look at me, in
specting me calmly, with fastidlous
expression. Upon my word, | felt
singularly honored when, at the end
of a minute or two, he said : |
should like to show it to you. If
you will come to my room with me,
you may see that, and another and
he turned and led the way, followed
quite humbly and gladly, though
rather surprised at myself.
The room, somewhat to my as
tonishment, proved to be a large
apartment, front room high up in
one of the best hotels. There were
a good many things lying about
that obviously were not botel furnish
ings, and the walls, the bed, and
even the floor were covered with
litter water color sketches. Those
that | could see we're admirable,
being chiefly impressions of delicate
and feeting atmospheric effects.
took the chair he offered. He
stood, still looking at me, apparently
not in haste to show me the opals. |
looked around the room.
You are an artist? l said.
Oh, l used to be, when | was
alive, he answered, drearily. | am
nothing now. And then turning
away he fetched little leather case,
and placed the two oPals on the
table before me.
This is the one | have always
worn, he said. indicating the more
brilliant. That chillier one gave
once to the woman whom loved.
1t was more vivid then. They are
strange stones-strange stones
He said nothing more. and l sat
in perfect silence, only dreading that
he should not speak again. | am
not making you understand how he
| impressed me. In the delicate, hope
less patience of his face, in the re-
fined, uninsistent accents of his
voice, there was somehow struck a
note of self-abnegation, of aloofness
from the world, pathetic in any one
so young.
am old There is little in life
that | care for. My interests are
largely affected. Wine does moi
warm me now, and beauty seems nc
longer beautiful but l thank HEAVIER
| am not beyond the reach OF pene
trating human personality. | have
at least the ordinary instincts fol
convention in social matters, but
assure YOU it seemed not in the least
strange to me that | should be sit
ting in the private apartment OF ;
man whom l had met only half al
hour before, and then in a pawn
brokers' shop, listening eagerly 70
his account of matters wholly per
sonal to himself. 1t struck me a
the most natural and charming thiny
IN the world. 1t was just such chanc
passing intercourse as | expect t
hold with wandering spirits on tn
green hills of paradise.
1t was some time before he spok
again.
saw her first, he said, looking d