Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-05

enter the house again, and Ale,hia was not Ia
see me any more. The next day the old friend
| OF my fathers died. and practically I was left
| alone in the world, without any means what
ever except little legacy left me by the friend
Just mentioned. 1t was enough, however, to
give me much-ionged-for trip to Europe: and
so one morning. at the art school, about a week
after my talk with Mr.. Van Brunt, 1 babe Ale.
thia farewell, and yesterday embarked upon
this steamer. l have no hope of aver Aneino
her again, he murmured, ''for success is hard
to find in this age; but 1 shall work to nv ut
most ability, and try to win her-try to win
her,"
And may you succeed! wish it with all
my heart" said earnestly; and as he grasped
my hand in return for my sympathy, felt it
tremble with emotion"
The remainder of the voyage passed without
anything unusual happening. l saw much of
my new acquaintance, and the more l was
with him the better l liked him. When the
steamer arrived at her destination and it came
time for US to separate, each going his different
way, left him with earnest regret at the part
ing and babe him God-speed, wishing him
every chance Of success He seemed grateful
for my interest in his welfare, and set off upon
his journey to Paris somewhat cheered,
thought by my good wishes.
My path Of travel led me to many places Of
interest whittier SO many Americans tourists
annually wend their way. Vienna, Berlin,
Moscow and even st. Petersburg were visited
by me in turn, and finally arrived in London,
having but one more place in which to spend
my time and money-Paris. / am an ardent
admirer Of Dickens, and my stay in London
was extremely interesting to me. The scenes
which had SO often represented in my imag-
nation were now present IN reality, l could
almoet see the characters themselves walking
about and doing what the charming novelist
had made them do. Many OF the historical
points of interest 1 also visited, and
only too soon did 1 find that it
was high time to be of to Paris il
! wanted to see that beautiful city before nv
vacation came to an end. Accordingly l soon
found myself across the channel and in the
Partisan capital 1t would be needless to re-
count the many sources of delight which I
found there. One event only have time to
narrate. 1t was this. One evening / entered
one OF those beautiful cafes which are to be
found seat near the entrance and was sip
ping my bordeaux quietly. when the sound Of
excited voices attracted my attention In
moment recognized among them that of nv
artist friend. looked in the direction from
they emanated and beheld him engaged III
angry discussion with a Frenchman. 1 saw
HIM raise his hand as though to strike q blow
l saw the Frenchman put his hand to his pocket
as though to draw weapon. sprang up and
rushed between them in time to avoid what
might have been a fatal quarrel for one or both.
Ap9ioglIng FOR my friend in very poor French,
quickly out Of the cafe, leaving the French
man so astonished that he did not have time to
decline the apology and demand satisfaction,
hailed d cab and we drove to the Champs
Elysees. He told me he had won great fame
by picture he had sent to the art exhibition.
He had taken the medal, and his name would now
be known as that Of great artist. The painting
was the head OF his beloved which he had
painted from photograph. He was growing
rich, he said, as his prize picture had brought
a large price, and he had sold many others be-
Sides That hot-headed Partisan from whom
you, dear friend, have just now saved me was
the rival i'll art with whose work my picture
was compared, and mine being successful he
has been most ungentlemanly to me ever since.
In short time am going back to Boston" he
said, land can then show Mr.. Van Brunt that
am worthy of Alethia" was delighted at
his good fortune and. congratulated him. He
spent that night with me and on the following
day left for Liverpool, where was to take q
new steamer bound Tor New York. The voyage
home was made without any especial adven-
lures, except once there was some excitement
caused by q slight defect in the machinery of
the steamer, which threatened at one p,oment
to render her engines helpless, but the defect
was remedied in time and the remainder Of the
journey was passed in safety. Upon my ar
rival in New York l went to see college chum
OF mine, who was studying at the General Theo-
logical Seminary, and recounted to HIM the
incidents OF my trip, telling him much about
my new acquaintance and what strange fasci-
nation he had for me. My chum was exceed
lngly interested and when / mentioned the
young mans name he told me that he belonged
to one OF the first families in Germany; that
they were all talented, some musicians others
artists. After chatting for some time l took
the night express for Boston and once more
engaged in my professional duties.
had gotten wen started again, for I had
been home about q month, when was called
one rainy afternoon to the Van Brun. mansion.
Fearing that Mrs. Van Brunt might have q re-
turn OF the illness which thought had cured
sometime before, fastened to respond to the
call, which was summary one, and soon ar
rived at her residence. The scene witnessed
before left there will forever be craven upon
my memory. Mrs. Van Brunt herself met me
at the door SO overcome with emotion that q.
first she was unable to state the reason for my
summons. Mastering her feelings at last, how
ever, she said brUkenly, "Alethia-come with
me. o, save her, doctor, save her." and the
poor woman broke down again. l followed
the dying girl-for she was dying, and her re-
naming moments here upon earth were few
indeed. l approached the bedside, but started
as drew near at a figure which
knelt beside the fair sufferer. With a
look of the most unntterable voc the
wonderful eyes to save his betrothed; but he
said not word. felt that ii anything could
be done l would do it if died as a result For
an hour l worked over the dying girl, and at
the expiration of that time took Mrs Van
Brunt aside and told her that everything was
useless that she had been taken very sud-
denly-the trouble being with her heart The
good woman was overwhelmed with grief, and
l advised her to leave the room for awhile
aud would summon her in case anything for
the worse happened-but she would not 60;
and at the foot of the bed sat silently weeping
touched my young friend upon the shoulder
he started slightly, but kept his eyes riveted
on the face Of his beloved, his whole frame
trembling with suppressed grief. 1 presently
learned from Mrs. Van Brunt that he had but
just arrived o few hours before, bringing
fame and fortune with him, to CLAIM Alethia
as his bride, and had found her still true to
him; that shortly after his coming she had
been seized with this attack.
l watched HIM as he sat there, and pitied
him from the bottom of my heart His feat
ures were the mirror of his emotions, and
again felt that strange sympathy with him.
Seeing the lips of the dying girl move
mononed her mother to draw near and with
drew while in few feeble sentences she babe
farewell to those most dear TO her on earth. In
moment the soul Of one of the nobiest and
truest Of her sex had passed into realm bet
ter fitted to receive such purity and loneliness
of character and the idol of the mothers heart
was dead. gently led Mrs. Van Brunt to q
chair and told her that her daughter was be-
yond the trials Of this world. The poor lady
broke down utterly and insisted on her leav-
ing the room and seeking her own boudoir.
Mr.. Van Brunt WAS away on business had been