The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1892-05-20
ASTORY OF BLOOD.
D1 N. E. BRADDoN.
CHAPTER 7.

a11AD hIOIn U IOuHbdln HluuSi III bio AVAie5St
@nA across the dim shadowy night the har.
aAR lights and gaudy colors Of painted and
9llded temple, in which the band Is playing
enc OF Strauss tenderest waltzes.
The melodlous strain Is drawing TO Its
close. The players attack the coda with
crash and hurry, the pace lntenslfying as
GIsy near the end. All the walters have
aAllen out Of the ranks, except one couple,
una those two waltz as II 1t were impossible
Astire-aS II they were the very spirit OF
rance and melody, creatures Of fire and air,
melton incarnate.
The girls golden head recllnes against
her partners shoulder, but not with an air
q WEAKNESS; the attitude expresses only
espoas; the graceful gliding step, the har-
ez6aious flowing movements, are as natural
e Tie fall Of waters or the waving OF forest
beOghs. The rosy lips are slightly parted,
ne sweeteyes look starwards with dreamy
gaze. There Is far more Of spirit than Of
gross earthliness In the slim wllowy form,
'tAs fair and radiant face, which the stars
en- the lamps shine upon alternately as
these revolving figures circle-now In the
glare OF the orchestra, and then under those
oelsRia worlds Of light which are soon to
ao0k upon stranger, sadder darker, crueller
sights than this Sunday evening dance at
che Closerle DIES Lilas.
There are some who think 1t Is q wicked
Ching to dance on a Sunday evening, even
after one has worshipped at ones parish
church faithfully and reverently on Sunday
n0rnlng; some there are who think 1t Is
wicked to dance at all and there are others
who worship in dancing and are moved to
wild leapings and whirllngs by the spirit of
Piety; others again, who are deyil-dancers,
and worship the principal Of evil In their
llamonlac gyratiOns. But assuredly, Of all
Who ever danced upon this earth, none ever
danced ON the edge of more terrible volca-
ne than that which trembled and throbbed
ander the feet of these light-hearted reyel-
Bars to-night-happy, unforeseeing, rejoic-
tug In the balmy breath Of summer, the star
ne sky, the warmth and the flowers, with no
Thought that this fair Paris, Whitley beautl-
Gal In the sheen Of starlight and moonlight,
aNaS like phantasmal or fairy city-a city
oaf palaces which were soon to sink in dust
and ashes, beauty that was to be changed
Ger burning, while joy and love fed shrek
eng from carnival ofblood and fire.
I. MWsn tonight there were bystanders in
one lamp-ilt garden who shook their heads
A0Gsmnly as they talked Of tho probability
Of war with Prussia The battleof Sadowa
Dad been the beginning Of evil. France had
nlayed into the hands Of her most danger
6hb rival, and had been swlndled out OF the
mrIce Of her neutrality, To have allowed
.&uhria TO be crushed by Bismarck was
worse than q crime, it was blunder. And
,nsw all the signs and tokens Of the time
Fpnlptsd to the likelihood Of war; The day
kud come when the o2erweening ambition
&c the house of Brandenburg must be check
"a, and in the opinion Of the Bonapartlsts
ne enus to fight was upon France. Opinion
AlnOag the people was divided; and there
vWere many who were friends Of peace. A
campaign would be triumph for French
.aRms, Of course; but such triumphs, how,
ever certain, are never won without loss
For France as people there must needs be
ynEoGt and fame; but for indlvlduals-well
.agan in a succession Of victories some
French blood must DO shed, some French
.aarpses mustlie scattered on distant battle
,4elds-there must be cypress as well as
AaUrel.
' Yet the idea Of impending war was moi
,Mnpleasant. 1t electrified the intellectual
,nArnosphere, set the hearts OF men and wO
inen throbbing with new hopes, new fears
40 elderly people 1t seemed only the Other
day that the army was coming home In
ARtumph after the Italian War, and France
was browning the lIberators Of sister land
nut to the young people that Italian cam
Raign seemed to have happeneda long while
ago. 1t was time that France should arise
Ia her might and strike great blow.
So the middle-aged folks, mere spectators
Of the evenings amusement, put their head
together and discussed the political sltua
,RiOn-some arguing from ono point of view
NOme flOm another; and those two Walter
Nitcled faster and faster with the CLOSING
bars of the coda. With the last chord tho.
otopped The dark-haired young man with
drew his arm reluctantly from his partner
dim waist, and then they went of arnl-ln
arm towards the shadow Of the trees-darR
haired youth and fair-hNired youth, all tn
world to each other, and infinitely happy.
''Faust and Marguerite" said corpulen
citizen, who had been watching the dancer
while he talked Of Bismarck and the Du
DO Gramont.
Happily see no Mephlstopheles, n
piled his companion. III the young peopl
80 to perdltion II will DO their own doing.
1.-THE girl is very pretty" said the othel
@'ARd think have seen her lovers fac
before tonight"
HE Is to b. seen any day at the Cal
dlAlmus. He Is a Journalists sprlg {
aoblllty, believe, but as poor as job II
writes for the papers. He ranks as a
esprit fort and something Of wit"
'sAnd the girl-do you know who she Il
She has hardly the air Of grisette."
".She Is like Nilsson In Marguerite. N
TnBwear she Is no grsette OF III
2IlmuPlnson there, my friend. never sa
AsE till tonight. Look yonder, Just emer
ing from the trees; do you seep
ais It Mephlstopheles"
ssNo, but the spirit OF evil In q woman
ahape-envy, haired, revenge, all incarna
In q Jealous woman. Great Heaven, such
9aco-see, seep'
dis friend looked in the direction Inc
eated Yes; there, creeping from the cove
,Ofthe trees, stealthlly serpent-like, sto
forth woman-young, handsome, smart
dressed, with black silk gown, and DO
net all roses and lace-a shopkeeper in no
day attire. The face was dark with hatr
and malice, the eyes were brightwith ang
Gres. Slowly, stealthlly, the footsteps +
lowed in the path the lovers had taken-f
towing as the shadow follows the sun,
night follows day.
But now the band struck up quadrl
,aompbsed of the livellest airs from