Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-08-29

changed srnce rns GAYS or my youth.
NJ wife and | pass AL car afternoons
hers. Bat l come alone IA the mora
inzs. rise 50 early
A. SOON a. / hal finished nay break
fast l returned 70 the Luxem bourg
gardens. Presently perceived my Old
friend. who ceremoniously tendered BIS
arm 70 . very small Oh lady dressed ia
black. This was La C2stris. the great
dancer. beloved of the king, the fayorite
# princes. the ad0red q that gallant
reign which seems 10 have left to the
world "a c.icr e love
we seated ourselves on one or Tns
stone benches. Ii was IN the month OF
May. The perfume Il flowers permeated
the air around "a. A glorious sunlight
ghnted through the leaves and cast rays
II light around Us La Castris' black
dress seemed bathed ia sunshine.
The gardens were deserted. IN the
distance could De- heard the rumbhng Of
vehicles, the noise Of new Paris.
"'Will you explain to me- l said 70
the old ballet master. what the minuet
really wass
He trembled
1.-THE minuet was the Queen OF dances,
the dance OF queens. Since there Is no
longer king, there is no longer the min
net
"And then he commenced In pom
pous style long dithyrambie eulogy Of
which did not understand one word.
| begged Of him to describe the steps,
the movements. tho poses. He became
rather provoked at my obtuseness, and
turning toward his grave and silent
companion he exclaimed:
"'Elisel would you-you would be
most obliging-would you be willing
that we should show this gentleman
what II wasy
"She turned her restless eyes on all
sides, and being satisfied that we were
alone she rose without word and placed
herself in front Of him.
Then saw q sight never to be for
gotten.
They went and came with infantile
grimaces, smiling. balancing, bowling,
leaping like two old dolls that had been
set dancing by an old fashioned mechan-
ism, little out OF order. but construct
ed in olden times by skillful workman,
according to the prevailing fashion.
and l looked at them, my heart torn
by conflicting emotions, my soul moved
BY an indescribable melancholy. it
seemed 10 me that | was watching a sad
vet comical apparition, the old fashioned
shadow of past century. ! wanted 10
laugh and could hardly refrain from
weeping.
''All ut once they stopped; they had
finished the figures Of the dance. For
some seconds they remained facing each
other. grimacing in a most surprising
manner, then without warning they fell
into each others arms, sobbing bitterly.
Three days later left Paris for the
provinces. When | returned two years
afterward the nursery gardens of the
Luxembourg had been destroyed. What
had become of the old couple, without
their beloved garden of other days, with
it's labyrinthine paths. its perfumes Of
the past and its gracefully turned
hedges?
Are they dead2 Are they wander
ing through the streets of modern Paris,
like two exiles lost to all hope? Do they
dance. specterlike, a fantastic minuet
among the cypress trees of a cemetery,
along the pathways bordered by tombs,
by the light of the moon?
Their remembrance haunts me, tor
rnents me, fortunes me, remains in me
like a wound. Why? l do not know
why.
No doubt you think me silly old
man, with all these memories Of the
pastr' Translated from the French Of
Guy dc Maupassant for Romance by y.
NJ sherman.