Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1893-06-13
A CLUBMAN's IDEAL.

Baddington knew it wasn't his fault,
but it was deuced hard just the same.
He was young, had pot of money and
was good looking. Yet in all his %
years he had never excited a grande pas
sion; in fact, he had never been kindled
himself to Il wildly adoring dream of one
fair woman, whose kiss should be like
an electric touch, to send his blood throb-
bing to his temples and make his soul
palpitate like the dickens
And this was the great aching void in
his life. Charlie Baddington was wor-
ried with this idea. He used to hear the
fellows at the club talk about things of
that kind, and they, all of them, were so
much more successful than he in having
affairs. OF course he could take a Casino
chorus girl to O'Ncilrs and open cham
pagne, or have drinking round in the
Figaro with a "Blacll Crook French
lady, who could assume such an un-
broken horizontality with her eyes on
the stage of the Academy. but that was
so easy and so cheap-in its sentiment,
not in cold cash-that Baddington's
yeurning was not satisfied. Ee wanted
to be loved for himself, to win a fair
creature without having his pocketbock
do all the wooing. All the other fellows
at the club seemed to have had several
affaires de ceur. In fact, it seemed
mere wayside diversion, an episode with
them too common to be notable.
He left the club at 1880 that Sunday
evening, and as he started up the avenue
this old thought began to ferment in his
mind. He had a great deal of Ruinart
in his stomach, and that was rather a
stimulus to fancy. His desire rolled
around in hazy atmosphere, which
seemed to soften outlines cnd intensity
color. There was slight roll in his
walk, too, but at that time there were
few people abroad to mark it, and it
seemed physical rhythm that Graded
the yearning of his soul to a sort of
peaceful hope.
It was one of those hazy nights when
everything swilns in violet atlnos-
phere. AS he was passing large house
his heart gave q sudden jump. There
stood the very realization of his dream
in the window. Somewhat back, but
looking forth on the warm, duslcy night,
charged with difSused moonlight.
Tall, fair, so wrapped in contempla-
ton, white as the caly1 of an Easte
lily and robed in immaculate draperies!
In fact, she might have risen from her
couch and clad in vestal snowiness of
slumber robes have come to look forth
and ease her heart by silent communion
for awhile with nature.
Baddington felt that if he could only
win her attention at such u moment It
would be the needed turn in Fortunes
wheel. He brnced up and essayed q
sprightly mir. In fact, he darted bold,
languishing glance at the lovely creature
as he was passing and in desperate bold
ness lifted his hat.
He felt sure that there was a slight
movement, asif she had gently waved her
hand. Nothing bold, sweet maidenly
gesture, prompted by some sudden emo
ton of the heart. He could not distin-
guish it well, as she stood some distance
within the room, but he felt it must be
so. 1t was so, he was sure.
He made his way home with a wild
satisfaction in his mind. If he had ex-
cited an interest In that pure, graceful
creature, standing there in her virginia.
whiteness, into what might not the game
develop. The other fellows had never
struck such romance as this.
He thought great deal about the mat
| ter the next day. How could he ap-
proach this divinity who came in her fair
ness to commune with the lovely peace of
thenight? Perchance she felt some yearn-
ing like that in his own breast and had
stolen from her cosy chamber in that still
hour to breathe it forth by that look up
on the sweet pence of the world. Who
| could tell what impression he had created
as he passed before her visionat thatmo-
mentl If ne had been moved, and he had,
/ deeply, why might not kindred feeling
| have stirred her soul? Why not? There
was no improbability in that.
The thought of Personal" suggested
itself. viii the fair one in white who
noticed an admirer Saturday evening be
at the same place Tuesday If an acquaint-
ance be desirableg' But that seemed
coarse. Chnrlio had an idea that shop
girls, fortune tellers, dry goods clerks
and such were the authors of Person
als.p MOI This was ideal or nothing,
and no rude jar must come to dislodge
the first delicate upspringing of a unique
sentiment.
IF she had remarked him there was a
chance, she might be there again the next
night He would wander by and see.
He whiled away the slow hours with the