Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1893-09-23
JauE RND GRTHUR.

Doubtless Jane Dobbns aud Arthur
Lathers thought that they were very
clever when, in the first bloom of young
love, they had a memorial photograph
taken together with her gentle head
fondly resting on his gallant breast.
There were to be only two impressions
struck from the plate, and, oh! what
consolation each Que would be for the
awful hours of separation-an ever pres
ent sign of inetfable bliss But they
never fancied that the plate retained its
reproductive powers, nor that it was des-
tined to fall into the hands of the venge-
full George Percy, and when they rock
oned without George Percy they reckoned
without host.
For TINS young man was romantic of
temperament and ingenious of mind.
From his earliest perception he had VOW
ed that she should be his, and so in the
heydew of his discretion. having seen
her ruthlessly torn from his mental en-
brace through the diabolical arts of
hated rival, he swore that he would
have his revenge OF course he must
diSsemble- was an essential of the
passion. Arthur and he had always been
good comrades, and so they must con-
tinue. He must congratulate the happy
pair with false words and a hollow
smile. He must, and he did.
But time was his friend, so avaunt de-
spair The lovers were young, and their
complacent parents had declared that
they must wait Aha Was he not man
enough from the nettle Opportunity to
pluck the flower Success? Only bring on
the nettle! Meanwhile he would watch
and wait. 1t was at the acme of this
conviction that Arthur one evening in a
flood of that Grass confidence, which is
half the pleasure of being in love, showed
the picture to George. Alas, the blind
ness of fate Among the mental in
genuities with which George was en-
dowed was very pretty taste for the
natural sciences. Chemistry, through
its facility in producing light from dark
ness, sound from silence and smell from
scentlessness, had always appealed to his
imaginative qualities.
At school he had been allowed the run
OF the laboratory and sometimes a run
from it-and there was nothing in the
nature of smoke, stencil or explosion
which he had not generated He went
further in day than Faraday did in his
whole life, and es for Daguerre he could
take care of him without half thinking.
Indeed, in time photography became a
delightful avoeation to him. and its mvs-
teries were cameriCal not chimerical.
He had gaineda we'll deserved reputa-
tatiOn as an amateur operator, and, it so
happened, had long been in the habit of
developing his work in the very gallery
where the young lovers had so wantonly
made light of their sacred emotions
And more, ne was so engaging in man
ner and so generous in returning favors
that he had the use of the establishment
and came and went as if his will was a
centurion, latchkey being his guide by
night. All of this Arthur well knew,
and all of this he clean forgot in the
selfish rapture Of displaying his happi-
ness.
But George remembered, and when he
had carelessly read the makers name on
the back of the photograph he could
scarce restrain start and the conven-
tional chuckle Of foreseen revenge. In
a flash came an idea which gradually
developed into a full grown purpose.
He could, he would, he did. He knew
many a secret of the craft. Now was
the time to call that knowledge to his
aid. One night he searched and he
found negatives of Susie Graham. great
friend of Arthurs and of Robert Prince,
an ardent admirer of James. With in
finite care he prepared new plates. and
10. when he had developed these and
taken their impressions there were two
pictures, one Of Arthur and Susie and
the other Of Robert and Jane. in the
identical conjunction of affection in
which it had seemed clever TO Arthur
and Jane to exploit their young love.
Aha Kissed George with a half
suppressed mirthless laugh as he pulled
his hair over his brow and rolled his
eyes, which shoue with an internal fire.
aha | have them on the hip, and
Ill feed fat the ancient grudge | owe
them
Aud well be might laugh MS one who
laughed last The following week the
LITTLE Jane, while dreaming idly Of her
felicity. received an anonymous package
aud wept The following week the ar
dent Arthur while Impatieutly counting
the days 81 bis probation, received an
anonymous package and swore The
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