Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1893-07-28
A CLUBMAN'S IDEAL.

Baddington knew it wasn't his fault,
but it was deuced hard just tho same.
He was Young, had q pot Of money and
was good looking. Yet in all his 25
years he had never excited a grando pas
sion; in fact, he had never been kindled
himself to a wildly adoring dream Of one
fair woman, whoae 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 tho great aching void in
his life. Charlie Baddington was wor-
ricd with this idea. He used to hear the
fellows at the club talk about things Of
that kind, and they, oil Of them, were so
much moro successful than he in having
affairs. OF course he could take a Casino
chorus girl to O'Neill's and open cham
payne, or have a drinking round in the
Fignro with a "Black Crook" French
lady, who could assume such an I'M
broken horizontally with her eyes ON
tho stage of the Academy, bat that was
so easy and so choap-in its sentiment,
not in cold cGsh-that B~addingtOn's
yearning was not satisfied. He wanted
to be loved for himself, to win a fair
creature without having his pocketbook
10 all tho wqoing. All the other fellows
at the cl1b seemed to have had several
afaires dc c@ur. In fact, it seemed
nero wayside diversion, an episode with
them too common to be notable.
Ho LETT tho club at 1880 that Sunday
evening, and as he started up the avenue
this old thought began to Torment IN his
mind. DO had a great deal of Ruinart
in his stomach, and that was rather a
stimulus to fancy. His desire rolled
around in n hazy atmosphere, which
seemed to soften outlines and intensity
color. Tlore was q slight roll in his
walk. too, but at that time there We're
few people abroad to mark it, and it
seemed q physical rhythm that Graded
the yearning of his soul to a sort Of
peaceful hope.
It was ono Of those hazy nights when
everything swinls in a violet atmos-
phere. Is he was passing a 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, dusky night,
charged with diffused moonlight.
Tall, fair, 60 wrapped in contempla-
tion, white rs the calyx Of an Easter
lily and robed in immaculate draperiesi
An fact, she might have risen from her
couch ana clad in Yestal snowiness of
slumber robes have come to hook forth
and ease her heart by silent communion
for awhile with nathra.
Baddington felt that If he co7ld only
win her attention at srch y moment ii
would DO the needed turn in / Urtune's
Be braced up and esl aged a
sprightly air. In fact, he darted q bold,
languiahing glance at the lovely creature
as he was passing and in desperate bold
ness lifted LIS hat.
He felt sure that there was a slight
movement, ash she had gently waved her
hand. Nothing bold, a sweet maideuly
gesture, prompted by some sudden emo.
ton Of the heart. He could not distin.
guish it VOL, as sho stood some distance
within the room, but no felt it must be
go. 1t was SO, he was sure.
He made his way homo with q wild
sati Faction in his mind. If no had OK
cited an interest in that pure, graceful
creature, standing there in her virginia.
whitcness, into what might not the game
develop. The other fellows had never
struck such u romance rs this.
He thought a great deal about the mat
ter the next day. How could he APP
proach this divinity who came in her fair
ness 20 commune with the lovely peaceof
thonight? Perchance sho felt some Year,
ing like that IN his own breast and had
stolen from her cosy chanlbori Ia that still
hour to breathe it forth by that look up
on the sweet peace Of the world. Who
could tell what impression he had created
ms no passed before her %visionGt that mo-
mentg If he had been moved, and he had,
deeply, why might not a kindred feeling
have stirred her soul? Why not? There
was no improbability in that.
The thoughto Of q Personal suggested
itself. "Win the fair ono in white who
noticed I'm admirer Saturday evening be
at the same place Tuesday If an acqraint-
ance DO desirablcY' But that seemed
coarse. Charlie had an idea that shop
girls, fortune t%ellers, dry goods clerks
and such were tho authors of Person
ais" Mol This was ideal on nothing,
and no rude jar must come to dislodge
tho first delicate upspringing Of a unique
sentiment.
II SIZE had fomaYhod him there was a
chance, sho might be there again tho next
night. he would wander by and sce.
Tie whiled away tho slow hourn with the
sr1ovra M fho club nn1 consumed more