The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-14

see how far the artist had drawn upon his
imagination for this picture.
Our little table with coffee was In the
front row. A tolerable orchestra, and some
rather exeruciating French singing occu-
pied the first paEr OF the evening.
Then came the interlnde what was
looked TO AS the gem of the evening. and
just before which performance the hall be-
came crowded. La belle Fatima stepped
forward IN dance her solo. i was sgreea-
bly, surprised. Without ali the heEna,
pearl powder aud rouge the girl would have
been an attractive creature. She was
splendidly built. and moved well Her at
tire. though permitting q great deal 10 be
seen through clouds of spangled game. was
not as indecent rs many present had been
LED TO hope. That the sequins played o
prominent part in it. / am not prepared TO
deny. But. besides the spangled gauze
which descended to her gnklrs laden, as
her arrus were. with gllttering banglesl
she held q sieezy goid-woven scarf.
which she wound round her body
AS she danced, then, like lightning, IN
wound and enveloped herself from head TO
foot In it, Bat IL was not dancing; IL was
b swift. gliding movement q quiyering OF
the whole angles frame. as that OF a ser
pent. with u wonderful interlacIng of the
arms and twinkllng OF the feet. as she
struck her tambourine now and again
voluptuous. but never indeIicste In sugges-
ton; without the Otfense. and with infinite
ly more grace than the contOrtions OF the
IA WbZc RlTle Il nnu bctUs nc uidHncI III
which she lung her 1.-the body backwards,
initiating the gold-threaded scarf. like a
nautilus-sheil behind her. was memorable,
and recalled to me q pose of q we'll known
dancer. whom she certainly had never seen.
In one of these strange gyrations, which
brought her close to the footlights of the
raised stage. and consequently almost
within an arms length of ne, by some
means or other her glltterinR gauZes
caught IRE, and In an instant the girl was
n.u.tonad in Hanna Ms puhnla hall rnaa
with q roar of horror; but one man alone
acted with prom Dtitude. No one at the
side wings had the courage or the presence
OF mind to come to the assistance OF the
poor. terrified creature. who ran shrieking
TO and fro. literally a pillar OF fire. But
Sigismund, with one bound, had cleared
tho footlights, and fiinging his heavy In
verness cape over her. Hung her to the
ground. The flames were extiDguished; in
another minute IL wonld have been too late
to save her. He lifted the poor. scorched
body III his arms. like q child. and carried
her of the stage amid the plaudits of the
spectatora-
ran round behind and joined him. He
told the manager that he was a surgeon.
and would attend to the girl. An old wom-
an, who may have been her mother. for
aught now and at all events played the
part, ran in and out. wringIng her haDds
and believing, till Sigismund sternly
ordered her to hold her peace or leave the
room. i, myself, renamed III the ADJOINING
room. while the girl was being examined.
and her wounds tended. She was terribly
burnt about the legs and body. but her
face and arms were spared. She was quite
tranquil. only half-conscious. l believe,
from prostration. When he had admins
tered some %stimulant, and wrapped her
from head to foot in cotton wool. SigIs-
mund said she might be removed to her
own dwelling. l helped him in the transit.
We carried her in blankets to the squalid
~- h ~htah "oa knlin
Fatima's temporary home. and then. find
ing | could be OF no further use. and that
Sigismund meant to remain with his pa
tient all night. l left him.
The next morning | ran in to bid him
goodbye. He had never lett the girls bed
side. but looked less anxious than he had
done the previous night.
Il don't fear for her life." he said. "She
won't die-bu / doubt il she will ever be
able to dance again. Her legs are so fear
traction of some of the sinewS. A
pity-isn't It'll"
Poor creature. But your own
hands are badly burnt, / see."
"Oh! That's nothing. And / don't de-
pend on my hands, you see-she does. upon
her legs"
He laughed lightly. as if be cared moth
ing. / would not take the taste of that
characteristic speech out of my mouth.
And 90. with a hand laid on each of his
6uOulu6E5, SlnCe IL nduu I1lkub uOb RId6U
his. We parted. The pity of 1t. l have never
seen him since.
He was often in my thoughts. during the
two months | was absent from Cairo, and
the first thing l did. on my return. was to 60
in search of him. NV disappointment was
great to learn at his e~aravansary that he
had left Cairo: more they could not tell me.
i was resolved to discover, if possible,
where be had gone. and why: since he had
gwen me to understand he would remain
hAr0 for annna vuAaEa Iann2r hahnu1f
me of his patient. the poor burnt ballerlna;
1t Was possible she might know what had
become of him.. But on applying at her
room, l foundt that she. also. had departed
with her mother; still suffering and lame.
they told me. but able to crawl about with
q stick. l was giving IL mp in despair. not
unmixed with resentment at his treatment
of me. when, on going to my a
letter was placed in my hands, the
enperscriptiOn on which / at once
recognized as being Sigismund's. forgot
money. and everything else; l sat down in
the office, and read the following:
Farewell. my friend. circumstance over
which I have no control. as your penpy-a
liners say. are driving me forth with my
wallet on my back. once more 10 the land
of the lily and the rose. / would wait 20
shake your hand-One of the few | ever
wish TO shake.-again. but this dancing
o certain date; and | go with them. The
girl can't walk yet. you see. and depends
on me.
81 had q spaniel once. who broke bis
leg-and il amused mo to nurse it. /,
was only q selfish qualification, devoid OF
real benevolence: but the dog. not dis
crIminating between motives. became de-
voted to me. / put on sackcloth when II
died. So may it chance TO be with this Cir
who knowsf
Allah is great! May you prosper till we
meet again. wheresoever that may be.
"SIGIsNuNDO