The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1893-06-11

DOuDJleSS Jane DODDlnB ana ArInur
Lathers thought that they were very
clever when. In the first bloom of young
love, they had o 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, OIL what q
consolation each one would be for the
awful hours of separation-an ever pres
ent sign of ineffable blissl But they
never fancied that the plate retained its
reproductive powers, nor that it was
destined to fall into the hands Of the
vengeful George Percy, and when they
reckoned without George Percy they
recl1oned without host
For this young man was romantic of
temperament and ingenious of mind.
From his earliest perception he had
known and loved Jane Dobbins. From
his earliest perception he had vowed that
she should DO his, and so in the heyday
of his discretion, having seen her ruth
lessly torn from his mental embrace
through the diabolical arts of hated
rival, he swore that he would have his
revenge. OF course he must dissemble
that was an essential of the passion.
Arthur and he had always been good
comrades, and SO they must continue.
He must congratulate the happy pair
with false words and hollow smile
He must, and he did.
But time was his friend. so avaunt de-
spairl The lovers were young, and their
complacent parents had declared that
they must wait. Ahal Was he not man
enough from the nettle Opportunity to
pluck the flower Success? Only bring on
tho nettlel Meanwhile he would watch
and wait. 1t was at the acme Of this
conviction that Arthur one evening in a
food of that Grass confidence, which is
half the pleasure of being in love, showed
the picture to George. Alas, the blind
ness Of fatel 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 tho
nature of smoke, stencil or explosion
which he had not generated. He went
further in day than Faraday did in his
whole life, and as for Daguerre he could
take care of him without half thinking.
Indeed, in time photography became q
delightful avocation to him, and it's mys-
teries were camerical not chimerical.
He had gained well deserved reputa-
ton 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, he 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
centurion, latchkey being his guide by
night. All of this Arthur well knew,
and all of this he clean forgot in the self
ish rapture of displaying his happiness.
But George remembered, and when he
had carelessly read the makers name on
the back of the photograph he could
scarce restrain a start and the conven-
tional chuckle of foreseen revenge. In
a flash came an idea which gradually
developed into o full grown purpose.
He could, he would, he did. He knew
many secret of the craft. Now was
the time to call that knowledge to his
aid. One night he searched, and he
found the plate He searched further
and he found negatives Of Susie Graham,
great friend of Arthur's and of Robert
Prince, an ardent admirer of James.
With infinite care he prepared new
plates, and lol 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.
"Ahap' Kissed George with a half sup
pressed mirthless laugh as he pulled his
hair over his brow and rolled his eyes,
which shone with an Internal fire. "Aha!
have them on the hip, and I'll feed fat
the ancient grudge / owe them"
And well he might laugh as one who
laughed last. The following week the
little Jane, while dreaming idly Of her
felicity, received an anonymous package
and wept. The following week the az
dent Arthur, while impatiently counting
the days Of his probation, received an
anonymous package and swore. The
next day two notes, pregnant with grief
and resentment, crossed each other.
FAIrHLEss ARTHUR return tho ring ana
other presents. AL is over. SO never, nsyer
speak again to JANE.
read one.
FIcKLE JANE-Since you no longer love mo,
beg to herewith transmit your letters and tho
slippers you sent me last Christmas. | think
they are just his size | remain, yours indig'
nantly, ARTHUR.
read the other.
"How shameless" sobbed Jane when
she received the letter. what nervew
growled Arthur as he tore the former
into bits. And thereafter the hearts that
had beat as one throbbed most independ-
emily as two.
Arthur was seen smoking on the street,
and thus became a warning of dissipa-
ton. And George, who now called as
siduously on Jane, found his anticipated
! joys almost as enliyening as a Quaker
meeting, for the poor child was giuEa
and distraught and too simple to hide 1T.