Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1893-09-14
GOODBY.

The two friends had finished their din
ner. From the windows of the cafe they
overlooked the boulevard, which at this
hour was crowded with people. The
soft breezes that sweep through the
streets of Paris on warm summer nights
famed their cheeks, inviting them to go
down among the trees, somewhere, any
where, to dream of moonlit streams, in
spired poems and chanting nightingales.
One of them, Henri Simon, said to his
companion, with a profound sigh:
II feel that l am growing old, my
friend. On such night as this in days
gone by was keenly alive to the pleas
ures of existence. Tonight have moth
ing but regrets. Life is short at best"
He was man about As years old, a
little stout and quite bald.
The other, Pierre GARNER. not his SEN
ior in appearance by any means, but
more slender and vivacious, replied:
II, my friend, have grown old with
out noticing it. was always gay and
jolly, vigorous and all that. For, when
one looks at himself in the glass every
day in the year, the ravages Of age are
not apparent. They are slow and regu-
lar and work such gradual changes that
the transition is not noticeable. We can
hardly perceive it. To see it plainly, one
should not look into a mirror for six
months at least, and then-ah, what a
shocki
"And the women, old fellow-how /
pity theml All their happiness, their
power, their life, is in their beauty, and
that lasts but 10 years at best.
Gas for myself, grew old without
suspecting it'll I thought myself still :
youth when was near 80 years of age.
Free from infirnrities of any kind, l was
going my way, happy and content. But
the revelation of my decline came upon
me in such a simple yet startling man
ner that I felt the effects Of the shock
six months afterward. Then I accepted
my fate gracefully.
II have often been in love, like all
men, but once in my life I was quite
hard hit.
II met her at the seashore-Etretat-
about 10 years ago, not long after the
war. There is nothing more delightful
than that beach in early morning at the
bathing hour. It is not very extensive.
is curved like horseshoe and encircled
by TALL white cliffs, pierced with singu-
lar holes called The Gates One of these
cliffs is enormous and stretches its 81
gantic length to the waters edge. The
other is round and fiat. The women
swarm over this narrow strip, with its
pebbled walks, and transform it into q
brilliant garden of summey toilets with
in walls of rock, The sun shines full
upon the coast, over parasols of every
imaginable'color, and over the sea of to-
paz blue. It is a Jolly picture, enchant-
ing to the eye. Close by the waters
edge the people lounge in the sand,
watching the bathers as they come trip
ping down in. their flannel bath robes,
which they discard with pretty move
ment as soon as the white frmged waves
play around their feet. Then they run
in with swift little steps, while the water
sends thrills Of atdelicious chill through
their veins.
"Few women,are made toa endure the
crucible test of the bath. Their figure
stands revealed from ankle to throat.
AS they emerge from the embrace of the
briny waters, either their shertcomings
are made plain to the eye or the rounded
contours of form and limb are enhanced
by the clinging, dripping garments.
"The first time l saw the young WON
an of whom 1 have spoken Twas carried
away by her charms. Few women pos
sess the beautyofi form that is startling
and overpowering at the first glance
that seems to man as if he'had sudden
" met the creature he was born to love
experienced that sensation and thai
shock.
"Iwas introduced to her and was more
deeply smittenuthan ever inmy life. Sht
made me her slave, and it was, both ter
rible and delicious to submit thus to tht
reign of woman. It is torture and in
describable felicity at once. Her look
her smile, the. little tendrils of hail
round her neck. ruf1ed by the breeze
every line in. her face. her slightes
movement, captivated mYsenses and en-
shared and drove me to distraction. Sh'
took complete possession. OF me. I
grieved me to see her veil lying on ;
chair or her gloves thrown caEelessly OF
the sofa. Hsr toilets seemed matches
in my eyes,, and no other woman hat
ever worn hats more becoming than hers
"She was married. Her husband cam
every Saturday and departed again OF
Monday. Lwas not in the least con
cerned aboat him non Jealous of his re
lation to har. No living creature eve
seemed Of less consequence to me tha
this man.
I "Ah, how I loved her-she who wa
go gay, s@pretty and so GRACEFUL Sh
was youth, elegance and freshness PEI
1 sonifed. I never felt more keenly tina
did then that a woman is a sweet
lovely and delicate being made of charm
and graces. Never before had I disco1
cred the beauty that lay in the ronnde
contour of a cheek, the movement Of
. lip, tbs curves and creases Of a little ca,
the shape even of that stupid featur'
the nose.
"This lasted three months, when I WI
called to America, whittier went wit
a crushed and broken heart. Even ava
from her / was her slave still. YEA
went by. Icould not forget her. Hi
, charms were constantly before my eyt
and in my heart. Icherished her meI
: sory with tenderness that had grow
calm, and / loved her as one loves
q dream Of most beautiful and enchar
Q ing thing.
Twelve years do not mean much
e the life of man. They pass almost u
q noticed. One follows upon the otht
slowly yet swiftly. Each is long, y
: soon at an end. Although they multir