Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-01-06
THE TINTED VENUS.
"A FAROIRL ROMANCE.
BY F. ANsTEY.

ing. and really was a partner who
would bring any one credit; and her
corporal danced villainously, revolving
with stiff and wooden jerks, like a toy
soldier. Now Leander fiattered himself
he could Withdrawing had considera-
bic practice in bygone days in select
assembly, where the tickets were two
shillings each, and the gentlemen, rs
the notices said obscurely enough, ''were
restricted to wearing gloves"
So he felt Indignantly that Ada was
not having justice done to her I've a
good mind to give her a turn" he
thought, land show them all what
WALKING isl
Just then the pair happened to come
To halt close to him. ''Shockin' time
they're playing this waltz in" he heard
the soldier eXcIaim with humorous vi
yacity he was apparently the funny
man Of the regiment, and had brought
silent but approciative comrade with
him as audience, "abominable! excru-
ciatin', comic,. 'or1ible!,"'
Ieander seized his opportunity. Tx
c1Ise me-" he said politely, but if you
don't like the music perhaps you
wouldn't mind giving up the young
lady to me-"
ooh, come, ] say said the man Of
war, running his fingers through his
short, curly hair, my good Teller, you'd
better see what the lady says TO that"
de evidently had no doubt himself)
''I'm very content as / am, thank you
all the same, Mr.. Tweddle," said Ada
unkndly adding in a lower tone, eff
you're so anxious to dance, dance with
Tcrpsy- chore"
And again he was left to watch the
Whirling couples with melancholy eyes.
The corporaTs brOther-in-arnS was
wheeling around with a plain young per
whose face was overspread by large
red smile of satiated ambition. James
and Bella fitted by, dancing vigorously,
and Bella'S discomfort seemed to have
vanished for the tiue. There We're jig
ging couples and prancing couples;
couples that bounced round like impris-
oned bees and couples that glided past
in calm and conscious superiority. He
alone stood apart, excluded from the
happy throng, and he began to have
pathetic sense of injury.
Rut the music stopped at last, and
Ada, dismiSSing her partner, came to-
wards him.
You don't seem to be enjoying your
self. Mr. Tweddle," she said malicious
".
Dent !" he replied. "Well, so long
rs you are, it don't matter, Miss Par
kinson it don't matter"
But Pm not-at least, | didn't that
Dance she said; THAT soldier man did
talk such rubbish, and he trod on my
feet twice. I'm so hot! l wonder if it's
cooler outside?'
will you come and see?" he sug-
gestcd, and this time she did not dis
dain Lis arm, and they strolled out to-
gether.
Following a path they had hitherto
left uneXplored, they came to little
enclosure surrounded by tall shrubs; In
the center, upon a low pedestal, stood
4 female statue, upon which gas lamp
some PAGES off east flickering CLEAN
athwart the foliage.
The exceptional grace and beauty of
the figure would have been apparent to
any lover of art. She stood there, her
right arm raised, partly in gracious In
vitation, partly in queenly command,
her left hand extended, palm down
ward, as il to be reverentially saluted.
The hair was parted in boldly indicated
waves over the broad, low brow, and
confined by Il fillet in Il large, loose knot
1T the back. She was clad in long
chiffon, which Tapped in soft ZiZzag folds
over the girdle and fell to the feet In
straight parallel lines and chlamys
hanging from her shoulders concealed
the left arm to the elbow, while it left
the right arm free.
In the uncertain light one could easily
fancy soft eyes swimming in those wide
blank sockets, and the ripe lips We're
curved by 4 dreamy smile, at once ten
der and disdainful.
Leander Tweddle and Miss Ada Park
inson, however stood before the statue
in m mmoyed, not to say critical,
mood
who's she supposed to be, l Won
der" asked the young lady, rather as if
the sculptor were harmless lunatic
whose deluSionS took Il marble shape
occasionally. This, by the way, is a
question which may frequently be
heard in picture galleries, and implies
an enlightened tolerance.
I don't Know" said Leander; "a
foreign female, i fancy-thatS Russian
on the pedestal" He inferred this from
a resemblance to the characters on GER
tain packets of cigarettes.
But there's some English underneath"
said Ada; Il can just make it out. Ap-
Apro-Aprodyte. What Il funny name."
You haven't pronounced it quite cor
rectly," he said; ''out there they pro-
nounce the phi like a f. and give you all
the syllables- He felt
kind of intuition that he was nearer
the correct rendering.
Well" observed Ada. shes got
silly look, don't you Think"
Ieander was less narrow, and gave 1t
rs his opinion that she had been done
from fine woman" Ada remarked
that she herself would never consent to
be taken in so unbecoming a costume.
One might as well have no figure at all
in things hanging down for all the
world like sack" she said.
Proceeding 10 details, she was struck
by the snallness of the hands; and it
must be admitted that, although the
statue as a whole was slightly above the