The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-06-19
A CLUBMAN'S IDEAL


Badd:agton knew it wasn't his fault,
but it was deuced hard just the same.
He was young, had a pot OF money and
was good looking. Yet in all his 25
years he had never excited a grande pas
sion; in fact, he had never been kindled
himself to a wildly adoring dream of one
fair woman, whose kiss should be like
an electric touch, to send his blood throb-
hing to his temples and make his soul
palpitate like the dickens.
And this was the great aching void in
his life. Charlie Baddington vas wor-
RED with this idea. He used to hear the
fellows at the club talk about things of
that kind, and they, all OF them. were SO
much more successful than he in having
affairs. OF course he could take q Casino
chorus girl to ONeill's and open cham
pagne, or have a drinking round in the
Figaro with q BLACK Crook" French
lady, who could assume such an un-
broken horizontally with her eyes on
the stage of the Academy. but that was
SO easy and so cheap-in its sentiment,
not in cold cash-that Baddington's
yearning was not satisfied. He wanted
TO be loved for himself, TO win a fair
creature without having his pocketbook
do all the wooing. All the other fellows
at the club seemed to have had several
affaires de occur. In fact, it seemed
mere wayside diversion, an episode with
them too common to be notable.
He left the club at 80 that Sunday
evening, and as he started up the avenue
this old thought began to ferment in his
mind. He had a great deal Of Ruinart
i'm his stomach, and that was rather q
stimulus to fancy. His desire rolled
around in a hazy atmosphere, which
seemed to soften outlines and intensity
color. There was a slight ron in his
walk, too, but &c that time there were
few people abroad to mark 1t, and il
seemed a physical rhythm that Graded
the yearning of his soul to q sort Of
peaceful hope.
1t was one of those hazy nights wher
everything swims in o violet atrnos
phere. AS he was passing q large houst
his heart gave q sudden jump. Their
stood the very realization of Ids dream
in the window. Somewhat hack, bu'
looking forth on the warm, dusky night
charged with diffused moonlight.
Tall, fair, so wrapped in contempla
tion, white as the calyx of an Easte
lily and robed in immaculate draperies
In fact, she might have risen from he
couch and clad in vestal snowiness o
slumber robes have come to look fort
and ease her heart by silent communion
for awhile with nature.
Baddington felt that if he could onl
win her attention at such q moment
would be the needed turn in Fortune
wheel. He braced up and essayed
sprightly air. In fact, he darted q boli
languishing glance at the lovely creatur
as he was passing and in desperate bold
ness lifted his hat.
He felt sure that there was a sligl
movement, asif she hadgently waved he
hand. Nothing bold, a sweet maidenl
gesture, prompted by some sudden em,
ton of the heart. He could not distii
guish it well, as she STOOD some distane
within the room, byS he felt it must
&c. 1t was SO, he was sure.
He made his way home with a vii
satisfaction in his mind. II he had e.
cited an interest in that pure, gracef,
creature, standing there in her virgin
whiteness, into what might not the gan
develop. The other fellows had new,
struck such q as this.
He thought a great deal about the ma
ter the next day. How could he a
proach this divinity who came in her fai
ness to commune with the lovely peace
the nights Perchance she felt some year
ing like that in his owl breast and h;
stolen from her cosy chamber in that st
hour to breathe it forth by that look u
ON the sweet peace of the world. w
could tell what impression he had Great
as he passed before her visionat that m
ment? If he had been moved, and he ha
deeply, why might not o kindred feeli,
have stirred her soul? Why not? The
was no imprcbability in that.
The thought of a Personal" suggest
itself. viii the fair one in white W
noticed an admirer Saturday evening
ut the same place Tuesday if an acquail
auce be desirabley But that SEEM
coarse. Charlie had an idea that shs
urls, fortune ~tellers, dry goods Glen
and such were the authors of "Perst
alsv Mol This was ideal o. nothil
and no rude jar must come to dislod
the first delicate upspringing Of a unie
sentiment
III she had remarked him there wa
chance. she might be there again the n
night. He would wander by and i
H whiled away thessaw hours with
fellows at the club ard consumed III
-+ = $780, t--J $500