The herald., 1893-09-15
GOODBY.


ner. From tho 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 sheir cheeks, inviting them to go
down among the trees, somewhere, any
where, to dream of moonlit streams, in
spired poems and chanting nightingaies.
One of them, Henri Simon, said to his
companion, with profound sigh:
II feel that I 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 a man about 45 years old, a
little stout and quite bald.
The other, Pierre GARNER, not his SEN
Tor in appearance by any means, but
more slender and vivacious, replied:
''I, 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
shock
''And the women, old fellow-how l
pity them! All their happiness their
power, their life, is in their beauty, and
that lasts but 10 years at best.
"As for myself, grew old without
suspecting it! l thought myself still =
youth when was near so years of age.
Free from infirmities of any kind, l was
going my way, happy and content. But
the revelation of my decline came upon
me in such simple yet startling man
ner that felt the effects of the shock
six months afterward. Then accepted
my fate gracefully.
II have often been in love, like all
men, but once in my life / was quite
hard hit.
ssI met her at the seashore-Etretat-
about IL years ago, not long after the
war. There is nothing more delightful
than that beach in early morning at the
bathing hour. 1t 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 gi-
gantis length to the waters edge. The
other is round and fat. The women
swarm over this narrow strip. with its
pebbled walks, and transform it into a
1,.;11;o,,f oro ~ x, ~ ,,,p.,,av <oiIafo x,,ifl,
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. 1t 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 fringed waves
play around their feet Then they run
in with swift littlesteps, while the water
sends thrills of delicious chill through
their veins.
Few women are made to 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 shortcomings
are made plain to the eye or the rounded
contours of form and limb are enhanced
by the clinging, dripping garments.
"The first time saw the young wom-
an of whom have spoken was carried
away by her charms. Few women pos
sess the beauty of form that is startling
and overpowering at the first glance
that seems to n man as if he had sudden
ly met the creature he was born to love.
/ experienced that sensation and that
shock. sat
'Iwas introduced to her and was more
deeply smitten than ever in my life. She
made me her slave, and it was both ter
rible and delicious to submit thus to the
reign of woman. 1t is torture and in
describable felicity at once. Her look,
her smile, the, little tendrils of hair
round her neck ruffled by the breeze,
every line in her face, her slightest
movement, captivated my senses and en-
shared and drove me to distraction. She
took complete possession OF me. 1t
grieved me to see her veil lying on
chair or her gloves thrown carelessly on
the sofa. Her toilets seemed matchless
in my eyes, and no other woman had
ever worn hats more becoming than hers.
''She was married. Her husband came
every Saturday and departed again on
Monday. was not in the least con-
cerned about him nor jealous Of his re-
lation to her. No living creature ever
seemed Of less consequence to me than
this man.
sAh, how I loved her--she who was
30 gay, SO pretty and SO GRACEFUL She
was youth, elegance and freshness per-
sonifed. I never felt more keenly than
I did then that woman is sweet,
lovely and delicate being made of charms
and graces. Never before had l discov-
cred the beauty that lay in the rounded
contour of cheek, the movement of
lip, the curves and creases of little ear,
the shape even Of that stupid feature,
the nose.
This lasted three months, when was
called to America, whittier went with
a crushed and broken heart. Even away
from her | was her slave still. Years
went by. Icould not forget her. Her
charms were constantly before my eyes
and in my heart cherished her MEM
ory with tenderness that had grown
calm, and l loved her as one loves a
dream of most beautiful and enchant-