The Washington times., 1895-03-10
THE SUNDAY TIMES PACE OF SELECTED FICTION
HN IMPRESSION.
A Modern Sketch BY an Author
of TO-day.

| Lucien Frayfe rest ed his arms upon the
parapet which runs the length of Brooklyn
! Bridge, and gazed with transfixed eyes into
/ the turbid waters beneath.
| strange, wild creature was Lucien
Frayfe. One who dw cit in his own
thoughts. He found it so much more
| economical than living like an ordinary
| mortal, and paying rent in the usual man
| ner. His divinest pleasure he experienced
in dreams; in his rapt slumber he enjoyed
sublimity of f-gratification that the
concrete earth was pow erless to afford him;
and that he was equally unable to afford
upon earth. 1.-THE felicity of Imagery, -
the paradoxicaI youth would excIaim, ''is
SO dear to me, because it is so cheap"
Now, Lucien was poor.
The young mans brow was wrapped in
OF lint and cottonwood, and although he
writhed under the internal rayages OF
neuralgia despotism, he was too much OF
poet to resort to anything more abstract
thansorrow.
thou, . treacherous stream" cried Lucien
Frayfe, putting off the matted hair from
his cldmmy forehead, "why, / cannot say;
| only feel that thou art So"
The man shuddered and stopped abruptly.
A gentle hand was laId upon his shoulder
He turned sharply around and encountered
the form of slight, girlish figure, while
against the leaden-huedsky was outlined the
delicate profile OF a three-volume novel
heroine.
II am afraid / am late" she muir
INJURED. II did not see you at first, for you
were buried i'll thought, and then lost my
way"
Why did not you advertise for it," in
terrogated the man.
low moan escaped her. The man ran
after it for some distance, but failed to re-
cover it. Presently he returned. Catch
ing glance which Lucien threw at her,
the girl stood still and went on:
"Oh, am so tired OF the prose OF this
life. / long for the blank verse OF ethereal
existence, yearn for the Unattainable,
die for the rarefied spirit OF Love and Poetry
and all that is beautiful" The woman
continued: Can you expect anything of
a world wherein Truth can be pure hased
for SIX pence? Ahi'' The speaker dropped
her voice, winch fell with faint splash
into the darkeniEg waters below.
Lucien FrayIe started at the words, his
breath came in short (summer) pants, he
darted sharp, two-edged glance at his
companion, which would have pierced her
heart had she not already given il to the
Yes, yes" cried Lucien. ''tbe world is
a garden OF iniquity. Why, cannot say;
| only feel that il is so.
His voice sounded harsh and cracked, and
must have broken altogether, had not the
girl, with timely skill, riveted it with her
gaze.
The woman was angry with herself for
some cause, and she smacked her lips in
gentle reproof. A shudder passed through
the frame OF the thin, fragile creature.
Il am colo she murmUred.
Il will cover you with my eye, replied
Lucien
Il am hot, cried she, I ran so hard to
be in good time. bat my thoughts wandered
as l walked, and my senses scattered and
took me Some time to collect. could not
come without them Then / no sooner left
the city than | found myself ia perspira-
ton
Lucien Frayfe took the little gloved hand
in his and pressed il tenderly He put his
arms about her neck and was a comforter
to her. At length, with some little diff
Guilty, he raised his eyebrows, and, after
cudgeling hls brains with his short walk
ing stick he said: Darling, / saw you
oming, and though stood here, my heart
went out to meet you
II know it, she replied; ''your love has
been nv comfort and my food for three days
past. / will always cherish il and 1--we on il.
Good bye. Be true. Good bye"
With a wave OF her delicate hand, the fe-
male figure passed on. but the young man
stood on the bridge. He was rooted To the
spot. He turned his head again toward
the river. but everything appeared blurred
and indlstiDct. The objects swan before
his eyes, especially the little craft upon the
river.
With n hoarse laugh Lucien Frayfe cast
off his dreamy habit. 1T benefits me not
he said. Then his love seemed to give him
strength, for, despite the solid architecture
on which he stood, he tore up ;he bridge.