The Somerset reporter., 1896-03-12
VENUS ANNODOMINI.

She had nothing to do with No. IS
III the Braccio Nuovo of the Vatican, be-
tween Visconti S Ceres and THE God
of the Nile. She was purely an Indian
deity-an Anglo-Indian deity, that is
to say-and we called her the Venus
Annodomini, to distinguish her from
other Annodominis of the same everlast-
ing order. There was a legend among
the hills that she had once been young.
but no living man was prepared to come
forward and say boldly that the legend
was true.
Men rode up to Simla and staid and
went away, and made their name, aud
did their life's work, and returned
again to find the Venus Annodomini ex-
actly as they left her. She was as i'm
mutable as the hills, but not quite so
green. All that a girl Of Is could do in
the way of riding, walking, dancing,
picnicking and oyerexertion generally,
the Venus Annodominl did, and showed
no sign of fatigue or trace of WEAKNESS
Besides perpetual youth, she had dis
covered, men said. the secret of perpetual
health, and her fame spread about the
land. From a mere woman she grew to
be an institution, insomuch that no
young man could be said to be proper
ly formed who had not at some time or
another worshiped at the shrine of the
Venus AnnGdomini.
There WAS no one like her, though
there were many limitations. Six years
III her eyes We're no more than SIX
months to ordinary women, and ten
made less visible impression Oh her
than week $ fever on an ordinary
woman. Every one adored her, and i'll
return she was pleasant and courteous
to nearly every one. Youth had been a
habit of hers for SO long that she could
not part with it-neyer realized, in fact,
the necessity of parting with lt-and
took for her more chosen associates
young people.
Among the worshipers of the Venus
Annodomini was young" Gayerson.
Very Young Gayerson, he was called
Young" Gayerson, Bengal civilian,
who affected the customs-as he had
the heart-of youth. Very Young"
Gayerson was not content to worship
placidly and for forms sake, as the
other young men did. or to accept
ride or "A dance, or a talk from the
Venus Annodomini in "a properly hum
BILE and thankful spirit. He was exact
ing, and therefore the Venus Ammo
domini repressed him.
He worried himself nearly sick in "A
futile sort of way over her. and his de
votion and earnestness made him ap
pear either shy or boisterous or rude, as
his mood might vary by the side of the
older men who with him bowed before
the Venus Annodomini. She was sorry
for him He reminded her of lad
who, three and twenty years ago, had
professed IA boundless devotion for her,
and for whom IN return she had felt
something more than week weak
ness But that lad had fallen away and
married another woman less than
year after be had worshiped her, and
the Venus Annodomini had almost
not quite-fargotten his name.
every Young Gayerson had the
same Ing Liue eyes and the same way Of
pouting his under lip when he was ex-
cited or troubled. But the Venus Ammo
domini checked him sternly none the
less Too luuch zeal was a thing that
she did not approve of, preferring in
stead tempered and sober tenderness.
Very Young Gayerson was miser-
able and took no trouble to conceal his
Indebtedness He was in the army--a
line regiment, think, but am not Ger
tain-and since his face was a looking
glass and his forehead an open book, by
reason Of his innocence, his brothers III
arms made has lie burden to HIM ana
imbittered lis naturally sweet disposl.
ton.
No ono except Very Young Gayer
son. and he never told his views, knew
how old VERY Young" Gayerson be-
lieved the Venus AnnudomIni to be
Perhaps he thought her five and twenty.
or perhaps she told him that she was
this age Every Young" Gayerson
would have forded the Gugger in flood
to carry her lightest word, and had i'm
plicit faith III her Every one liked
him, and every one was sorry when they
saw him so bound slave of the Venus
Annodomini.
Every one, too, admitted that it was
not her fault, for the Venus Annodomini
differed from Mis-. Hauksbee and Mrs
Reiver in this particular-she never
moved finger to attract any one, hut
like Ninon de l'Enclos, all men We're
attracted to her. One could admire and