The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-04-06
VENUS ANNODOMINI.

She had nothing to do with No. IS
in 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 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, and
did their life's work, and returned
again to find the Venus Annodomini ex-
actly as they left her. She was as inn
mutable as the hills, but not quite so
green. All that girl of IS could do in
the way of riding, walking, dancing,
picnicking and overexertion generally,
the Venus Annodomini 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 Annodomini.
There was no one like her, though
there were many limitations. Six years
in her eyes were no more than six
months to ordinary women, and ten
made less visible impression on her
than weeks fever on an ordinary
woman. Every one adored her. and in
return she was pleasant and courteous
to nearly every one. Youth had been
habit of hers for so long that she could
not part with it-never realized, in fact.
the necessity of parting with it-and
took for her more chosen associates
young people
Among the worshipers of tho Venus
Annodomini was Young" Gayerson.
Every Young" Gayerson. he was called
to distinguish him from his father
Young Gayerson, a Bengal civilian,
who affected the customs-as DO had
the heart-of youth. Every Yonng'
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 talk from the
Venus Annodomini in properly hum
BILE and thankful spirit. He was exact
ing. and therefore the Venus Ammo
domini depressed him.
He worried himself nearly sick in "a
futile sort Of way over her, and his de-
votion and earnestDess mado 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 hefore
the Venus Annodomini. She was cory
for him. He reminded her Cf lad
who, three and twenty years ego had
professed boundless devotion Tor her,
and for whom in return she had felt
something more than weeks weak
ness But that lad had fallen away aud
married another woman less than
year after he had worshiped her, and
the Venus Annodomini had almost
not quite-forgotten his name.
Every Young" Gayerson had the
same big blue eyes and the same way Of
pouting his under lip when he was OK
cited or troubled. But the Venus Ammo
domini checked him sternly none the
less. Too much zeal was thing that
she did not approve of. preferring in
stead tempered and sober tenderness.
Every 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 looking
glass and his forehead an open book, by
reason of his innocence, his brothers in
arms made his life burden to Inn and
imbittered his naturally sweet disposi-
ton.
No one except Every Young" Gayer-
son. and he never told his views, knew
how old Every Young" Gayerson be
lieved the Venus Annodomini Co be.
Perhaps he thought her five and twenty,
Or perhaps she told him that she was
this age. every Young" Gayerson
would have forded tho Gugger in flood
to carry her lightest word, and had i'm
plicit faith In her. Every one liked
him. and every one was sorry when they
saw him so bound n slave of the Venus
Every one, too, admitted that IL was
not her fault. for the VEINS Annodomini
differed from Mrs. Hauksbee and Mrs.
Reiver in this particular--she never
moved finger TO attract any cue, but,
like Ninon dc l'Enclos. all men were
attracted to her. One could admire and
respect Mrs Hauksbee, despiso and