The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-01-08
THOSE OTHER PEOPLE


about. Neither of us quite knew, think
--one Of those unexplained quarrels when
We thought mean things of each other
without any cause and then justified the
others condemnation by meaner actions.
We wero polite to stupidity, and our con-
yersaton was interlarded with the poorest
satire, in which we exulted as displaying
the sharpness Of our wit and the indiffer-
ence Of our feelings. We ruthlessly stab
bed, and wondered every time at the 9TH
er's cruelty with a renewed sense of sur
prise, while bordering on return thrust
likely to prove more hurtful. Every day
we seemed to BIO growing farther from the
possibility of reconciliation, till at last
we became quite friendly in our enmity
We ceased to be personal, and only dis
cussed outside matters Our hearts had
solidly frozen-we, who had loved each
other so much. There was no longer
warmth enough even for satire We ate
our meals silently together in the great
hall of the queer old inn of MONTENEGRO,
which was built high up on the rocks
above the swift river coiling about their
base 200feet below, an impregnable strong
hold in the old times of the border wars,
and now but a hostelry for travellers cross
ing the wild forest lands that stretched for
miles to the horizon. had come to meet
the count, my father, on his way south,
but he had been detained, and Ugo had
declared he would not leave me In the des-
0late old castle till safer protector than
my female attendant should arrive. ac-
quiesoed-how willingly then, when my
heart beat at the sound of his footsteps,
and the gloomy halls seemed so mystic
riously delightful while he was there.
Things had indeed changed. Now pro-
tested impatiently at the waiting Would
not my father soon arrive? Yet surely
dreaded his advent, which would mean
our parting without ever q reconciliation.
He offered to ride to his encounter. l
murmured that he might if he wished, and
turned away with my heart sinking into
my toes. He did not go, however, and in
this found further cause for display Of
i'll humor. He successfully retaliated till
despiscd him with all my soul and won
dered how ever could have thought him
aught but bear.
One day as ] strobe angrily along the
corridor l encountered one of the guests
had not before noticed, though later re-
membered that she had been about the inn
lOI SulhU uiyS EOlle WAS u llutic p6rSOui nOu
so much in height-she might have been
as tall as mysalf-as in general effect. She
looked little and had the meanest conn-
tenance I had ever beheld. l took such
sudden dislike to the creature that invol-
UNFAIRLY drew my skirts aside as she pass
ed Later on in the day we both observed
her at table in tho company Of man.
He was taller than she yet had the same
appearance Of puny meanness. An i'm
potent pugnacity marked the whole of his
irascible physiognomy, the features Of
which were white and formless. The two
openly wrangled during the whole course
Of the meal, so that we could not help
laughing at the Righteousness of their be-
havior They banded words on every con-
ceivable subject pray don't eat your
soup as II you were fond of it," said she.
II hate to see people eat their soup in that
way" "You hate every one but yourself"
said he. Perhaps / do, when every one
has diminished to you" she rejoined.
"How brutal they are!" murmured Ugo
laughed Well, we were well bred in
our quarrels, at any rate. Whatever we
thought we took care to conceal in elabo-
rate politenesses worthy certainly of better
feelings think he understood what was
passing through my mind, for he flushed
little angrily Surely did not mean to
compare ourselves to these low creatures,
whose deforlned bodies seemed the index
to their crooked soulsp Whether did or
not, succeeded in hiding further express
sion of my thoughts,
During the following days we became
better friends The discussion Of these
oddities made us forget something of our
own rancor We were pleased to condemn
them and philosophize on the uselessness
of such beings on earth, their hideousness
and evident discomfort with life. When
ever we came across them, our loathing
increased. 1t happened one afternoon as
we were seated on the parapot of the tow
er overlooking the dense stretch of wooded
country to westward, and the silver serpent
river, whose color deepened with the set
ting of the sun, till the whole became
winding line of molten crimson at our
feet, that strange emotion, caused by
the wondrous scene, stirred us BOTH We
turned to look at one another when the
sight of their vile figures intercepted our
glances and their querulous voices echoed
in the great silence-petty, stupid, mean.
II wonder that they can even think Of
such things" said little hotly, whereat
an odd look crept into Ugo's eyes, which
made me feel suddenly indignant No |
doubt he was comparing me to them.
How small of him to do thatl How dis
liked the way he dangled his feet against
tho parapet, his sword between his kneesl
! rose up and went in He could listen |
and enjoy the company of these horrible |
people If he liked, since he could not see
hot, tha, Nd T