Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-01-13
Continued.

feeling faint and giddy. The end o.
the miserable rag-dealer mad been tol(
to me briefly and brutally enough
yet somehow l was moved to a sense
of regret and pity. Abjectly poor, hall
crazy, and utterly friendless, he had
been a brother of mine in the same
bitterness and irreVocable sorrow.
wondered with a half shudder-would
my end be Ike his? When my ven
geance was completed should l grow
shrunken and old, and mad, and one
lurid day draw a sharp knife across
my throat as a finish to my LIES his
tory? walked more rapidly to shake
off the morbid fancies that thus in
s1diously crept in On my brain; and
as before, the noise and glitter Of the
Toledo had been unbearable, so now
| found it relief and a distraction.
Two maskers bedizened in violet and
gold Whizzed past me like a flash, one
of them yelling a stale jest concern
ing La nnamorata-a jest l scarcely
heard, and certainly had no heart or
wit to reply to. A fair woman l knew
leaned out of a gayly draped balcony
and dropped bunch of roses at my
feet; out of courtesy l stopped to pick
them up, and then raising my hat l
1aluted the dark-eyed donor, but a
few PAGES on l gave them away to
ragged child. Of all flowers that
bloom, they were, and still are, the
most insupportable to me. What is
it the English poet Swinburne says
81 shall never be friends again with
roses!"
My wife wore them always; even ON
that night when l had seen her
clasped in Guido's arms, a red rose on
her breast had been crushed in that
embrace rose whose withered
leaves l still possess. In the forest
solitude where | now dwell there are
no roses-and l am glad! The trees
are too high, the tangle of bramble
md coarse brushwood too dense
lothing grows here but a few herbs
and field flowers unfit for
wearing by fine ladies, yet to my taste
infinitely sweeter than all the tenderly
tinted cups of fragrance, whose colors
and odors are spoiled to me forever.
l am unjust, say you? the
roses are innocent Of evil? True
enough, but their perfume awakens
memory, and strive always to for
get!
reached my hotel that evening to
find that l was an hour late for din
ner, an unusual circumstance, which
had caused Vincenzo some dispute
tude. as was evident from the relieved
expression of his face when / entered
For some days the honest fellow had
watched me with anxiety; my alb
stracted moods, the long solitary
walks l was in the habit of taking,
the evenings l passed in my room
writing, with the doors locked-all
this behavior on my part exercised
his patience, 1 have no doubt, to the
utmost limit, and | could see he had
much ado to observe his usual dis
cretion and tact, and refrain from ask
ing questions. On this particular oc-
casion l dined very hastily, for l had
promised to join my wife and two of
her lady friends at the theater that
night.
When l arrived there, she was al
radiantly beautiful. She was attired
N some soft, sheeny, clinging prim-
rose stuff, and the brigand's jewels
/ had given her through Guido's
hands, flashed brilliantly ON her I'M
covered neck and arms. She greeted
me with her usual child-like enthusi-
asm as | enter ed, bearing the custo-
mary offering-a costly bouquet, set
in a holder of mother-of-pearls studded
with turquois, for her acceptance.
bowed to her lady friends, both OF
whom l knew, and then stood beside
her watching the stage. The come
delta played there was the airiest
trife-it turned on the old WORKOUT
story-a young wife, an aged, doting
husband, and lover whose principles
were, Of course, of the "noblest" type
The husband was fooled naturally
and the chief amusement Of the
piece. appeared to consist in his being
shut out of his own house in dress
ing gown and slippers during a pelt-
ing storm OF rain, while his spouse
(wno was particularly specified as
"pure'o enjoyed luxurious supper
with her highly moral and virtuous
a6mirer My wife laughed delightedly
at the poor jokes and the stale cpl
grams, and specially applauded the ac
tress, who supported the chief role.
This actress, was saucy, bra
zen-faced jade, who had a trick o
flashing her black eyes, tossing he
head, and heaving her ample bosom
tumultously wherever she Kissed on
the words Vecchiaccio maladetto a
her disconnected husband, which 11a
an immense effect on the audience
an audience which entirely sympa
thized with her, yet she was indubit
sally In the wrong / watched Mn.
in some derision as she nodded he
fair head and beat time to the mus
with her painted fan. I bent owe
her.
'The play pleases your" 1 asked, il
a low tone.
Eyes, indeed" she answered, with
laughing light in her eyes. 18th
husband is so droll! 1t is all yer
amusing"