, 1899-01-24

about to see me with the mask off. But
let it not be my hand that shall open
PandCra's box. Receive through your
own the punishment for your foolish
impatience.
"Perdition take the knott | can't nm.
tie it. All, my knife-that is it'll
Beauti''-
I could not finish the word, such was
my surprise, amazement, terror. What
a nose! What a nosel oh, what a nose!
| would not have believed that nature
was capable of arriving at such a degree
of pleopasm, hyperbole, amplifcation.
The sonnet of Quevedo, Erase nm hom-
bre a una nariz pegado, " There was a
man attached to a nOse), would be poor
and colorless to paint it. This wa no
human nose. 1t was q beet root, a cor.
nerstone, an Egyptian pyramid. If it
is just to condemn everything unseason-
able, everything exaggerated, why is it
that a law is not given against the ez-
aggeration of noses?
In the midst of the horror which this
mournful discovery caused me l wanted
to Withdraw myself from the large
nosed mountain girl without mourning
a rude remark from her. Imade incred-
ible efforts toward some expression of
gallantry. Impossible. If l could have
had a mirror before me, l am sure |
must have seen a foolish face.
Fortunately for me, the mountain
girl-who doubtless had learned to re-
sign herself to her deformity, likewise
to all its effects-laughed quite good
humoredly, whether at my conflict or
at herself | did not know. This gave
me courage to rise, under the pretext of
going to greet a friend. And, without
daring to look at her again, | took my
leave with a formal Farewell, senori.
ta."
Shame gave wings to my feet; wrath
blinded me; the ground failed me in
my flight. | stumbled over furniture,
against persons, over myself, and would
have walked home without waiting for
the coach or to get my overcoat. l flew,
then, to the refreshment room, took
possession of a table, snatched up the
bill of fare, asked what they could
bring me the quickest. | ate, now, not
with appetite, but ~furiously, from four
different plates, and they were about
to bring me the fifth, when l beheld
seated in front of me-divine justice =
the same mountain girl, or, rather, |
should say, the same nose which had
Mortified me shortly before. My first
impulse was to rise and run, but the
merry girl petrified me by saying with
internal sweetness:
"Whatl Are you not going to invite
me to SUPPER"
l felt troubled and looked sheepish.
The nose laughed, and so, to my dis
comfort, did the gallant who accom-
panied her. would have liked to wreak
my rage upon him.
"Senorita''-
1T shall 10 cost you much-a glass
of wine; nothing more"
Such %impudence stung me keenly,
and l resolved on being revenged by
hooking her.
81 shall have the greatest pleasure
In complying with your demand, seno.
rita, though | fear that your nose will
prevent you from putting a glass to
ybuI lips IL y'u ,auDOt take IL OH, as
you did your mask. | do not know
how
lyon are rude, sir, but | shall be-
gracious. l will remove it"
How? What do you say? Then
AT this instant her hand darted up to
her nose and she tore it off
Alas, it was false! 1t was pasteboard,
and it left Der real nose revealed, no
less graceful! and perfect than the other
features of her face.
How shat! depict my shame, my
desperation, on beholding such an ex.
quisite creature, and the remembrance
of the levity, the ~discourtesy, the in
iquity of my conduct! | was going to
beg a thousand pardons, to lament my
error, and, Frustrated, kiss the dust at
her feet, but the cruel one took the arm
of her escort, Disconnected me with a
severe look, and, initiating my cold
manner of IA short time before, said,
Farewell, senor!" aud she burst into
a peal of mockiug lighter.
| never saw her more. From the
Spanish For Argcnaut.