The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-08-26
NY Phantom First Love

or eleven years? / rather think 1t must
have been thirteen, because before that
1t is too soon to fall in love so earnestly.
dare not be positive about it, however
considering that in tropical countries the
heart awakens early, if that viscera is at
all responsible for such manifestations
But, though dc not remember precise
y when, I can at least, with entire Ger
tainty, describe how my passion began
10 reveal itself. l was very fond-after
my aunt had repaired To l.er daily devo.
tions-of slipping into her room and over
hauling, the contents Of her bureau draw
orS, which she kept in the most admirable
uIder. The drawers were to me a veri-
table museum I always came across
something rare cid oxhalng an archaic
and discreet edor-the aroma of sandal
fans which permCated the white linen.
Satin pncushions, somewhat discolored
by age, mittenS of network carefully
folded in tissue paper; pictures of saints,
sewing materials, a blue velvet retIcule
embroidered with bugles, AN amber ana
silver rosary, would turn up from their
obscure nCoks After curiOusly inspect
liS these articles ! would restore them
10 their places. But one day remember
II GistinctlY--in the corner Of the upper
drawer. through the netting Of some old
lace cellars. l perceived glistening OBJ
cages III Hly haste, ana drew out a
poItralt-a miniature on ivory Of about
Jnre2 inches high, incdstd in Il god
frame
WAS enraptured at the sight of this
discovery A ray Of light slantine
ath~art the window glass; fell upon the
lovely image, which stood out from the
dark background as if advancing upon
me IL was most beautiful creature
such - / had never seen before except
ftss. l.r in,
Ilst thrills of pubGScence, rs evening fell
aroused IN me q vague longing. The lady
III tho picture must have been Of about
twenty years; she certainly Was net a
gWleicss little damseI a half-open bud
p"t woman already Respondent ~ the
lullness of her beauty. Her face was
oval though rot long, her lips juicy,
slightly parting and smiling, her eyes
4alSUluly Crccped, and q diInple III her
chln seemed the impress of Cupids play
ful finger.
Her hair dress was quaint and grace
IuI; compact mass OF cluster of curls
4alHng upon the temples and a sort of
basket Of braids at the top of the head
The old couture which was combed up at
the nape revealed the morbidity of the
fresh throat, where the dimple of the
chin was more delicately reproduced AS
for the dress | am at loss to describe
whether our grandmothers were less
modest than our wives, or confessors in
those days less scrupuOus than they are
now; though l am inclined to believe
that the latter was the case. because
some sixty years ago women prided
themselves in being exceedingly pious
and would not have disobeyed their adj
Nisers in such an important matter
What cannot be doubted is that if a fe-
male were to exhibit herself today in the
dress worn by the lady of the picture
she would not fail of creating sensa-
or fra,, H., .
almost on line with the arms she was
yelled only by airy folds of gauze, that,
Instead of concealing. betrayed her snow
white bosom, upon which basked, ser
pent-like, thread of pearls. With no
less holiness were exposed the rounded
arms, worthy Of Juno, which terminated
in the most perfectly chiseIed hands In
point of fact 1 should not say hands,
because only one was visible holding
the daintiest of handkerchiefs
Even now l cannot help wondering at
the magical effect the contemplation of
the miniature produced on me; how l
stood there entrancad, breathess, de-
Vouring the portrait with my eyes. L
had already seen here and there pic
lures representing beautiful women, in IL
Illustrated papers, in NEUROLOGICAL en-
cravings of the dining room and at
shop windows, 1t Ofen happens that a
graceful line, a harmonious and elegant
contour had captivated my precociously
artistic eye, but the miniature found in
my aunts drawer, apart from its re-
marl0able gracefulness, appeared to me
as If animated by a subtitle breath of
life; evidently it was not the life of
"a painters fancy, but the image of a
real person, person of flesh and blood
The rich and peachy tone of the color
ing suggested the warm blood beneath
the pearly skin = the, lips, receded so as to
show off the Whiteness of9the teeth, and
to complete the Illusion, all along the
frame ran a fringe of natural chestnut
hair, waVy and silky, which undoubtedly
had grown around the temple of the Sit
ter. In short it was, rather than
copy, the reflection of a living being,
from whom [ was separated only by
a slender glass partition. I pressed my
lips upon it, warmed it with my breath,
and fancied that the gentle glow of the
mysterious beauty penetrated my lips and
circulated through my veins. While
thus engaged I heard footsteps in the
hail. II was my aunt returning from
her prayers I recognized her asthmatic
cough and the dragging of her equity
feet. I only had time to hastily drop the
miniature in the drawer, shut it and re-
treat to the window, assuming a non
Chalant ard innocent air.
She entered blowing her nose loudly,
for the dampness of the church had ag-
graVated her chronic catarrh. When she
noticed me her bleared little eyes bright
ened and giving me a gentle tap on the
cheek with her withered palm she asked
me if I had been fumbling about the
drawers as usual.
Then chuckling playfully:
wait" she added. I've something
here you'll like"
And she took out from her capacious
pocket a small paper parcel and from
the parcel three or four gum balls stuck
in a lump, as if melted together, the
sight of which sickened me.
The appearance of my aunt was not
such 10 tempt one to open his mouth
and swallow these candies from her
hands. Her advanced age and yellowish
bristled on her sunken mouth, prolonged
b. a white line on either side some dirty
looking gray locks struggling about her
sallow temples a fiacid and vivid neck,
similar to the crest of turkey when in
balls, there! feeling of Indignation
Virile protest, arose in my bosom, and
cried spitefully:
I won't have them"
"Oho! so you won't eh? What a mira
Gle! You, who are such a great glutton!"
Il am not 6 little child!'' I exclaimed
drawing myself up to my full length: 81
don't want any candyr'
My aunt looked at me with SUNRISE
and then, as if tickled by my strange
sally, broke out in q fit of laughter,
whereby she disfgured herself and made
more manifest the frightful anatomy Of
her maXimilary bones. She laughed so
heartily that chin and nose kissed each
other, hiding the lips and showing two
rafsa1-1 loo L