The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1900-02-03

to claim attention, and the merchant
called "Come in" in a tone in which
there was more of curiosity than an
noyance.
There entered two men. First, thin,
graceful creature with opaque eyes,who
moved across the room with the motion
of some sinuous wild creature, and be-
hind him the Amsterdam correspondent
of the house, whom both Mr.. Cuscaden
and Miss Warren had seen several times
before.
''Mr. Turbu desires to meet you, Mr..
Cuscaden," said the gentleman from
Amsterdam, land he ventured to enter
without being announced. He did not
understand what your boy said when
he asked his Name"
Both proprietor and stenographer
knew the man for Javanese at Ba-
tavia, one of their chief native i'm
porters.
, ''Are Mr.. Turbu and myself to speak
without an interpreter, Ms. Maartens?"
inquired the American.
'IIe talks my tongue reasonably well,
Mr.. Cuscaden."
The American held out cordial hand
to the Javanese, addressing him in the
fine old tongue they speak at The
Hague. The Javanese extended, with
an indescribable motion of shyness and
fastidiousness, long, dark, flexible
hand and closed his fingers about Mr..
Cuscaden's broad palm with tenacious
and electric grasp. A slight flush crept
over Mr.. Cuscaden's face, such as is no
ticeable on the faces of those who have
grasped battery. They all sat down
in silence, and the soft, deep eyes of
the Jayanese remained fixed in scrutiny
of the merchant. Miss Warren waited
impatiently. MIR. Martens looked SUR
prised. But Mr.. Cuscaden seemed in no
haste. He sighed once or twice and
leaned bacl. in his chair.
Miss Warren" said he, at length.
''there are surely some of these letters
you can answer without my dictation.
Kindly take them into your room and
do So"
The young stenographer left.
Then the American leaned forward
on his desk and looked the Javanese in
the eyes.
'Well?" said he, using the Dutch still.
THANK you," responded the other,
employing the same tongue, but with
soft and mitigating accent, for I'M
Outstanding me so well. have crossed
the seas of the east and the seas of the
west and come this far way, and from
peaceful place, to sell you something
that you need.''
"Well?'
1.-The trifies have sent you of aromat-
jc spice, they are nothing. They do to
make acquaintance with. But have
other business, sir. / am a merchant
of another Sort"
$50? Of what sort?'
Il am merchant of dreams"
Il have all manner of dreams for
those who pay the price ask--dreams
of joy and love, of peace and beauty, OF
devotion and yet subtler things. the
names of which you would not yet I'M
derstand. / can make you feel as if the
world was young again and the fauns
dancing on the hills; or can persuade
you quite that one woman is sweeter
than all the women of the earth; or l
can make you kneel beside an altar and
pray all the night through and never
weary, but send your soul from one
sky to another ti]lit is added to the Sun
of Souls. But l have many dreams.
Pray let me know what you DESIRE"
As he spoke, things concerning which
the American had never thought, OF
about which he had thought but duly
comprehending naughf. came to his un
Outstanding like visions, and he saw
much that he had never seen. and
yearned for more than he could ever
tell. Tremors of many sorts of joy ran
through him, shaking him. Now his
feet danced among the flowers of spring,
at dawn-time, on some mountain OF the
south; now he sailed with great sails
along summer sea. notified like the
mother of pearl; now he swung the in
cense boat and felt his soul mounting
in mystic symbols to gates of porphyry;
now he was drunk with the light of
some luscious woman's eyes.
'Will you buy?" asked the Jsvanesc,
smiling tenderiy- He laid his satin
soft prehensile hand upon Cuscaden's.
why not - asked the other.
(Which ones will suit you best?'
1.-Two not excessive ones-a dream of
God and dream of wife. Make them
beautiful but not fanatical. / would
not support too much ecstacy, if you
please. Later-auother time-perhaps
I'VE shall see. But now only these two
temperate things"
"And the payment?"
Tomorrow. Call at one"
The Javanese arose.
Farewell"
And when shall these dreams be
mine? "'