St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1901-01-26

aPPSA Win HIS WlIe. En. and frOT
one corner peeped out her own fai
iace-little queen! His most success
ful delineation of her, however, ha
appeared in the "Venetian Portrait,
named for its vivid coloring. This ha
grown out of the gentle splendor an
light and radiance of an autumn aft
ernoon, which had come full upon hir
and had transferred itself all into tn
picture of that girl-the small, up
turned face, such as one sees man
In day. and the nondescript igur
which he held so dear. He had longe
to add halo like the one encirclin,
her image in his heart
But his mind sickened in the pursui
OF It's musings over his ruined altar
-plllaged by her little fingers as rap
Copyright. 1900; The Authors Syndicate
IDLY as his joyous toll could rear them
Why had her apathy not come hom
TO him? Why had he never questione,
the ardor of two lips that had smile,
as gracefully on others as on him an,
had never been uplifted to his, beg
ging kiss? Why did he not realiz
how carelessly she tripped over tn
treasure. he laid at her feet?
Over the wedding celebration sh,
had become animated enough. He
pink and white notes she hat
crowded with bewitching exclamation
points and such chattering enthusi
asm about a sweet church function
the reception and gown, designed b.
him, oh, God! with the painstakins
of miniature painter. He knew WHY
now. They were the only things he
silly head cared for or understood, ant
they held the very essence of his desc
lation.
For when he had learned that he
could not leave his work for the day
appointed, he urged her with all his
fondest impetuosity not to postpone
the marriage. but to come on to him
in the city for private ceremony
And he had perhaps somewhat cava.
lierly overridden her possible opposi
ton to the unconventional and unex-
pected. What did they want. anyway
he had argued, with the trumpery Of
a great wedding? There was nothing
in bridesmaids or dancing to marry
them the better. A pompous society
event pitted against the true marriage
of souls, how absurd! Come, and life
would begin
But in that one laconic telegram
consisted her only response: despite
the mad letters that gave chase from
his pen, spontaneously hot, or chilly
derisive with veiled emotion. Then
he had waited, waited, waited for
weeks, dumb, until finally, out of his
broken spirit was breathed that last
plea, so calmly. so tenderly and so
wistfully. Had his suggestion ap-
peared rash or over-importunate or
blinded to her point of view? Charge
all to his yearning after her. his un-
utterable passion. Ponder all once
again, tempering judgment with
mercy!
But he would spare himself the
turning of the sword in the wound
by further details. What were the
odds? 1t had all come back unopened,
inclosed in an envelope bearing his
address in her handwriting.
That was yesterday. He saw a
vision of himself as. painting with
horror. the letter burning into his
side like brand. He had gone to the
bank. There he had asked for his
treasure, his blood money. Yes,
blood money, of truth. High Heav-
en- knew how into its toilsome ac-
emulation his young, pure life had
flowed, and how tonight, during his
sickly prowl through the city that
life had drained away while the sill
yer poured out recklessly, feverishly.
crafty, to pay for his love and laugh
ter.
A little while ago he had started, to
find purse and pockets empty. Then
he had wandered over here to seat
in the park. where the policeman's
boot had reused him.
Alas. the horrible day was dawning,
so stony and barren and cold. and this
riot within him. He could catch the
first wan glimpse of morning, of
the twentyfourth, his
day!
Unlovely EEotiHm.
Ii would be difficult to find better
of the vanity and egotism
spoiled child than is af-
fcrded BY the following extract from
the new Confession" of Marie Bash
kirtseff.
This young Russian girl had evident
ly wonderful genius for painting. A
faithful apprenticeship. before her
early death. sufficiently proved it; but
the fact remains that she was an in
conceited little piece" who
must often have made herself absurd
Through her abnormal vanity.
Thus she writes: Il come in to dress.
There is a little dinner this evening.
] amuse myself in my hair-dressing.
instead Of disordering it. | leave the
forehead frankly uncovered. Amid all
these carefully draped heads. it is
novelty. The hair twisted
n top of the head and spreading nat
nrally. and this magnificent brow Of
which / did not suspect either the
beauty CIR the nobleness. change me
| become OF an imposing
.andor. 1t seems to me that l am pom
tifical. or that am descending from
throne. This gives sweet gentleness
% the bearing. an air of calm and
strength. And this forehead. always
hidden. is of an infantine purity. am
Is years old
Robbed of It's Poetry.
The following anecdote would seem
10 indicate that ancestral mansions are
not all that they are cracked up to
De. A young society woman. mem
Der of an old and aristocratic family.
vas married last week. The family.
n addition to town house, have an
Id place in the suburbs. where their
,ncestors lived fer generations. The