Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-06-17


 of which have read. and the poets sing? I asked"
 @And answered." said the youth, hearts so closely that neither time nor eternity can sever them."
 "How we'll recall the sweet sur- prise felt at your wordsl" ex- claimed his companion. looking fond ly fin his face. '"And that just then a swift, straight shape with baleful eyes fled down the path and shiv- cred, as if cold wind had struck mer
 "A premonition of the chill to come. That night when you were proclaimed Queen of Beauty, your contestant, Alethea, bore the chap let of queen leaves and white ber- ries, praying you to wear it when you slept, as talisman, that the gift of beauty might never fade
 "And did I wear it? I seem not to remember"
 "Alas, yes; and the next morning was found with closed eyes and stiff ened limbs, while the palace was filled with subdued voices and hurry ing footsteps. Some venomous in sect, some subtle, unknown sub stance in the food the court phy- sician said, and I, alone, guessed. but could not prove, that Alethea had in- jected an insidious poison in each waxen berry"
 "And then?"
 With breaking heart prostrated myself before Venus, who, ever i'm dulgent to lovers, decreed thus: "Carve her similitude, oh sculptor, with such genius that it shall have all but the glow of life. After death your statue also shall be chiseled, and twice in a century touched by the rays of the moon at the full you shall both live and love-"
 'sThen I wrought what people called the wonderful statue of Stephana and laid my life at it's feet. Together we, insensate marbles, were placed in the great han of the palace, but where no ray of moon hght reached our carved shapes, and half and whole centuries passed with ouy divine gift wasted. Then, slow ly but surely. the ages laid Paphos in ruins; we were coda and impressive beneath the sands. pntil the discov- erer found us and brought us over seas here where the riS19ying rays of tho moon touch us, and where, twice In 2 century, we shan-live- and--love."
 The last words died away in a. whisper. The figures gided with rhythmic grace past whore Cleopatra reclined and proud Sem4raEnis sat in | white silence, and on and on, until they were lost in the purple shad- ows.
 The professor hurried from the museum. That night there was a banquet to be given in his honor. He feared the hour had gone by, and was amazed to find that it was still early, but was in a dazed, contem- plative state from which even the clamor of the, street railvSay failed | to arouse him, and before he handed his ticket to the conductor he looked at it with careful scrutiny, saying, absently, Incredible, incredible that 1t should last so long" He dressed in the same preoccr- pied mood and was still preoccupied at the banquet. "Is 1t not strange?" he asked, in the course of his re- sponse to the toast Buried Treas urss, that love should last 1000 years2" Then he drew handker- chief from his pocket and with it s card of invitation.
 He wiped his glasses to examine it. It was as if he cleared the dust of l ages from them, for he saw immedi- ately vision of Pamela, seductive. winning, Hssome, with soft dark hair, glowing cheeks and eyes that kindled when he talked of the hgurines. She | was in perfect sympathy with him, and he had never before appreciated their onenessl The reception was 1 that night; he would be sure to find her there, and was impatient to leave the banquet.
 He went straight to the tall, bril- liant girl who was the center of the social scene, taking both of her hands in firm grasp, with an all most overwhelming impulse to kiss her as the youth did the maiden. Fortunately the balcony was not far away, and the moonlight an ostensi-
 
 ble excuse.
 Hove is divine" said he, as they stood looking at the beauty of the night.
 ''They say 1t is," Pamela shyly as- serted.
 "It iS a beautiful, absorbing pas sion."
 "Yes," sighed Pamela.
 ''Tt is worth offering for have had positive proof that 1t is 8 per rnanent emotion. Will you accept it | from me?"
 "Yes," softly murmured Pamela, availipg herself of the profered shelter of the professors encircling arms.
 She--"Do you think eyeglasses inn prove my looks?" He-"You ought to know. That's what you wear th em for,