Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1903-10-17
he littIs 3chsDe
# Zig. ZaIinski.
% % % % @ 90 Co

y 4 Aihi'"r9 hahu was pia!ihS
~o< its most stirring music.
Through the open sides of the building
could be heard the profound accom-
paniment OF the ocean rising and fall
ing in rhythmic grandeur. Overhead
the melancholy moon shOne unwnll-
ingly. steadily, with a portentous pale
ness. From the veranda of the hotel
warmly Illuminated by grOtesquely
shaped Chinese lanterns. an occasion
al shrill staccG'o of laughter gave evil
dence that here was girl who thought
she looked her best when she laughed.
Every one had dined. Every one had
generously tipped the waiter. Every
gently drift in a tremulous sea of
languOrOus content.
In the centre of the Casino sat Jan
Zalinski, moody, cynical. with the eX-
preston of a. man who has brought n
girl to dinner and finds her looking
coyly at chap sitting at the next
table. At tines Zalinski looked ut
the programme and scOwled ut the
line which informed him that Signor
COncini was going t. play violin
solo later in the evening. At other
times Zalinski RULED out his flaming
red beard and breathed noisily as lie
gazed upon the stage at the smiling
SignOr COncini.
"COncini"' muttcrcd ..alinski, "COn-
cini cannot play the violin. And to
think that Wellman threw me over to
get this miserable and altogether des-
picable Concini into his band! Bah!
COncini! Bah! Eahw
Zalinski suddenly felt an unac-
countable impulse to seek the open
air. Unwttingly n, haG invoked the
wicked old Black Sheep by his double
repetition Of the mystic "Eahw 1t was
his present lot to h, whsked along in
an Irresistible current of fatality until
the Black Sheep was through with
him. No man can say "Eah" twice
with impunity.
Zalinski reached the Board Walk
and looked up. A fantastic and men,
acing cloud scurrled across the face
of the cleaning. gloating moon.
Outside the Board Walk was nearly
deserted. An occasional pair could
he seen sitting on the Notwithstanding
dreamily at the disappearing and re-
appearing glare of the Invisible light
house across the bay. Sometimes an
Overdressed dowager dipped along, the
noise of her rustling skirts forming an
Irritating contrast to the soft wash of
the retreating breakers down on the
beach. The swelling crescendCs of
the distant band in the Casino We're
majestically borne along on the gath
ering beeze. Near at hand the reiter-
ated cries of an ill-tempered baby
called cynical attention to the drear
realities Of life.
Zalinski came down the walk He
gazed at the baby. He chuckled. He
gazed at the baby's nurse. He rehec-
lively stroked his flaming red beard
and chuckled again.
"Does it always cry?" he asked, in
terestedly.
"GO on with your cOldly remarked
the nurse. Her look was very full of
naughty and dignified reserve.
Zalinski placed half dollar in her
hand.
"Does it always cry?" he repeated.
NEARLY always" replied the nurse
with sudden sOciability and apparently
in total ignorance of the half dollar
in her hand. The baby stopped it's
cries and appeared to listen intently
to this little conversation.
"Is there no way to stop him?" con-
time Zalinski.
"He on'y stops when he's playing
with my watch" she replied. "When
1 take it away from him he carries on
awful. He's regular little imp"
she continued, vOlubly. Hes boy,
you know" she lucidly explained.
"LoOk here" said Zalinki. "Here's a
dollar. You take him to the Casino.
Let him play with your watch until
the band starts on the ninth piece.
Then, when the little man on the stage
begins his solo on the violin, you just
take your watch away from the baby
and let him howl. Let him howl good
and loud. See?"
The girl looked up at him with sud-
den craftiness.
make it 49," she commanded.
Zone or nothing" replied Zalinski
coldly.
"Well, all right" she grumbled, sulk-
fly, "well all right Her mutter-
ing rumbled itself away as she gath
cred up her charge and slowly followed
Zalinski to the Casino.
In her arms the moon bathed face Of
the young one seemed to grimace with
a suppressed deviltry far beyond the
years of any one-year-old as he leaned
over his nurses shoulder and deliber-
ately winked at the unseen Black
Sheep that was pattering noiselessly
along behind.
In the Casino, the eighth piece was
being performed. Zalinski with diff
Guilty found vacant seat near the
stage. He placed his hat on the seat
next to him (Which also happened to
be vacant and gazed at the all uncon-
sciOus Concini with baleful and tri.
umphant eye.
Zalinski was aroused from this pleas
ant preoccupation by disturbance at
his side. His brows contracted to an
alarming extent when he saw the
nurse drop into the seat next to him.
The baby, playing with the watch,
gazed at Zalinski with serious atten.
ton and knowing smile seemed to
settle over its old fashioned face.
The leader of the orchestra suddenly
addressed himself to the band. The
ninth number was about to begin. Con.
cini lovingly tucked his violin under
his chin and looked confidently over
the audience with the smile of man