The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-19
NEW hooks.
A Strange and Fervid Tale.


srs, appearance OF Lalage in Berthe st.
Im,'s story OF BLACK Butterflies" (R. f.
yenno & Coz long and broad column
| II crimson and golden sunshine beautifully
Invades the room in the fine house In India
.rd enables us to see everything very
clearly. The polished floor Is rug strewn.
IA huge brass Jar with wide mouth Is
croyded with blood red roses. Said roses
droop dejeotedly from their thorny stems
md the aforesaid sunshine fecks them
9TH radiant dots. Lalage lifts her eyes
.ec frontispece) to a portrait OF a gentle
man of 60 hanging over the mantelpiece.
rbis was Ialages husband. The sunshine
slnts boldly about the pictured face. 1t
lao dapplcs the dusty, gilt lettered volumes
arranged methodically on the book shelves.
There is much for the sunshine to do in
Ithis luxurious abode. 1t is a very busy
|.,nshine. Sometimes 1t Is audacious.
I've find it taking unwonted liberties with
|,be nude charms Of marble, vine wreathed
|pacchante, anon dipping roguishly into
IDaphnes daintily carved bosom in vain
.Odeavor to further explore her hidden
Eoyeliness Ugliness as we'll as beauty
[nay count upon its desirable and lively
kayors: it dances "prankishly, with au-
iacious disregard for either reverence or
I[ianity, about hideous bronze snub-
noed scowling image Of Buddha hanked
Nv pair Of squat. sardonic looking idols.
Ia last 1t goes about the most charming
Tart of its business. Providing, 1t 'searches
Ehe dim space and purpling shadows to
reach, touch Lalage's head, entangling
No 1ooun abundance
bi hair, tipping each hayward tress into
I'M irradiant blaze Of glory This and
Transferable else the sunshine does in
Jingle sentence in the story. We have
,entured to cut our record of its activities
pp into somewhat shorter lengths.
Notwithstanding all these beautiful mat
hers round about her, Lalage was In melan-
rholy frame OF mind. Presently she began
thoughtful toying with the massive we'd
ding ring on her finger. Leaving her thus
Employed our author considers the dull,
|leray word duty Upon what a cheer
lees, unpleasant path it leads us. she eI-
claims. How the path blisters the feet Of
Inv conscience stricken creature. To our
|dt stretch cool green fields. Tall grace
kul trees shade the same. The trees are
bowed down by the weight Of their luscious
fruits. These fruits, how pleasant to the
sye and sweet to the taste. A few steps
Min take us to them. But we must stay
In the rough and barren path. 1Yeal whilst
The hot, dry wind blows out Of the south,
bcorching our aching brow and trembling
limbs We lag. We protest against fate.
Es mutter, We rebel, we sink fainting.
But conscience prods us on. Duty drags
BIS from our desires. Not now the luscious
uit. By and by, perhaps.
Lalage tore the ring from her finger and
1ung 1t far across the sward. Its rapid
transit beneath the hot noon sun" called
orth the appearance OF "a brazen crescent
ktudded with thousand scintillating stars,
II descended in a rhodendron bush. which
lnectiually extinguished it glitter. Lalage,
absently smiling bitterly rubbed the
kmancipated finger. She leaned against
mo window easement and watched the SUN
thinner on tamarind tree. A moment
before she had looked In the mirror and
emarked how the somber hue Of her
mourning garb enhanced the creamy
bitterness OF her neck. A noise at
racted her attention "a sudden babel
the voices Of birds. She turned to
trdcage Of large dimensions In a corner
b the room and flung open its door. "Nu-
nervous gorgeous tropical birds, the pride
fher heart her pets, flew forth, and after
crc ling about for a while, forming bright
blotches of color against the azure sky
vanished with joyous and discordant cries
IN convenient jungle. Free, free, free!"
she murmured as the last OF the birds,
! MAGNIFICENT parrakeet, few on In the
direction Of Simla.
lalage was celebrating her new widow
hood. She was fearfully beautiful. The
story ga w of her, just after she had liberated
tho birds: Quietly, with every turn and
movement suggesting the 1.-the. supple
race OF young leopardess, back and forth
she sweeps aimlessly. Lalage has tremer-
dous stride, owing 10 her athletic build and
remarkable length Of limb. Beautiful,
o-fearfully beautiful in her rounded
ummetry OF shape. Tall. straight az
gcamore, combined with the rare stately
Eancy Of the palm. And those long.
measured masculine steps became her
pyally' She repented presently OF her
badness because her husband was dead.
Remorse swept her soul. Her conscience
rose specterlike. sob burst convul-
lively from her distorted lips. She recalled
indnesses OF his He had smoothed her
pillow once when she had fever How could
she have been glad? "Oh, that generous
bve! How cruelty had she repudiated,
santonly tossed 1t aside as SO much dross.
And then, too, his age, which she had
hitherto considered 80 extreme, seemed
essened, for surely 90 and "a is not such q
vast disparity after all
Alas the departed one was not worthy
q these generous thoughts, 1for a more
vie, graceless old individual never
hreathed," than this mate whom she now
| nthroned and believed with tears. But
hush! The slender moonbeams are creep
ing timidly in. accompanied by a soft moist
hight wind mingled with the sweet, heavy
odor Of rhododendrons. The beams hover
h silvery radiance over the empty cage
and the forlorn figure Of Lalage lying face
downward on the polished rug strewn
door. 1t says 80 in the story. Let US
respect the situation.
From Lalage temporarily PROSTATE in
her superb Indian home the story trans
ports us to the Egyptian city Of Alexandria,
where va zee the nations mingling In the
Questionable enjoyment Of life in a cafe.
The lovely, girlish prima donna is to be
Observed through cloud OF tobacco smoke.
II u