New York Clipper (May 1895)

, UN, tj na nut <tma PublUiliit Oomiujr (UdIM.) Feundad by FRANK QUEEN, 1853. NEW YORK, S^TURDJ^Y, M^Y 25, 1895. (VOLUME XUII.-Ne. 12. I PriM 10 Cmtt, THE OLD G REEN ROO M MIRROR. WUmH roi TEM KWW Tout CLirPII, BT ¥ABI MERGDlrB. II •tsDils lo lu mxn itldad tnnu, A rallo of jMn gono fejr; Alia I m Itag toco ttt turn Him iu« to 111 flus 10 bigh r nw mmt u tboM iplilti or Uglit ViMi lioM In It loDK tgn > Hew nuDr luie tik«o tlMlr niRht mn Uie glitter tat gUra «t the ttowt Tet tbe old gTMO room mliror nmaliu u doar, RaMotlDg new tecea jeer efter jear I ne tnn6T queen It has shone A fee* that was fair and grand; The clown, and the wrinkled orone Bef on It once need to stand; And comedj here haa beheld Its Ignre so wloaome, sweet; The coiTphee, awayhig her head, Haa before It tripped light on b«r feet Bat the old green room mirror It changes not. Yet tboM It redecled be now forgot I What lale It conM whisper of Life I What channta It nnst hare aeen I WhatrlnliT, aomw and airlfe, And glitter and gismonr and sheen. What Mars It haa marked ilae and aet— It keepelh Us chronicle well I ' Anil Bhoweth not ]o; oor regret, Tet to all It ^ meaaage cnnid telL For the oM green room mirror, like life, haa cut A miUng reoecllon—of grandenr peat I zi Do'js riE. WSITTSH VOR TBI RIW TORS CUnUR, BT T. 0. HARBAUOB. Mine la a strknge etoir. I bnre told It to many; some baTelsnghed, look- Ingstmf IncredDlonalT; othera hare simply bowed thelrhcniWwltbont remark, and I have left then In their alienee, atealmg forth like a gnllljman. There still stands In the middle of the Rne Chalet, a namv, seipenHne street In gay Paris, an anilqne hoose of two stoites. Inside Itlsa network of dark little rooma, and I have always thought tbat the hollder. altar his work was done, threw hlmselltoto the Seine for fear of having the making of that stnnge honse pot to his credit Iq one of the back rooms on the second floor I lived a twelremootb, while I Med to delight Paris with light (Immas, and gather toother, not enoogn to live on, I conid do that easily among the ohekp bread stall< of the city, bot francs enongh lo pop cbtae a wonderful opal which tempted me whenerer I pssaed a certain Jeweleria window In tbe Rne lAfllta Fnno after fnno'I added to my IIMa hoard, fear- ing no borguts In the Roe Obalet, for who wonid plander a poor playwright? My neighbors wei« honest tradesmen, who lived somewhat like late lo the narrow sbeet, and with' few of them I was on fair tetna. My "Bssterplece," my greateet work, was looked In my tnnk, showing dgns of having been tbnngb the hands of InsaUate managers. It had come hack to me with tbe certainty of bad coin, and at last, In diagnst, I bad loasod op a fiano to see whether I ahonld consign It to the names or the depths of my tnnk. The ounagen always said that there waa no act- teas In Fails captble of making a enccesB as tbe star otthediama. I had made It too deep lor the best if them, and now and then I would be advised to chants It, bnt I decltred that before I woold do that iMlh dram« and anthor wonld grace the boards c( the moigne, the rejected play Inlls nnfor- tnnata Biastar<a dead hands. The opal tempted me so tbat at last I avoided the Hoe Lattte, tnnlag down another street, where I ran the ilsk of getting held np by a gang of and*- dona footpads, who did not healtate to stop people erei) poorly dressed. Only once had I gone Into the shop and pilcad the stone, and the answer took my breath away. It was an Immense Mne stone aet In Slagreework of gold, and very tempting. I wandered for some lime why no one bad par chased it, and at last waa told that It belonged to a Frnaalan who had taken hia life at Honte Oarlo, hence Ibe relnctance of any Faitalan to become lis owner. Bnt I waa not ao choice. I would bare taken the Uoe opitl If It bad biased on the bosom of acme nbid mnideior, tor I wanted it with all ny heart Itstcnned one night In October. I beard the wind roaring np the Roe Obalet, shaUsgdown tbe creaky •hop signs and playing a merry tone wherever It vent I had heard It storm before, bnt never Jnst lite It was Btoiinlng then. I heard in the Inll of the mad winds aome one coiae nptbeoldalalra. I tnmedlothedoor.woDdeilnglf I waa to have a vlallor that night, whea my door opciied. Fora moment I waa dased. My light tell npon a beandfnl yonog girl, drenched from head to toot, as I conM see at a glance. She had been ootin the street In the stoim, and as she came sonsB tbe carpet she ieftainil of water then. There waa anlnteneelnaterinhereyeeotmldnlgbt darkness, and the tall, regal flgnro, which she drew np as she diacarded the ahawl tbat coreied her shapely ahonlden, made me start "What a star tor the rejected diama," Ibongbl I, and then I feU to watching her, wondering what conM have hionght her to the Rne Chalet on snch a night, and e^ecUOy to my hoase. There waa an empty chair near mine and I waved - her towarda It, bnt she did not sit down. "Mmalenr, wont yon let me see the drama," said she. I glanced at my tranrand abe followed my look.' ■1batlsthaonei"ealdshe. "Iwant tosee If I lit the Chiimcter o( adonle." I went over to the tnnk and drew forth the frayed manuscript, handing It to her as she toned to the- table. „ . ■ There eh* sat down and began at the beginning, Ibongta I cosid see that the rain which had drenched her gaiBMBia sent sUvanoYsr her tmBsaadcaoaed herlifatotinaahan. Bke add lotUag Bora; bat lead and read. I watched her like one In a maze o( doubt. Waa It real r Did I dream, or was Ibe woman over there Acsb and t>lood, actually reading Ibe dnma which I most have written for herr Two boon paieed In ibis strange and sUenl man- ner. She had sot sUmd. Icouldseelbatehewaa reading eveiy word of the play, and tired of watch- ing her I doud and at hut fell sound asleep. When I o|iened my eyes tbo atom b»d cesecd lo shake tbe bonseand Iho llgblwasbunilngMuinal, bnt I was the sole occupant ol the IllUe room ou the Roe Chalet Tbe girl—the regal one In drenched ntxs—waa gone. I spnug op with a cry and crossed Ibe room. I iglnillty had vanished, and that my puns were very stale. "Let me we your gnat drama," said one of the** men one day In my room. "I hare been thinking of It nnch of late. I believe I bare toond tbe right starrer Zldonle." Ills words sent a shiver to ny heart 1 oonld not speak. "Yes, yea, raonsleor, the one. yon know, yon vnots a yekr or so ago, but which I wasobllged at the time to return becauae we conId not Bnd thertihtwoman. She haa come rorwsrd now." "lo heaven's name, where Is abe," I cited. "Ah, you are aniloua, are you t Yon may have heard tbat this Breton giri-lhta new star in the dre- tbat the other Inmates of the little house looked onrloaily at me, and one or two drew close to the wall when I came down stairs and gave me all tbo in^m they could. My last little comedy came baek unopened, and I thnwltaenss the room, seeing it rail Into the Bra witbcot a twinge ot regret I waa almost ready for the Seine. One night I found ntysalt In tbe Rne lattte. Of lata I bad avoided tbe street, for It waa Ibe home or the accursed opal, and 1 had naolred that It bad daaled my eye* and templed me for the hut lima, It waa a .clear nigbt Then wen great cluateis of al4n overhead, and a soft breeae cane up tbo sti*e,t bringing with It the fiagranoe of nowois 'ft M could see whore her wet llngeis bad rested on tbe edge ot the table and there were two little pools of water on the floor, but abe was not there and the dnma also had vanished. A cold sweat seemed lo come out on my forehead. The work of months had been stolon. The laanu- ecilpt which had been tbe apple or my eye, and thnugh which I bad expected to iMconw poaaeased ot the opal In tbe Rne Ulltte, had walked away wtii Ibe unknown beauty. 1 remember sloklng Into tbe chair with a groan. Tbe lamp aeemed to dance before my eyea, Ibe fnmltnre reeled about the mom, and I found my- seir sinking Into Ihatdreadrnl faint which reaemUos death. The old honse was veiy still when 1 came out of tbe tremor. I allpped from the room and hurried down on the street Day was breaking over the city, and little arrows of light bad siready stolen Into the Rne Chalet abowlog me hair a dozen algns pmtfnte on the sldewslk, the work of the storm. Ko one had seen the alisuge woman. AlttUn nun who kept a bakeebop thm dcon from ne, and who had been up all night. Bid he had aeen no one. and even laughed lu my face when 1 hinted that I had been plundered. . I went back dlaoonaolato. I threw Into the dn a halt, completed farce, and sat down like Mailna amo)ig the nine of Carthage, for I really sat txnmg tbe rnina of my hopa. During the next alzmontha I haunted the ibeatrea ot Paris. I went to them alt, and a new diama was sure to Ind me ready tor ihe rising of the corlaln. hoping that It would be the loatoue. Franc after franc of my lltUe heard went, and tbe Una opal sttll lay on Its pillow In Ihe shop window In the Rne Ufltle. I could go back an^Aook at II now, gndng my teeth and saying to nyaelf thatbut for the loa* of ny play I might aome day poaaen Ik Hme came when I recelied more ofden for light diaoiaa, bnt these tailed of auccen, and the man- egen at laat gave D* the COM ahonlder. ney aaseited that I^iad Mat ny viB, that ny or- matin drmament " "I nmemlier now. Slu looked like a Breton. Bbe —" "Who didt Ton have aeen her, have you, mon- slourt" "I—1 don't know. Bbs waa tall and exijnldlely mouMed, for Ihe nin bad dienched her garmeata, and they clung to her closely. A Breton girt r When did she come lo Paitst" "Hot a month ago." I shook mv head. "Then It ronid not have l>een that one, for six loontbR have passed alnca Ibatnlgbt" "Bliice that nighl, pmy, monalenrr Shall we have yon aent to the mad bouaet" laughingly lald the manager. I weutorer to my trunk, hutaoon came back hold, lug out my empty hands. The man fell t«ck lo bis chair, and looked at me with race aghast "I saked to see ■ 7,ldonle,>" sstd be. "I poeiKW It no longer. It waa stolen from ne In tbia room, .^sd t>y a woman." "Not alolen, monalanrr Oome, you are acting a dremanow." I aaaeitod that I waa doing nothing of the kind, and then 1 toM htm all alnut the thaftor the play on the night of storm and atreaa. "It niay lam up," aald he. "Dot I thought of It the moment I aaw thla Breton glit Bb* I* Ihe very maid for yjdools. Oant yon rewrite itr> "No," I aald. "It haa paaed from me like a dream. It will never ntora. DIaguatad opce with the lU Bscceaaes It met with In tbe handa «((he mansgen, I destroyed tbe note*, and now aD ot It has passed from thechanbenof mybnla." Alone In my little chamber after ttoiaaB^ depart- ura, I leaned hack In the chair and thonght My biBin aeemed on Ire. The bine opal had Dipped thnogh ny llngen forever. The aBaag* gM, In drenched hsbilamants, liad prevented nie fMm pos- aaartng It, and "Zldonle" had isnHhad The manager did not ooo* haek, Inl I nelloed from the gaidena of the lAxembourg. A Binnge fate led me to the lltlla Jewell; abop, and I knew that In a few minntes it would oloae. Aa I neaied Ihe window I glaaced Into it and aaw a hand lift Ihe tny where aparhled lha blue opal. A namelea* thrill abot through me. and I alaod aa one tnnallxed with terror on the aldewalk. The door waa open and I aaw the liiile Jeweler, M. Flraatone, carry the tny over lo the counter and place It before a cuaiomer. "Some one wanu to select a diamond," thought I, bull lingered lo tbe nelgblMrbood of the shop till a woman, haavlty veiled, came out and walked away. As abe vanlabed I glanced at the ahow window. Just u tbe Jeweler replaced Ihe tray lo Its pisce, end, to my honor, I nw thst the blue opal waa gone. For a moment I seemed on the eve or reeltag in a fsiot on tbe ddewslk, liot I msstered myaair and reabed Into the ahop. My appeannca moat have atailled the ahopkeeper, for be ntlered acryatalght of me, and then aeened to raeognls* the man who bad baoniedhia ahop windowallkeaUrdotlllomen. "The liloe opair' cried I, panaing In front of the counter. "In beaven'a name, Monrieur Flieatone, dM the woman bnyitt" "Ills gone," aald ha. "You have come too late, mou^r. The young lady paid for the atooe and carried It away irltb her." "Who was she r* M. PIrealone drew toward him a IllUe card, upon which t aaw was scnwled a ball InteUiglbl* name. I leaned toward tbe light and devonred It "Mile, Zidom*,«Ilue (Ibambielta." I crashed the card and Ihrev It into tha Jeweler's face. la another moment I waa ont on Ihe aldewalk, Bybnlalnawhirtandthawlnd botaaa blast from Tsriaras oa my cheeks. "MD*. Zldeal*, «a Roe ObsmbMis," I npnted ovsr and over sad then rushed away. flBCTsa la that part of farts aseasd a* scare* a* dowsn la th* heart ot tb* Great Dcsnt I flew hllhor anil thtllior In srarch <if one anil sprang Inin Ihe tint am tnimil. It provoil to lie a poor sntilr and threatened to lireak ilnwn within the flrat mile, but that did niit ilotor mo tnm taking It. I sank liack Into the dark rumor or the rettlo trap as It movcil nir, and iMdp Iho ilrlvnr nuko all pos- albla apeed. iimmlaing mm an oxnrlilMnt "extra" If ho gnl me to the Hue l^hRinlilotlo lu a Tow nilniitos, which I know was IniiiM^H'lo. Airivcil in Ibe >trr«i, whioh aa a iwlllo irroiinil tor tha Cnmmiino iliirliig Ibo taat ilaya or tla re<l oxlal- enoo la an blatorto ihnmiiiilifnni, I valoheil Ihe hotiaoa for tbo numl'cr. IWSH there at ta^t, ami, aiirliiRtiiR fmm Iho (Iscre, which roriuiialoly hail i-arrl«l mo aafolr to tlio apnt, I nn tiiwani Ibe ilnnr. Thn Inll I Jerknl, wtlilly to lioauRwered by an nlil man, who aoviiioil to lake uramge at uiy call. "Mile. 7.tilonlo l" aatil I, eagoily piiRhlng Into Iho hall. "Morel t don't niniialoiir hniiw that aho 1h at the operet" "At the opera I" "It la tho great opening night Hbo la to aiiiaxe raiia with her now iilari '/.lilonto noiitawayan hour ago and wdt nni comeback till aha lathoiitioen of lha hour—tun r/irtv. /titnnlo, rm rnlrsH tbo llowor on our llreton hllU." 1 looked wllilly at tlin old man r minionl. "Yon are llreton frrloil I. "Jiilos l,eganl, ttio llmtim. Itiit you ahnulit aoo /litonls toittght. Wo alrnady rstl tior ttial nriiir Iho obaraoteralio SMiimoM. It la agrrnt nno." "Vfhn wnitc the play ror hori" "Tlial la Xlilnnlo'a anriet," gilnncil thonlilmnn. I rnutd hanll; tiroatlio. "When did /Mniilo rnme in lurlar" lie told mn. Iml I raHglil hla Rrni, aliihing my llngen Into II Ilka rlswa. "lint ahowaahorolHsrnrot" toxrialnioil. "Hliehna been to l>«rtB liernro that time." "Hhe went aomnwhore alx nionlha ago, and when aha ramo back she hail rlty ways, Im, hnt" I watted only In hoar tlio namo nr tbo open hoiiae whnre /IdonloWHS to alartln thoponiilo nr Tarta aa a now alar In tlio dmiiMllo flrmaninul, ami thou 1 butted liack. Ttila lime tlio ntd (liirrn which iinil watloti rnr mn thought It thoprnporllmo In rollRpHo. rihI I rmind myaeir In tl« riilna In tho hoail ot the wlnillng lllllo lluo l,aniiQa, ilark, illngy, aiiil RlnioHt tonaiillm. I paid the Jnliii and niahial niT In Iho opera. II waa tbo aaiiio nlil alnry III tbo llnl niglit nr a riaing alar. Tim gnrgonna toui|ilo was fliloil rroni pit to dnmo; tbe laat en waa alKiiit orar. The exrttlng danmiomfliit hsd lirtiiigbt u|Hin tbo alago the atar or tlio nlglit, Rivl I nrw In horllio tall, tieaiitlful vlallor wbn had cniiie to Iho Itiiii Olialol tho night nr the atonn. 11 wsailie llretfin, tMuiiriil In hnr ganiioiils and Itiiahod with a lriiiiii|th wlilrli wbh doallneii to lie- cnnie tbe talk iil l>aria. I atond In the gnlleiy llko nnn apiillliound. it waa my play, hut reodored an gmnd by llio apell nf bor artliiR. The one '/Idnnto had iieen fnimd; Imt who had rnnnd herr l,lko one In a niaxe i iUkhI there till the curtain' roll and llion tmundnl frniii llin apnt. I wuuld meet Xldotilo. I niiiild nut u|ilimld bor hir the trick aha liad played ii|Hin nie, nn, nut lhat; liul 1 would toll her or tlie agnny or tlio aleiipleaB iilghUi which had rollnwod llio inaa of Iho drama. Hut I intsaodhor. Hlio vunlahedsM complfltolyBS aho did llio night or Iho ainrm. I'orluipa she lisil aeen mo In tlio gallery, Innkliig ilnwii upon her, and I reroanilionjd liavlng aoen bar ga/.o upliiraod U> wlinre 1 atJKirf. It waa paat mirlnlglit wlioii 1 wuiii back lo ny rnnnia. 1 llioiighl or llio purrliawil opal, of tho ride 10 llio Itiin t^tiHinlilollo, anil finally of tho great trt- iimplior "/.tilnnto" end llio regal Krotnn girl. My tiead wsaln a alrengo whirl wlion I roaobed my ilnor. 1 nponed It sinl ntnink a matoli, "I liavu twin WAlttog Inr ynu, inoiiatour," ntd a voice, aa the IlltIo name grow larger. I recollod, with the inatcti nirkertng In niy haoil. tiiit aiiddrnly I grewcaim and liolil it over my bead, /.Idnnia atotal tieriiro nn, tliefair, tall Xldnnio, tbe Htar nr Iho nlglil, tho now tasauty ut the atage, and in bar band, whtnli was iinnlnveil anil nulalnlohed, lay Iho lilne npall "Fnrglve thn trick, nmnilour," mitt ado with an archanillo. I wanted Iho play ami you craved Ibe alone. I at/ile tho one and lionHbt llin nllior, Ware ynu Ihrre kinlglitt Tlioy camo Ui aee m* win tho heart or I'aria, hut 1 won't koep It very long. Whan 1 have their mnney 1 will go liauk In the bllU of llrlllany; liut the lilue opal, t/ust amt, Ih ynuii." Tlio procloiia alnne dn>|iped like a annwflnbelnUi my band, and liernre I cniM detain /.lilnnle abe waa K'lne. I nn In the door and lu'ikcd dfiwn Ihe shadowy aUIr; I hoard her rnnlatepa nn the Inwor landing; I heard tbe nuler door ojien and aliiit; and than I went liach to Ilia light ami liMkod apelllKHind at the gem, rnr wlilch 1 ImIIuvu I would have lartorod my soul. • A-^^*^ THE ROOF SAVED HIM. Tlie trialimnii who wont np hi Ihe linlcl tin with- out biinwiirg what II wrh iIIiI not eaally got over hla aiirpriae. lie ttlta Ihe alnry in liita way: 'I went In llio luilel, and aaya 1, 'la Mr, Hmllh In t' 'Haya ilie man wlili llin wijnr rap, 'Will yor step liif 'Ho 1 atcpa Intn Ilia nfllre, and all nt a aiiddlnt lie pnlla the rop«. and the walla nr the liiillilliig liogan rnnnlii' down In tbo rtllar. " '((ch, niiirtlier,' aaya 1, 'wlialli tiecnnie nr Uridget and the <:lillder which waa Ion tvtnw theret' ••Hex he: " 'lie alay, Mr, Ihoy'll lie all riiilil when yoz cnmo down.' ■IVima diiwn, la II,' asya I, 'ami It'a lui unice, liut a healhenlah lall'mii that yrx irnt niit In.' And widthat Ilia walla >i»hI ainckatlll, anil be opened ihe di»r. and then I waa wllli llie runljual nver my bead, and, lieinm, iliat'a what Mved me frnm gn^ng up Ut Ihe litvlna riitnlreiy." la imri.-"Yiin'll do Jiul aa 1 tell you," aald Ibe hualiand nf ihi> adranced woman. "Whalt" ahrtrked Ilia wire. "I mean IIP aaM her hnaland, I'd have ;»u iindenland tbat I wear Ibe akMs In ihU family." -CTilMOOlMoonl."