Life — May 5, 1892 — page 8: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

* LIFE: THE MELANCHOLY SWELLS. “ Mind your own business, Country,” answered one of the youths, and they all frowned upon him as if annoyed by his presumption. Jonathan said nothing, and continued his jour- ney into thecity. As it was now about noontime, he sat upon a bench in the park to eat his dinner. He had just begun the frugal meal when he was joined by twelve hornets who also sat on the seat beside him. They seemed a friendly band and soon opened a conversation. Jonathan found them intelligent and well-bred hornets. He gave them some of the maple sugar he was eating and they relished it and partook very freely. “T never tasted such maple sugar,” said Ohlstin- gum, the leader, “and we are much indebted to you. If we can serve you in any way let us know.” Just then another group of young men, fashionably dressed but broken-hearted, came walking by. Then Jonathan said’ to the hor- nets: “Can you tell me why the young men in this town are so sorrowful ?” “Why, haven't you heard of Parra Liza?" exclaimed all the hornets in surprise. Then Ohlstingum told him of the beautiful damsel whose spell no mortal could resist. To see her was to love her, and the coolest heads were intoxicated by a single glance from her eyes or the first words from her tongue. “But no man can marry her,” said Offile Hottend, one of the younger hornets, “unless he brings her a fortune from the enchanted Garden of Zpek. And here she comes now, with her father, the haughty banker! Don’t look that way or you may fall beneath the spell!" But Jonathan had already looked. His senses reeled and wavered in a drunken ecstacy as he gazed upon her face. He arose and stood before her, When her eyes met his— and her eyes were limpid iakes of passion that meant a thou- JONATHAN SUCCUMBS, sand things no words could utter—his soul was flooded with their beauty. He felt within him the kindling of consuming fires whose torture was a burning joy. Almost invoiuntarily he threw himself upon his knees and had begun an excited declaration of his love, when the haughty banker interrupted him. “Say no more, young man. He who weds my daughter must first bring a fortune from the Garden of Zpek.” Then he led her away. But she turned and gave Jonathan aglance that sent hot thrills a-coursing diagonally up his spine. The father and daughter disappeared around a turn in the walk leaving him upon his knees in the gravel, the hot thrill dying gently away among the roots of his hair. He was recalled to himself and his undignified position by a suppressed chuckle from the hornets. “ You must pardon our levity,” said Ohlstingum, “ but not being human it is difficult for us to thoroughly appreciate your position and feelings. That the old gentleman should insist upon the fortune is only natural as his finances are a little dizzy just at present.” “Very, likely,” replied Jonathan, “ but I shall be- lieve no ill of the daughter. Good-bye.” “Where away?" cried all the hornets, “To the enchanted Garden of Zpek,” said Jonathan, and he started off. But the hornets flew after him and kept him company, exhorting him to throw aside his folly. They assured him that where one succeeded hun- dreds failed; that if the fever of Zpek once seized upon him he would never recover; that the soil of the garden was rich with the blood of its victims. But Jonathan's brain was dancing with a woman's beauty and he had no use for reason or for hornets. “ Then let us go with you,” said Offle Hottend. “I wasa broker once and we can give you points. And when hornets give points it means business,” and he chuckled at his little joke. Dorothy about this time was very blue. She was begin- ing to realize the possibility of Jonathan's loving some woman more beautiful than herself, and she shed silent tears upon the flowers as she watered them. Also one or two fell from her lashes into the piecrust she was kneading in the kitchen, Jonathan, on the following morning, travelled two miles southward through the great city to the enchanted regions of Zpek. But on arriving he felt very much like turning back, comicbooks.com