The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1851-09-12

info vasi gallery, illumined by a thou.
sand lustres, sparkling amid flowers and
precious stones. Each fragrant orange
tree bore wax lights amid lis branches,
and many lovely facces glesmed amongst
The Aoyery thickets; while bright eyes
watched the footsteps Of the mighty
master Of the revel The cutting north.
east wind blew outside; poor wre,ches
shivered on the pavement; but what did
that matter while the court danced and
laughed amid trees and flowers and
breathed the soft swee, summer air?
Maria Theresa did not mngle In the
scene. Timid ard retiring the young
Qneen fed from The noisy gayety Of The
court, and usually remained with her
aunt, the Queen Mother. On this occa
sion, therefore, the ball was presided
over by Madame Heuriette and by Olym.
pia Mancini, Countess Of Sossons -
The gentle La -Valliere kept, modesily, !,
in the background, until espied by the
King, beneath the magnolia, which her
companions had SO reckIessly despo;led
Of its flowers, and which had cost them
exclusion from the fete. ' af ts
The next moment the hand of Louise
,rembled in that Of her sovereign; for
Louis the Fourteenth had chosen the
maid Of honour for his partner in the
dance. AT the close Of the evening, lie
Nolre, who had received private orders,
brought forward his favouriie rose.tree,
iransplanted into richly gilded vase
The poor man looked like a criminal
approaching The place Of execution. He
laid the flower on raised step near the
throne :and on the front Of its vase every
one read the words which had formerly
set Olympus in fame. "To the most
beautiful"
Many rival bellies grew pale when they
heard the Due do Lauzun ordered by
Louis TO convey the precious rose-iree
into the apartment of Mademoiselle de
Ia VALERIE, But lie Notre reioiced, for
The fair one gave him leave 10 come each
day and attend to the welfare Of his
beloved flower.
The iose tree soon became TO the
favourite mysterious talisman by which
she estimated the constancy OF Louis
The Fduriee,h. She watched with an
yie,y all It's changes OF vegetation, tremb
ling al the fall of leaf and weeping
whenever new bud failed TO replace
wilbe red blossonl. Louise had yielded
her erring heart to the dreams of love,
not to the visions Of ambition. "Tender,
and ashamed of being So" as Madame
de Sevigne has described her, the
young girl mourned 70. her foult at the
foot Of the altar. Romorse punished
her for her happiness; and more than
once has the priest, who read fist mass
at the chapel OF Versailles, turned at
the Sound Of s,ifled sobs proceeding from
The royal recess, and seen there a closely
yelled kneeling figure.
The fallen angel still remembered
heaven.
Thus passed ten years. Al their end,
The rose.'ree might be seen placed on
a magnificent stand in the Palace Of 81.
Germain; but despite Of lie Notre's
constant care, the flower bent sadly on
its blighted stem. Near il ,be Duchess
de la Valliere (for SO she had jus, been
creaied) was weeping bitterly. Her
most intimate friend, francois Athenais
de Mon,emar. Comtesse de Montespan,
entered, and exclaimed, "Wbat, weep.
ing, Louise! Has moi the King Just given
you the tdboures as fresh proof Of bis
!ove?r
Without replying, La valliere pointed
10 her rose.
"Nhat ain absurd supelsiiiion!" cried
Madame de Moniespan, seating herself
near her friend. sTis really childish ID
fancy that the affections Of Monarch
should follow the destiny Of a flower.
Come, child" she continued, playfully
sIapping the fair mouruer's hands with
her fan, "you know you are always ado
rable, and why should you NOT be always
adOred2"
"Because another has had the ar. to
,upplant me =
Athenais Bit her lip. Louise had al
ength discovered that her pretended
friend was seeking to undermine her. -
On the previous evening The King had
for long time with Madame
ie Montespan in the Queens apartments.
He had greatly enjoyed her clever MIN
cry Of certain court personages; and
when La valliere had veniured 10 re
proach him tenderly, he had replied.
aLouise, you are silly. your rose
ree speaks unlruly when it calumniates
me-"
None Sut Aihenais, TO whom alone j,
mad been con6ded, could have betrayed
he secret. And now, al The entrance of
Ter rival, LIE Vallere fastened 10 dry up
Ter tears, but not so speedily as to pre-
ZEN, the other from perceiving Them
Her feigned caresses. and ill-disguised
one Of triumph, provoked Louise to LEI,
Ter see that she discerned her treachery.
But Athenais pretended rot 10 feel the
,haft, sstsi