Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1852-12-25

Hermann started. The story OF the three cards
returned wildly to his memory; he wandered
round the house, thinking of its owner, of her
riches, and of her mysterious power When he
went home to bed it was long before he could get
to sleep; and when sleep at last took possession of
his senses, his dreams were of The gaming table,
OF cards, and piles of ducats and bank-notes. He
beheld himself making parodi after parodi, al
ways winning; filling his pockets with gold, and
stufing notes into his pocket-book. When he
aWoke, he sighed to find that his fantastic wealth
had melted away; and to amuse himself, set out
to walk through the city, He was soon opposite
the house of the old countess an invincble at
traction drew him thither. He stopped, and look
ed up at the windows. Behind one of them he
perceived the head of young woman with fine
/ dark hair. She was reading, he thought, or else
at work. Presently she raised her head and he
saw charming countenance with large black eyes,
That moment decided his fate
III
1t was not long after the encouragement given
by her smile that Lisabeta, she followed the foot
men, who were with difficulty lifting the countess
into her carriage, saw the young officer close by
her side, and felt him seize her hand Before she
could recover from her surprise he was gone,
leaving note IN her palm, which she fastened to
conceal in her glove. During the whole of the
drive she neither heard anything, answer
ed every question at random and was sharply rated
for it by the countess. When she returned home,
she flew to her chamber and took out the note
1t was not sealed, and consequently it was impos-
sble not to read it. The letter contained thou
sand protestatons of love. 1t was tender and re-
spectful, and translated word for word from Ger
man romance but Lisabeta knew nothing of Ger
man, and was well enough content with it.
She was embarrassed, however, since for the
! first time in her life, she had secret. To be in
correspondence with young man The thought
mode her trcmbe. She reproached herself for
her imprudence, and knew not what to do. What
course should she resolve upon ? Leave off work
ing at the window, and by dint of GOODNESS, COM
pei the young officer to relinquished his pursuit
or send him back his letter-or write to him in
! firm and decided manner? She had neither friend
nor adviser, and she determined upon answering
his letter.
She took up her pen, and profoundly more than
once she began phrase, and then tore up the pa
per. Sometimes her style was too harsh then it
was wanting in proper reserve. At length she
succeeded in composing few lines which satisfied
her.
4 think, she wrote that your intentions IRE
honorable, and that your would n~tu' ana IN nof-
est ton.
on SB. SYKES, CHAS GATESlls
no N H WHITFIELD, w H SAUNDEpe
Ter R PAINE, JIG ENGLISH N
er- r GORDON, WA SYKES,
Oct 80, 1852. 4o:x WJJONES he
openeu vasis
tas and threw her letter into the street, in the ex
pectation that the young officer would not fail to
pick it up. She was right he seized it with ca
gerness and went iRtoa confectioners shop to read
it. Finding nothing very discouraging at the con-
tents, he went home tolerably well satisfied with
the commencement of his love affair.
i A few days afterwards, smart young woman,
with an eeeiHe came to the hotel, requesting to
deliver message to Mademoiselle Lsabeta from a
merchant de modes. 1t was not without some I'M
easiness that she consented to see her, fearing it
was some forgotten bill but her surprise was
great when, on opening the paper presented to
her. she recognised the handwriting of Hermann.
You have made mistake mademoiselle,' said
Lisabeta this letter is not for me =
L beg your pardon replied the maodiste with a
malicious smile give yourself the trouble to read
it T Lisabeta glanced at the note. Hermann de-
manded an interview.
'Impossbe cried she, frightened at the bold
ness of the request, and at the manner in which it
had been sent to her. This letter is not meant for
me- And she tore it into thousand pieces.
/ IF the letter is not for you, mademosee, re-
turned the modste, why have you torn it You
should have given it back, that might have taken
it to its proper address,
pray excuse me- said Lisabeta, quite dscon-
certed. 4 hardly know what am doing. Pray,
bring me more letters and tell the person who
sent you that he ought to be ashamed of resort
t ing to such an expedient.'
r But Hermann was not the man to be thus de-
TERED. Every day Lisabeta received a fresh let
t ter, which reached her sometimes one way, some
times another. He no longer sent her transations
' from the German, but wrote under the influence
g of violent passion, and spoke language which
was that of her own heart. She now received his
letters willingly, and replied to them. Ev-
S cry day her answers became longer and more ten
+; der. At length she threw out Of the window the
e following note
: sThis evening there is ball at the French am
D bassadors's. The countess is going, and we shall
remain till two o'clock. will tell you how yor
4 may see me in secret. AS soon as the countess il
: gone-that is to say, about eleven o'clock-tht
servants will disappear. The only one left will b.
the porter in the vestbue, and he is almost alway
III asleep in his large armchair AS soon as the clocl
t strikes eleven enter the hail. and ascend the stair
: case as quickly as you can. If you find anybody
in the antechamber ask if the countess is at home
they will tell you that she has gone out, and il
It that case you must give up the attempt But it i
!, most probable that you will meet no one, for tn
e countess's women are all in distant apartment
: When you reach the ante-chamber, turn to TIL
It left, and go straight on till you come to her bed
e room. There, behind a large screen, you vii
e see two doors the the right opens into al
empty closet, that on the left upon corridor, a
e the end of which is narrow staircase, which lead
i to my ROOM
: Hermann stationed himself that night at his pos
d as early as ten o'clock. 1t was terrible night
1 The winds were let loose, and the snow fell il