Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1852-09-23
Tie Carnival Ball.
BY LIEUTENANT MURRY.

THE carnival df I774 was drawing
to d close, and a gay period Of fes-
titity and excess it bad proved. The
young Count de Mormont was sitting
alone, lpxurious Sly wrapped in his
bro eale dressings gown, and daintlly
ping cup Of pure Moch| coffee,
the b at the height of its popularity
in Paris, when his valet entered, and
presented him a deliciously Rerlumed
not E upon silver salver.
The Count lazily examined the
the seal, the devices of which were
quaint and pretty, but the arms were
not those of any noble house he
could ON the moment recall The
superscription was in fine female
hand, but that too was unknown.
In consideration of these circumstan-
ces, he opened the note with some
degree Of interest and read as fol
low 5:
AI4 DEAR CoUNT: You will be
without fail at the opera ball tonight;
lit is the last one of the Carnival and
Will be 50 gay. But it is not for
that / bid you come-I must see
YOU in relation to matters Of impor-
tan ce. You will know me BY wear
ing pink domino with a star on
the shoulder, | shall know you in
whatever disguise you may a ssume.
Tie heart is the best clairvoyant.
Yours. AiuE.'
Mormont tossed the note from
him rather carelesslS and recon-,
m9nced slipping his coffee, muttering.
meanwhile to himself -'Who can this
be? But pshawl am [ not engaged
| to Julie de Fontage, the prettiest lit
tie Peri out of Paradise? And
have not promised her to cut those
balls? But this is tho last one Of
the season, and faith l should like
to go. Now l should like to &c
above all things for the last time
Docs Monsieur think Of going to
thq ball masque tonight asked the
IIobsequiOus valet, Lecbmpte, who had
be- en watching his masters face With
Ike en- eyes, such look as a terrier doc
might regard suspicious hole in
thG Goor. 'Ah! it will be magnif-
cehtl All the noblesse viii be there.
and Monsieur looks so well in the new
blue and silver suit,
.Siience.' cried Mormont.
The eoYntenance Of the valet fell.
! If he lad lost his father or mother,
be could not have looked more heart
stricken.
Monsieur will be the death OF
me, he said.
/ Wen, then | am going,I said Nor
mont, rising; but see you say moth
ing Of my purpose to any one.
Yes, Monsieur.
Remember
& shall be dumb, Monsieur.
The valet laid his hand apon his
heart, as he promised thus faithfully
to obey his masters injunction, and
A1prmont went to the new riding
school, with all confidence in the III
tegnty of his servant.
In the course of the morning, how
.ey er, the valet met in the garden O
the Palais Royale Mademoiselle
Adele, the plump and pretty waiting
maid of Mile. Julie de Fontange
These two characters, officiating as
the winged Merculies Of their mas
ter and mistress, were frequently
fought into contact with each other
and 10 preserve the dramatic unity
as Mr.. Lecompte ayerred, they fell IL
Hove. OF course when they mel
lat day. the ball Of the evening was
the topic of the moment, and sS
Lecompte's master had promised
Adele's 5 mistress that he would noi
tgo to another masquerade ball, it was
Of course very natural and proper
that the faithful servant should IN
form the younglady that be was go
ling. and that he was going IN the
blue and silver suit, and that, more
ov er, he had come to this decision
immediately after receiving a note
directed in female hand.
Having obtained this little morsel
of gossip, NIdle. Adele darted away
withitin birdlike manner to com
mpnicate it to Mdle. julie de Ton
tahge. When you ask n lady who
told her such and such thing, she
will ernnnra lly cniln an1 answer. that