The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1859-08-12

found himself in richly furnished boudoir,
mud before him stood the domino, u>t rs
he had met her at the mask ball. To fall
upon his knees, and tel! her low much he
had thought OF her since their separation,
that his thoughts had never left her, that
he loved her drvotcliv, was rs natural rs
to breathe, aud he did so most gallan,lv aud
sincerely.
"ShaIl believe all YOU say?'
"Lm!v, let me prove it by any test yon
may ru, upon me-"
"know, then, the feelings You avow are
mutual. Now, unlpo-c YOUR arm from my
waist. have something more TO say"
"TaIk on forever, lady, Your voice is
mosic 10 my ears"
would YOU MARI me, knowing 30
more Of me than you do now!'
"i'cS, if You were to so to the altar
ma>kcl!" he replied.
"1hcn will test YOU"
"lI"w, lady:'
"l'or one year be faithful to the love You
have rr"fc~sed, ani will he y"urs--as
truly as Heaven shall spare my il,.'
80 cruel cruel su>p"n>c.'
"lou h.ll:ar."
Nay, lady, shall fulfil Your injunction
II, pr"n:>cd''
III Il, III: expiration OF Il year YOU i"
not hear from ne, then tho contract shall
br null and vAil. Take this half ring" she
continued, "an'i when supply the broken
p",,ion, will be you,s."
He kissed the little emblem, swore again
/ and again TO he faithful, and pressing ,hcr
, bands to his lips. bade her adieu lie was
conducted awav again rs mvste,"u>ly as
he had been brought thi!hcr, nor could he
10y any possible means discover where he
had been; his companion Rejecting all
hribes, and e"cn refusing to answer the
simplest questions.
Months roll on. Colonel MrrviMv is true
t" his vow; and happy i'll the anticipation
Of love. Suddenly he was ordered To AN
embassy to Vienna, the yayc>t Of all the
European capitals, about the time that Ma
poIcon was planning 10 marry the Duchrss
Maria Louisa. The Young colonel is hand
some, m anlv. and already distinguished in
arms. and becomes at once great lavortc
at court; every effort being made hy the
women to cap,iva,c him, but in vain; he
is constant and true TO Ills vow.
But his heart was not made Of stone :;
the very fact that he had entertained such
tender feelings for the white domino, has
made him more susceptible than before.
At last he met the baroness Caroline
Won Waldorf, and he secretly curses the
engagement he had so blindly made at
Paris; She seems TO wonder at what size
believes 10 be his devotion. and vet the dis
tance that lie Maintains. The truth was,
that sense of honor was SO great, that,
though he really loved the young baroness,
and even that she returned the affection,
still he had given her his word, and it was
sacred.
The satin domino is no longer the ideal
Of his heart, but assumes the most repuI
sive form in his Imagination, and becomes
in the place Of his good angel-his evil
geniusa
Well, time rolls on; he is to return in a
few days; it is once more the carnival sea
son, and in Vienna, too that gay city. He
joins in the features Of the masked ball,
and what wonder filled his brain, when
about the middle Of the evening the white
domino steals before him, in the same
white satin dress he had seen her
wear year before at the French Opera
House in Paris. Was it not fancy?
Il come, Colonel Eugene Merville. to
hold you to your PROMISE" she said, laying
her hand lightly upon his arm.
"Is this reality or dream ?' asked the
amazed soldier.
"Come, follow me, and you shall see that
it is reality" continued the mask plea
sanity.
II will"
"Have you been faithful to your prom
lse!" asked the domino as they retired into
a saloon.
"Most truly in act, but alas, fear not in
heart"
"Indeed"
ut is too true, lady, that ! have seen and
loved another, though my vow to you has
kept me from saying so to her."
"And who is this that you thus lovei"