The Van Buren press., 1859-10-14

Know, then, that the feelings Won avow
are mutual. Now. urloose your arm from
my waist. l have something more to say"
"Talk on forever, lady! Your voice is
music to my ears"
" Would you marry me, knowing no
more of me than you now do 90
g Yes, il you were to go to the altar
masked,'' he replied
''Then l will test you
How, lady ~
g For one year be faithful to the love
you have proiessed, and will be yours, as
truly as heaven shall spare my iife.''
90, cruel, cruel suspense -
/" You demur ?"
:" Nay, lady, l shall fulfill your injunc-
ton, as | promiSed.''
s. If at the expiration of year you do
not hear from me, then the contract shall
be null and void. Take this half ring"
she continued, "and when | supply the
broken portion, will be yours
He kissed tl,e little emblem, swore
again and again to be faithful, and pressing
her hand to his lips, babe her adieu He
was conducted away again as mysteriously
as he had been brought thither, nor could
he, by any possible means discover where
he had been his companion rejecting all
brides, and even refusing to answer the sim
plest question.
Months rolled on. Col Merville is true
to his VOW and happy in the anticipation
of love. Suddenly he was ordered to an
embassy to Vienna, the gayest of all the
European capitals, about the time that Ma
poleon is planning to marry the Duchess
Maria Louisa. The young colonel is hand
some, manly, and already distinguished in
arms, and becomes at once Great favofise
at court (; every effort being made by the
women to captlvate him, but in vain he
Is constant and true To his VOW But his
heart was not made of stone the very fact
that he had entertained such feelings for the
white domino, has doubtless made him more
susceptible than BEFORE At last he met the
young baroness. Caroline Won Waldorf.
and in spite of his VOWS she captivates him
and he secretly curses the engagement he
has so blindly made at Paris. She seems
to wonder at what she believes to be his de-
votion, ami yet the distance he maintains.
The truth was that his sense of honor was
so great that, though he really loved the
young baroness, and even that she returned
his affection, still he had given his word ami
it was sacred. The satin domino is no lon
ger the ideal of his heart, but assumes the
most repulsive form in his Imagination, and
becomes in place of his good angel-his evil
genius Well, time rolls on he is to re-
turn in few days ; it is once more the car
nival season, and in Vienna, too, that gay
city. He joins in the features of the mask
ed ball. and what wonders fill 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 al
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 a dream 90 asked
the amazed soldier.
"Com-, follow me, and you shall see
that it is reality" continued the mask
pleasantly.
- will.'
" Have you been faithful to your prom
isc % asked the domino as they retired in
to a saloon
''Nost truly in act, but alas, fear not
in heart.
Indeed''
1T is too true, lady that l 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 love %
q will be frank with you, and you will
keep my secret -
Most religiously''
''It is the Baroness Won Waldorf he
said with sigh.
And you really love her 30
Alas only too dearly said the sol
der sadly.
g Nevertheless, l must hold you to your
promise. Here is the other half of the ring
can you produce its mate 20
Here it is" said Eugene Merville.
"Then /, too, keep my promise ~ said
the domino raising her mask. and showing
to his astonished view the face of Baron
,ss Won Waldorf.
"Ah, it was the svn,,sny svn,,rstny of true love
nat attracted me, after oil, exclaIH.eo.i the
roung soldier as he pressed her to his heart
She had seen and loved him for his man
" spirit and character, and having found
Dy inquiry that he was worthy of her love,
she had managed this delicate intrigue and
lad tested him, and now gave to him her
wealth, title and everything,
They were married with great pomp and
accompanied the arch duchess to Paris. Ma
poleon to crown the happiness of his ia
rorite, made him at once General Of Divis
ion.
DoS'r TATTLE.-Children, don't talk
about each other. Don't call one of your
schoolmates ugly, another stingy, another
cross, behind their backs. 1t is the mean
est sort of sin. Even if they are ugly, stin-
gy, OF cross, it does you no good to repeat
it. 1t makes you love to tell of faults
it makes you NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. soul grows
smaller-your heart loses itsgenerous blood
when you tatde about your friends. Tell
all the good you know about them, and
carry their sins in your heart; or else tell
them to God and ask Him to pardon them.
That will be Christ like. If any body says
to you, "Oh, that Mary Willis did such
naughty thing!" call to mind some virtue
that Mary possesses, and hold it up to her
praise. For your own sake learn to make
this habit.
- W., haze .,uIx .-ourSeif fo pIeaSe