Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1861-04-23
THE PHANTOM BRIDE
The Test of Love.

"Will you love me even beyond the
tomb?"
The question came from the vermiliou
lips of young girl at Paris, during the
reign of Louis the XIV. She was brill
liant brunette, with abundant raven hair,
and wore the Spanish veil and mantilla,
which she had assumed for the occasion,
with all the grace of a daughter Of Andal-
usia. Her companion, o noble Scotch Earl
of some two or three and twenty, arrayed
as a warrior of Mary Stuart, in Scotch
plaid and Highland bonnet and feather,
had been pursuing the fair unknown all
the evening with protestations of love and
eternal fidelity. His answer was prompt
and unhesitating-
Eyes, swear it. If die will dream
Of you in the sepulcher, and thrill of joy
grass over my head"
And if | should die?" inquired the
young girl, in a sad tone.
''lf you should die, will be as faithful
to you dead as living; if you should be
permitted to visit me, will kiss your cold
hand with as much love as at this moment, "
and he pressed to his lips the little white
hand of the beautiful Spaniard.
t." All, well! permit you then to love me-
We shall see if you will be constant. Fare.
well! we shall meet again"
But where? when ?"-demanded the
Earl, anxiuusly.
81 cannot tell-perhaps here-elsewhere
but you will see me-"
And, with a gesture which forbade him
to follow her, she disappeared in the
crowd.
Two years passed away, during which
Earl Ralph Morton sought vainly at Marly
at Versailles, in every place of public re
sort, for his beautiful unknown. He was
Scotchman by birth, and like many of hi.
countrymen, had entered the service of the
King of France. But a court life did no
eomport very well with his slender fortune
and he became, ere long, deeply involved
in debt.
"YCu must find some rich heiress ;" said
his sympathizing friends; it WAS the usua
resource of embarrassed gentlemen of tina
day. But the Earl had not forgotten the
bewitcbing Andalusan, and he was in NJ
moVd for the search. He was spared the
trouble, however. HIS uncle, who was tn,
Archbishop of an Assyrian city DESTROYED
by the Romans, informed him one day tina
~ " US AOi " ", anu III
had found wife for him.
'Is she rich?" inquired Ralph. 81 d.
not ask if she is pretty-it is all the sam,
to me-"
Very rich and very pretty"
The Earl thought of his unknown ans
| sighed; then thought of his creditors anC
consented. The uncle arranged everything
and when all was settled he gave thl
nephew his benediction and two huudre,
pistoles, and sent him off to Burgundy, I
pay his respects to Mademoiselle de Roch
Noire, whom he was to marry in fort
night.
A gloomy journey of several days dura
ton brought him at length to the ancien
feudal manor house of Roche Noire, situate
in the heart Of forest, on lofty rock, frou
which it derived its name. He was ex
| pected. The ground door of the mansion
was open, and an aged servant met him o
the Threshold, and conducted him to
large hall, at the extremity of which sat a
old man and young girl. The former
whom he OWNED at once to be the Baro
of Roche Noire, rose at his entrance, an
saluting him in the somewhat formal fash
ion of the day, presented him to his daugt
ter Hermaine. The latter had the yoluptr
Gus beauty of the flower which has unfolde
under a southern sun. She was pale, wit
fair hair, and eyes of the deep blue of a
Italian sky. Her figure was rich BIZ
graceful, her hands exquisitely shaped an
transparent as alabaster. So much til
Earl saw as he bent before his betrotheC
and in spite of his professed indifference
he inwardly congratulated himself on hi
good fortune.
The Earl and Baron exchanged tho usuf
reciprocal compliments and INQUIRIES
, Ralph was accustomed to society, and uu
derstood well the art Of making bimse
agreeable; the Baron, in spite of his sevent
winters, bad not forgotten to be courtiel
and Hermaine had the simple grace an
dignity, the modesty without prudcry,
young girl of high birth, religiously ed,
Gated, bus without rightly. The converse
ton soon became animated and sparkling
while Ralph watched Hermaine, and no
and then whispered to himself, "She
charming! Blessings on my uncle fc
finding me wife at once SO pretty and s
rich"
! When supper was announced he offere
his hand to the young girl, who accepted
with blush. 1t was a lofty apartment
furnished in the massive style of Loui
XIV, and upon the walls were suspende
ancient family portraits. As Ralph's eye
glanced over these it was attracted by on
whose freshness formed a striking contras
to the smoky canvases devoted to the de
funcs Barons of Roche Noire. 1t represents
ayoung girl of dazzling, but foreign beauty
snch as only is found under the southern
skies. A more brilliant daughter of Spai
never danced the bolcro in the perfume,
gardens of the Alhambra. The ewes Q
Ralph were fixed immoyably upon the can