The Daily empire. (Dayton, Ohio) 1865-1867, 1866-05-21
THE DAILY EMPIRE.
THE POISONED FLOWER.
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.ll.1t ol l,s.. - M M I.l,'otf. ......5. 5.-f,
".hes madam; have orders 70 bring them
70 the palace daily: The golden lily iahis
hlvorite hover; and there are only thoae In
bloom to-dayr l...ulyyl l.i.J.3 lgrie.a..
u Ylll take this, said the Countess. select
Ing one OF the Doquets, and taking from her
purse gold piece OF more than double Its
value, ''biit first bring me a cool tlra0Eht OF
water from the spring yonder" .r ....i
d. with light step the young girl took q
pitcher ana passed out TO the spring that
was but short distance from the door As
she glidedl by the window on returning,
she glanced ~ and saw much to her sup
prise, her visitor bending over the stand Of
flowers. and apparently sprihkllng some
thing from her hand upon those she had laid
aside for the King, When she took taway,
her eyes caught a CLEAN Qf q small golden
flask, such rs the ladies OF that period used
for their Cosmetics ahd perf,tmery But
whenshe entered the room. she found her
In the same position in which she had LEFT
her, t...,......-f .
She could not forbear an exclamation Of
surprise as she observed how deadly pale
was her countenance. lH3 i.lt
',Tis but the odor Of the flowers" said
the Countess. as drawing her robes around
her. turned to the door. '''
Take my advice, my good girl place
the stand nearer the windowdand be not
too strong for so small a room,
There was something about these words,
careiessly spoken though they were, that
decpened the underlined suspicious In the
young girls heart and, following her suR-
gestlon she placed the stand Of flowers di-
rectly In front the open window. Then,
by n close examination OF the boquet des-
tined for the King, she detected the presence
of fine white powder, impalpaple to the eye
upon the white petals ofthe rose, but clearly
visible upon the lilies, whose peculiar shape,
by exposing the leaves to the full rays OF
the sun as we'll as their vivid colOring, threw
II into strong relief; and as sbo bent over
them. the faint but penetrating nodor that
arose made her so giddy that she would have
fallen, had IL not been forithe tall, shaoely
youth who had just entered, and whose
livery showed him to be In the service OF
the King. HI't 'Hill-
1t was her lover. Francois, King Phillips
body servant, and who, passing by the house,
called to have chat with his betrothed.
"How, now. Marie p he said, looking into
her face. "What has frightened the roses
from your cheek, and given you such y
strange look?" .....
The honest hearted fellow was sincerely
attached to his royal master. and he listen
ed gravely 10 Marie's account of the strange
conduct of her visitor, and the suspicious
to which 1t gayer rise. ......-.....
1T hasa bad look" he said, thoughtfully;
| though / believe there is nothing In It,
By good luck, 1 have orders TO attend his
majesty In his private apartments an hour
hence. i VIII put him on his guard then
surely no harm can come OF It."
| Somewhat to the surprise of Francois, the
King manifested no disquietude NJ this disr
closure, though the grave look and atten-
tive manner with which he listened. showed
that he considered IL OF no light import.
| He bade him charge Marie gg lsItIIl
ITO tell no one What she had discovered,
| but come to the palace with her flowers an
hour earlier than was her won't by no
means forgetting her golden lilies
King Philip sat In his audience hall. sur
rounded by hls retinue, number Of the
royal family stood near hin--among them
the Count de Neville. his wife and tlelittle
son, sweet boy of three, whose winning
and sprightly ways made him q favorite
| with the King" ......L yF....
And please your Majesty. Marie, the
flower girl Is waiting without" said oneo Of
the guard.
| admit her" said the King.
robes of state. and the royal pomp that
surrounded him impressed her with a
feeling of awe as she entered. But This
was quickly dissipated 'Dy the hinga
SrhsT,@ouS @ niailner, h as ne oaue ner appiohgn'
| !, = sec you hhIe NOT lorgotteh my iAvprlte
mower, ne saiu, taklnS Tue pasAel irou her
hand. -
| just ADMIRE these queeniy lilies Ialr
Countess' ana ihhaie the fragrance from
the roses. NJ,
Dut why 90 you start anu turn paie
ne a1ueu' as WIN an Involuntary shudder
she drew back from the flowers he would
nave placed IN nsr hah9.
- crave your Mpesly paruoh, sne
sna soammsrso' ahm.s 0u' 'ne odoF Oh roses anectS
T,'a K, o,,os eo,,o,oa ,h. ro,,,....,
sha re,rnatss5 ~ tbe window, a, tSs r,r,has a.
anJ oSt tbe hsIi mnJar tha nrs,.S, ~ ~
,aI,,,r ' az H. than sSed p,hsn, .earoI
i,'n,v an ber hnshsnd,. S,ce whnse MA
satsn,,eJ 70 he antirslv occnnIaJ he ,ha
isn,,hina Hov hebsId IN ,'is orr,,s " WV
'AISS Ii,rat,ad SY' hv tbs hrigbt color os N.
,uias'' a. chtiS strn,ohcd a., ~ h.nds S,s n
them. A sudden Thought struck the King
/ ms he observed this.
.,See how, eagerly Louis Is regarding
lthemi" he sli1, tiirning 10 the Can't
! I.Let him have them" ~
with A fond smile the father took the
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