The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1866-06-14
THE PHANTOM BRIDE.

ihE fhRn | YIN bhlDE.
"Wal you love me even beyond the
tomb :"
The question came from the vornilion
lips Of young girl at fancy ball in
Paris during the rcien Of Louis Nv.
She was a brilliant brunette with abun-
dant raven hair. aDd wore the Spanish
veil aud mapiilla, which she had aasum-
ed for the occasion. with all the grace
u a daughter of Andalusia. Her in.
terloeutof. a young s.sc0unt of twenty,
arrayed as a Faca Of Mary Stnart, 10
Scotch plaid aud Highland bonnet syd
feathers, bad been pursu'ng the far
unkn0wu all the evening with protesta.
tions Of love and cfornal Gdclity. liB
answer aas prompt aud undertaking
"Ics. swear H. III die wiil dream
Of yon in the sopnlehgc, aud thrill Of
joy will welcome sou IT your foot but
press the grass over my head. -.
"Aod II / should die. wiii be ~
faithful TO you dosd ~ living and IL
you should br permitted 90 visit mo !
will kiss your cold hand with much
love az at this moment --inl he prcsstd
70 hi. l.ps iho bttlg white hand Of tho
beautiful spaniard
Ab wei permit sou, thra, io
loye nc Wo shall aco Il you are con
staut. Farewell We sh1lI tarct again %
lini wisprc ,--Wbou. demanded The
yiseouut auSIatsl s.
~ e1unot tell pcfhaps hcrc--p per.
haps elseR hefe--hat sou Biu rec he
And pith.a gesture which forbade
him 70 lol!ow her, sin daaPpearci 10
the crowd
Two scau passed during which Wis.
couni ltalph tought vaialy ut Mnrly, at
Versailles IN every Plaeo Of public re.
sort--for his beautiful uuknown. Tie
was a scoiehmau by brih, aud like
many Of hia coabtrymon, had entered
the service Of the King of.FTauee Bot
a CONT liie did got cuinpor, very well
with BIS slender fortune, and hc became,
ere long. deeply Involved 10 debt
You annsl hnA sone rich hcircss,"
said his sympathizine friepds--it was
the usual resource Of embarrassed gen.
lIcmcu at that day Bot the yiscount
bad not forgotten the bcwitchiug Anda.
lusian, and was ia no mood igr the
search lie was spared the trouble
however. llsuhcle who wasRrehbish.
op IA paytiJas ofan Assyrian city des-
troycd by the Romans iniorued him
one day that il was time for him 20
marry, and that he bad found wife ior
hiHr
SIS sue rich Z" inquired Ralph. Il
do not ark If she Is protty--it - oil the
same 10 ne"
"lefy rich and very pretty.
The viseouut thought Of bis unknown
and sighed then thought Of his credi-
tors aud consented The uncle nnang@
ed everything, aud when all WAS settled
be gave his nephew his benediction and
two hundred pistoies, aud sent him OF
to burgundy to pay hisrcspects 70 M'llc
de Roche Noiro, whom he was 60 marry
10 fortnight
4 gloomy journey Of several days
duration brought him at length to the
ancient feudal manor.honso Of Roche
Noife, situated in the heart Of "a forest,
on a lofty rock from which il dcriyesits
name lie was expected. The grand
door Of tho mansion was open, aud the
aged servant met him at the threshhold,
aud conducted him 10 q large hall, AZ
the extremity Of which sat an old man
and young girl. The former, whom
he OWNED at oneeto be the Baron Of
Roche Noire, rose at his entrance and
saluting him in the somewhat formal
fashion Of the day, presented him to his
daughter Hermino. The latter had the
delicate beauty Of the flower which has
uniolded under northern sun. She
was pale, with fair hair, and eyesof the
deep blue of the Italian sky. Der Gg-
re was slight bat graceful, her hands
exquisitoly shaped, and transparent as
alabaster. . SO much the yiscount saw
as he bent low before his betrothcd, and
in spite of his Indifference, lie inwardly
Congratulated himself on his good for
tune.
The baron and yiscount exchanged
the usual reciprocal compliments and
inquiries. Ralph was ACCUSTOMED To-
society, and understood the art of max
ing himself agreeable, the baron, spite
Of his seventy winters, hadnot forgotten
how to be courtier, and llermine had
thesimple grace, the dignity, the mod
esty without prudory, Of young girl Of
high birth, rolgiously educated but
without any rigidity The conversation