The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1868-11-24

golden curls that dropped about her face
were held back by blue velvet bands,
starred with white pearls. To me she
seemed angelic, and felt that had met
my fate! With the warm draughts OF
mineral water, drank more intoxica-
ting draught The wine of life inlove's
enameled chalice seemed held to my lips
by heavenly hands. l began to share
her interest in the haggard youth beside
her. I wondered what l could do to
save him, and turned over many vague
plans in my brain, while the gay crowd
circled about me, and ebbed and flowed
like the waves of restless sea.
Moneybsgs noted my interest.
The fellows lost, think" he said
solemnly. s.He's desperately in love
with a woman here, who ficcces him
remorselessly. You can see her any
right at the romge-et-notr, playing with
him for tile highest stakes; and believe
he'd stake his soul. But she doesn't
want his soul, or his love either, for
that matter, but his money. He came
here with a fortune, but they say he's
running himself fast. l hope he can't
touch penny of his pretty sisters mon
ey"
s'But who is tile woman who is ruin
ing him 2" asked.
Il call her La belle dame sans Merci,'
said Moneybags; "a wonderful sensa-
tional beauty, you would say. I'll take
you this evening to see her,"
So that night we went into another
"hell." I saw the eager crowds; fast
men, with an infinite relish of the stir
ring excitement of the game; finished
blacklegs, who had graduated in that
school anxious novices, who feared and
trembled over the issue painted women,
with flowers dropping and fading in their
hearts and at last, Raymond Marvin,
with flashing eyes, lit by unwonted fires,
burning cheeks, his whole face kindled
to wondrous beauty, playing as if he
had; indeed, staked his soul, and was
waiting for his doom-playing with ''Lo
belle dame sans merci."
''La belle dame sans merci!"-a lady
with crisp waves of reddish brown hair,
glittering, almost copper-colored; with
luminous eyes of the same tawny shade
cold, hard, shiny, 1nercilessly beauti-
full; thin crimson lips, dazzling white
neck and arms, bare, and delicate hand,
white but strong looking ss The brawnl
lest fist that ever struck blow. knew
her at once before l saw the solitaire dia-
mond blazing on the hand. Iknew my
heroine of Niagara.
She was no longer mourning, and her
beauty, which had been softened and
subdued by that sombre dress, was al
most too dazzling for mortal sense, as it
was now displayed.
The glittering waves of her hair were
held in place by gold bands enameled
with black. She wore violet satin
robe. with some flmy lace about the
neck and sleeves, and l caught the CLINT
of diamonds amid the soft folds of lace
on her breast. Her arms were faultless,
and adorned with heavy gold bracelets,
but on her hands she wore nothing but
the grand solitaire diamond-my dia-
mond!
A gray-haired man who played near
seemed furtively to keep all her move
ments in sight She felt it evidently, and
sometimes gave him scornful and de-
fant glance.
"Do you know her name:" ] asked,
of Moneybags.
"Mademoiselle Cccile Lanier, so she
calls herself here. She may have anoth-
er name for holiday uses. She's a sort
of decoy duck, I imagine, for that el6er-
" gentleman she calls uncle. She came
under his protection, at all events"
| watched them with q new interest
Confederates as they were, they had, un
doubtcdly, had serious quarrel, l i'm,
agined. Monsieur Duc.os, the protec'
tor, was taking strict note of her win,
nings, and size grew restive under his
observation. But she did not forget hel
pretty little fascinations-the appealing
glance from those gemlike eyes, the soft
touch of the white hand, the tender eX
clamations,in soft, purring voice, which
all riveted the chains on the unhappy
young man who was fast being bound
hand and foot, by her weird spells.
/ determined to make an effort in be
half of this victim, to save him i
possible from this remorseless enchant
ress; and l pictured my reward. l trus
| was not purely selfish in my scheme
though pretty Alice Marvin, with he
gold-colored curls, and turquoise-huet
eyes, was the shining goal Of my hopes
l saw the dispair darken poor Raymond
eyes as he went on, till at last he threw
up his arms, as if he were sitting, ant
rushed out frantically into the open air
Cecile Lanier only opened her eye'
with slight surprise, and then leaned he
head with apparent uneasiness on he
hand. Monsieur Duclos leaned over
and murmured:
care you through?'
But Cecile did not give him even
glance, as she replied, indifferently:
"-Non, non, IL est .fou, c'est tout!'
In all this time, my beauty had neve
raised her eyes of tawny gold to m,
face; but as / saw myself reflected IL
the grand mirrors, | found had NJ
, reason to fear recognition.
The six years, which had hardly touch
cd her beauty, had changed me from
boy to man. A heavy beard and mus
tache had wrought strange transfol
nation on my smooth face, and travt
during the summer had bronzed m,
: once fair complexion.
left my Circe sitting with her hea
: leaning on the hand where my damon
: blazed, and hurried out after Raymond
/ had fancied some desperate resolv
0 was written on his face when he dashe
$ out in that frenzied style, and l dete
!, mined to follow him.
The streets as bright as day, so that
$ soon overlook him for he seemed no lol
l ger to hurry in feverish haste, but to Ia
e as one who carried bad tidings, and W,
II II in no hurry to reach his journeys en'
1 | followed him awhile, anxious to fin
some pretext for speaking. Snddenl.
q he turned down by-street which Il
L