The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1868-01-03

where she immagined she would not
meet any of those who appeared indi-
rectly to control her actions. An aunt
of her husbands who chapcroned the
young widow everywhere was her only
escort, and in the simplest toilet Clara
reclincd in one corner of the box, in
tent upon forgetting all in the enjoy
ment of the play, particularly as on
looking round, she could not discover a
single face she had ever seen before.
At last the curtain rose. The play
was one ofthose modern pieces in which,
intense passion iswoyen into the COM
monplace events of life, and Clara's at
tention was attracted towards it at
once. From the play her synipathies
went to the hero, and certainly no hero
could have been better represented than
by the actor whose face, form and voice
were all calculated to arrest attention,
and to facinatc and charm. @
Clara looked for his name. 1t was
o.. She had never heard it be-
fore, but she repeated it to herself ire
auently. and on her return home that
evening every word and intonation, ev-
ery attitude were recalled in the soll-
tude of her boudoir. al
The following evening Clara went
AGAIN to the Vaudeville, and the next
and the next, till the placid and usual
ly unmurmering aunt began to venture
to complain that it was very tlresome
to see the same piece five times in sue
cession.
Luckily for Clara, the Baron ce l.
-. the last suitor who had been re-
fused, came to pay her friendly visit,
coolly ignoring the little circumstances
of his proposal and rejection. Clara ac-
certed his escort to the Vaudeville, and
again lost herself in the contemplation
of her idol. But o. had taken en-
tire possession of Clara's imagination
By dint of thinking of him every day
and listening to him every evening, she
had woven romance of her own, and
resolved on seeing him. 10 accom-
plish this she wrote him such note as
only the most yirtuous and perverted
calt write; the one perfectly unconscious
of what she is doing, and the other ful
ly knowing the effect she will produce
Clara appointeda meeting at an houl
when her world, the great world, wa
still in its first slumber. In a simple
muslin dress and straw bonnet, and VIII
beating heart she walked to the ap
kuointed place. There was o.
She felt inclined to turn back, but call
inc her remembrance of modern litera
ture to her aid, she advanced toward
him.
After the first few words had been in
terchanged, Clara began her plan.
81 am said she ''a young wldo'
f from the south ofFrance in very straigh
! tened circumstances, and being oblige
) toearn my living, have q desire to be
7 come an actress. have seen you ac
1 and being stranger, have thought
4 no better means than ofaddressing my
e self to you." i.oa se ~ ,l
tits useless to say that to this o.
: replied by dissuading her from such at
: tempt, for every actor. though he ma
: love his art, has horror of the STAGE
: However, Clara met argument with al
e gument, aud other meetings were al
S pointed.
1t happened that o. was ger
+ tleman of education, high breeding, an
y most noble feelings. Therefore thel
5, was nothing to dlspel Clara's ILLUSION
is but everything to turn her passlr
,e fancy into real and sincere passion.
ii Clara was now in the enjoyment
the feverish happiness she had desire
d In order to carry out her plans, she h;
20 taken into her confidence her fost
e. sister, who was married to a reshectab
ID tradesman, and living in small apal
d ment in the Rue Dauphine. Here s.
d, met O., making him believe it w
n her home; here she received his i
structlons, feigning still to be an asl
ar rant for the stage.
It. o., with his experience, had
lg first imagined that the story OF t
ty young widow was but feigned OF
as and was prepared to discover an adve
e. turess in the very pretty woman W
at had selected him from all other act(
ce TO be her teacher. But Clara's mode
he ty. her refinement, her education. q
Int her accomplishments, had conyinc
St him. strange as it might be, thatss
had spoken the truth. O. v
ed charmed, and before long tell deep
he passionately in love with the beautli
n modestand intelligent woman, so tot
IL ly unconscious of her superiority o.
nd the rest of her sex, particularly Il
,se portion oft which she usually saw. i
as widow wss poor, but he was well
as rich, in comparison with her, and c:
OF, wear that added to his fame would
in to his fortune.
-ho "Why should she not be his wife
her This was the question he asked hi
vet self one morning, and which, two no
after, he repeated to Clara.
md 81 will be your wife," she said, g!
be are not afraid Of a poor wife withor
in dowry, but now in all the happin
er which is before me, have one d
ent regret"
Ugh "Regret, Clara?"
mt "Yes, that have deceived you"