The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-09-12
GlneGntettii.Q9rrter,
THE HAzLE-NUT PEARLS.
BY HARRIET PRESCOTT spOrFORD.

There was to be Diamond Wedding
in Sumach Square. Real Diamonds,
and not bit of mistake about it. Ali
the world knew 1t, had received cards,
had ordered dresses. The mantua-
makers and milliners to the gentility
were nearly beside themselves, and
looked with entire envy on the scrubs
and hod-carriers, TO whom the names
of bouillons, and poufs, and gautTres.
and jupes, and fichus, were SO many
cabalistic and diabolic words of mystic
ry; while as for Miss Henrietta Huy-
dekoper's dress-maker, her existence
was mere nightmare, and tulle and
lisse. became TO her a demoniac white
wrath overshadowing the whole visi-
BILE creation.
For Miss Henrietta Huydekoper was
destined to be the principal player in
the drama of this Diamond Wedding
the star of the company-since as no.
body ever dreams OF glancing second
time at that poor creature, the bride-
groom of any common wedding, who
is present merely as an attendant on
the tilleted and wreathed Chief Victim
before the altar, SO certainly nobody
would give more than one stare OF Curl
osity and another of amazement at the
swarthy, shriveled, dark-lipped Span
lard, whose treasures in Trinidad had,
II might be suspected, procured this
fGncee that half the city grudged him.
For Miss Huydekoper's bridegroom
was no ono else than the Don Gaspar
LaZaro Ildefonso de Isla y Pasamonte
noble, of course, as such a name could
imply no otherwise, perhaps "a little
rillet of the Hebrew in his thin veins,
showing reason in part for his undoubt-
ed wealth, but with just enough blue
Castilian blood TO make him, as he was,
as simple a soul of honor as any old
Spanish hidalgo of his ancestors; never
believing others cared more for his mil
lions than he did, and not insulting his
bride in his own inmost mind with so
much as suspicion that she was want
ing. in perfect Tealty and faith; nor did
he ever discover that she was, and
would not have married him had he
been beggar at her door. Had l
been n beggar Mt her door, she would
have smiled on me that snme smile of
rosy light" he was wont TO shy in his
confessions to his unwilling confidanL,
his cousin M'Lenn. land 1vaS beg
gar at her door! / was n beggar at her
door and she made prince OF me! La
heTInOSGt freScd como ana nld1unu de
AGriE!"
Miss Huydekoper's father had pass
ed away from this scene of action n
little more than two years before. Ac-
cording to his last will and testament
he had designated his wife and one in
innate friend us the executives OF his
estate, entertaining tho disastrous mis-
take that he had left one; but when
their labors were brought to an end
they found TINT speculations, extraya-
ganceS, bad debts, and worse invest
ments, had left OF the original sum Il
mere pittance. Mr.. Huydekoper died,
as many men OF business do, with the
idea that his wife and daughter would
always enjoy large suthciency OF the
root of ali evil; when all was done, Mrs.
HuydekOper discovered that the lease
on her house had yet three years to
run, ana that she was able TO realize
just enough money TO retire into the
country, and there In strictest economy
drag out the remainder of her days and
Heuristta's, or, on the other hand, TO
remain in the city, making little or no
and spending as usual
for three years, and trusting TO her
making nm ambitious mar
riRge before the expiration OF that peri
cd; for Henrietta was an acknowledged
beauty, and could not begin to count
her lovers on the combined fingers of
both her Little white hands. If they
failed-why, there was all their furni-
ture ready for n first class boarding
house. "But we'll not fall" thought
Mrs. Huydekoper, for, of course, she
chose the latter scheme, having duly
informed her daughter what was eX-
pected of her. And Henrietta acqui-
esced, perfectly conscious that she
would not have TO lift her finger in the
way of Intriguing or maneuyering, III
order to accomplish all that her moth
er wished. The intimate friend OF the
late head of the house, who had assist
ed in the settlement of his affairs, won
dered and worried over Mrs. Huydeko-
per's course, but Gancied afterward that
he had unlimited reason to compliment
her sagacity.
1t came near being very unfortunate
for the success of Mrs. Huydeloper's
Dlan that, at one of the many tournn-
ments OF fashion to which she chaper-
oned her beautiful daughter, one of the
legion in the list somehow singled him
self out from the host of dancing-men
and artistically executed-shall say
pas SeML ION Hcnrietta'S recollection.
He was Il handsome fellow, this Casper
M'Lean, and people said us good and
as high spirited as he was handsome.
His mother had been West Indian
heiress, and the union OF her dark and
lustrous traits of countennnCe with the
Scotch descent of her husband gave
their son beauty that was something
dazzling. To her husband, however,
there seemed 10 cling the hereditary
faint of misfortune, which il may he
he is his own turn transmitted TO the
next of kin. He had wasted all her
fortune, and now they had both gone
where it made no matter whether the
fortune were wasted or not, ana their
son was only an insuranee.b broker,
making small commissions, but with
talents that promised much more in the
future; but people with tether of three
years cannot wait for the future. Mrs.
Huydekoper, believing her daughters
Intentions and her own so thoroughly
one, and making no allowance for the
possible frailty ofyouth, never thought
of Interfering with the young man; he
increased Henrietta's train, ana that
was agreeable and what she wanted
for the rest, she did not even dream OF
forbiddiDR him the house; and when
he one day introduced, there Don Cas-
per Iazaro Ildefonso de Isla y PRso-
monte, from the Island of Trinidad,
cousin of his deceased mothers, and
privately and innocently, and like Il
TOOL, informed them that he was travel
ing through the country solely for his
amusement, and had expressed himself
80 we'll pleased with it that he fancied
he should like to spend all his sum-
mers in it; that he was still unmarried !;
that he was a man of high principle
and that he was worth, pecuniarily,
untold gold, a thousand slaves, and
endless mountain plantations, then
Mrs. Huydekoper could actually nave
8enrietta herself was delightfully."-
Cracions to the stranger whenever they
met, and that was often. She allowed
him to lead her in his stately way
through more dances than she had ever
allotted to any other admirer; she walk
ed with him; she trifled with sherbets
which she abominated, while he bent
over her and made the flowry speeches.
Ifshe recompensed herself therefor by
one mad fling in the German atterward