The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-10-08
TIE WHITE CAMELLIA.
A London Story.
Iv.-AT THE OPERA.

L met RIM at 4 literary duu al
club of which we were both members.
lie was smoking, as usual, and his
first remark was, Well, old man,
how goes itY'
I've lust come from seeing her
"Oh, It's her again, is it? / thought
you'd quite forgotten that affair." he
said, laughing.
" Then you're doomed to disap-
pOintment, my boy. I've just come
from seeing her driving in the Park
have seen her several times, and il
was gloriOus.' 8Fw ".i Hsa
Ali it was glorious, was It? And
what are you going to do next2"
hats just what l want 10 know
~ dent know what to do next. Can
you advise meG' at oEGi,aEI
Throw yourself before the wheels
Of her chariot, and when the hoofs OF
her naughty steed are trampling out
your hearts best blood. tell her how
you love her" And Teddy. as he
spoke, waved his cigar dramatically,
and then leaned back in his arm chair
as if the effort had been too much for
hiHo
" Don't chaff me, please, but tell me
what I'm TO do"
Teddy, who is capital fellow at
heart, looked serious for moment,
and then said:
f. 81 have it, Write to her"
: Write to her?"
But don't know her, and sh ell
never forgive such piece of imper-
thence"
Never mind. Risk it. He eth err
fears his fare too much you know
the rest-that's my advice. IF you
won't take it, why the deuce did you
ask me for IT'D"
8 think | will" | said, musingly.
That's right said Teddy. en-
couragingly. " Write and say who
you are. | wouldn't give your real
name, but let her know you are a
gentleman, and that if she takes you
she'll stand "A chance of being Lady
HaTcouTt some day. Say you don't
want to press matters till you can get
formal Introduction to her, and -
here he stopped moment" ask her,
1t she's not very angry at you, to be
at the opera on some night In one
week, aud wear white camellia In
your button hole. There's your plan
all cut and dried, and you are the
most ungrateful fellow In the world if
you don't carry it out"
L was rather staggered at the bold
ness OF this proposal, and went home,
after having thanked Teddy, promis-
lUg to think 1t over. 1t was indeed a
mad scheme, not wilder, though, than
my wild search after [ had seen her
photograph. And remember. / was
madly In love with Miss Vane. so
madly, indeed. that [ could not be
content to wait until, by some happy
accident, met her in society and got
introduced to her. She might be en-
gagged to some one else in the inter
val, NJ even she were not engaged
already; she might even get married
and l was resolved at least to let her
know how strange and mad a passion
she had inspil cd A girl with such
eyes, / thought, must be romantic.
and surely ali the romance of her ma
turc would come to my aid when she
knew how long | had wOrshiped her
Photograph
For two more days [ watched her
In the park, aud then [ determined to
act upon Teddy sadvice Not without
some misgivings, however, as to the
romantic nature of the proposal hav-
ing any weight with her, for on one
occasion she was riding, and was at
tended not only by her father, but by
young cavalier. with whom she
seemed to be on very intimate terms,
and l iancled she was chatting him
numerically about something.
Our family were famous 10 old days
for acting without hesitation when
once a course of action was decided
upon, and L was no exception to the
general rule. a letter, precisely in
accordance with the sagacious Teddy
instructions, was written and dis
patched the next day. [ did not give
my own name, fearing Miss Vane's
indignation. Being anonymous, the
letter could do no harm if it fell into
the hands of any one who knew me
Of course, she would see me if she
Went to the opera, but thought tina
u she kept the appointments she would
hardy be so base as to betray me
There were four opera nights at Co
vent Garden during the next week
aud ole of these four occasions / i'm
plored her to appear. | should bt
there with the white eamelia, and
shOuld-sO | said In the letter-con
strue her attendance as a sign tina
she was not Fatally angry with me
ton to her in some more convenien
and legitimate manner.
1t was with a beating heart that
took my seat in stall at the opera OF
the FIRST of the appointed nights. wa
absurdly early, 10 my eagerness to b
upon the scene, and a few persons bu
myself were in the theatre. These
scanned carefully through my oper
glass, and as the stalls and boxes be
gan to fill / devoted the whole of m
time to a steady scrutiny of the occu
pants. People near me in the stall
must have wondered what made mi
so regardless of the music, and g
much on the alert when any neJ
conner appeared in the house. / wa
voted great barbarian, no doubt
with 20 soul for music, and my neigh
bors must have specialized what ha
brought me to the opera, since | ha
evidently not come there to listen t
the siug ng.
Bit my search was hopeless.
looked in vain round the "glitterin
horse shoe" that spread before m
like rainbow. i saw many fair faces
many bright eyes bent earnestly uDol
the stage; golden-haired and dark
haired beauties sat In snug boxes, en-
throned like queens, while attentiv
gentlemen, In irreprOachable evening
dress, bent over them. But nowher
In the great theater could / see th
one face that was engraven on m
heart; on the first night, at all events
she had not thought fit to come an,
as my mind dwelt on my disappoint
nent. / was angry with myself TO
ever having taken Teddy's advice, an
having written mV mad Iaftnr i -.