The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-10-14

to accept seats at the opera Tonight with
me p 4fl, e..
The General, who had once been in the
habit of comforting receiving -bene-
fits. drew himself up a few inches, then
hesitated, and glanced at his daughter S
shining, eager face. -i-G + ~
''She is but child" said he, with a
wave of his hand. '.lionsieur, with the
greatest pleasure" .. 6. .->3d1
What picture she was to be sure, as she
stepped into the fare of the gaslight from
the door to the carriage that night The
corner Of her shawl was flung on her head.
A piece of her own work it was; but, new
ertheless, lace that all the rustling danes
who swept to their places might have en-
We'd. as it lay on her shoulders and on the
} darkness Of her hair like hoar-frost.
1t was an old opera, doubtless familiar to
J both the father and the daughter in the
bygone days Of their own land; for, as its
melodies renewed themselves now and
again, a look of fond intelligence passed
between them. Her face rippled with
smiles her little fan kept the measure
she was radiant with satisfaction and l
saw the old General himself winking and
blinking hard, that no one might fancy he
had a tear in his eye. t--.--t' tf.f
: "0hp she cried, es we separated that
night, chow happy you have made me
1t Was like reading sweet old story over
again. 1t was returning from exile-it
was being back in FranceT
We grew to be familiar friends. When l
went to Yanley Place, Jaqueline would re-
main at work in the room, now taking
a trifing part in conyersation-now keep
ing her pesce altogether. 1 carried her,
one day, basket of Frontignac grapes,
fs11t of tho eT1r-ehTna Of Franco fold
her; on another day, lunches of yiolets
sometimes handful of fresh, fair roses.
She was a freakish little thing, with
all her pretty moods to-day full
Of thanks tomorrow, sarcely youchsafng
a syllible. began to fancy that she had
some unpleasant suspicion concerning me.
l left her at last to herself to try the effect
of different treatment One could but be
interested, too, in the courteous old exile
himself, SO full at once of pride and of hu-
mility. l ventured; after some considera-
tion. to propose myself to him as pupil,
shat | might obtain that facility of CONVEX
siIon in French which neither books nor
common teachers can give. He accepted
my proposal smilingly, having taken great
pains he said, to perfect himself and his
daughter in English, with a view to this
same purpose, but never having been able
to bring his courage to the poiut of beg
for pupils. 1 was the less astonished at
his alacrity, when he absolutely refused to
receive penny for his lessons, declaring
that already knew all he could impart 70
me; and this he held to; was not their
good friend? he said.
Now, when 1 abandoned Mademoiselle
Jaqueline to her own devices, paying court
alone to her father, my little lady became
/ T Il Elk IL
the symptom. 1t melted ever so siigktly,
though, one morning, when had Incl
dentally mentioned to the General that !
should that evening be at the house of Ma
dame Roselius, who gave grand ball in
honor of her sons marriage
''We have the cards, also," said the
| General, with the least perceptible air In
the world
''And viii 60, of course, I said.
mo, think the word is other wise, " said
lie, smiling in Jaqueline's direction. "You
have been made acquainted, monsieur, with
much of our affairs. My little witch there
= -Mademoiselle Rochejsquelein, uld
say-refuses to meet those grand ladies
who wear her handIwork, and will not 60. )"
pardon me, General, that deprives you
both of pleasure. This entertainment of
MADAME Roselius is to be charming as
fairy land. People are going wild for in
vitations. My small cousin at home can
talk of nothing else, Mademoiselle Jaque-
line"
She will go, then-your small cousin ?"
''If she had to adopt the strategems of
Cinderella to arrive there p
Il am not of her world" said little
Jaqueline, with something like sigh,
and working out thorn upon her vine,
which was not in tie pattern.
1t was TO me sufficiently stupid even
/ ing, that with Madame Roselius, notwith-
standing the novelty and beauty of the
scene. The house seemed to have been
turned into Q vast grotto, or garden OF flow
ers. The walls had festoons of roses;
panels were entertwined with scarlet
pomegranates and creamy aloes; tables
and mantelpieces were mats of bios
SONS; balusters and corniees were en-
\ bedded In moss; great exotic shrubs, dis
tilling odor, made avenues and dim recesses
very sweet; and in place of doors the.e were
swinging curtains of buds and vines. The
scene was lighted by soft, lanbent radi-
ance that seemed to pour from the hearts
of the great lilies and warmer flowers that
draped the chandeliers, and sufused them
with their own tints of deepest blue, of
vivid crimson, of changing pink: here was
one of snow-white lustre, and there one of
the purest gold. From its concealed place
amongst the flowers, faint, distant music
perpetually hoated down, now and then
bursting ont in sweet, beWildering ca
dence of harp-stri1gs that took the breath
away with plessure-the breath whose air
was only living fragrance. Chatterton was
tplaying that night. In all the splendor and
charm Of the place-as room opened into
room, lovely faces fitted by, soft voices
murmured-I missed one face, one voice
among them; and the reyel, for me, lost It's
meaning. y -fa--r.+o -.f-+
The band for the danein commenced.
Late in the evening a well known touch
was laid upon my arm-my cousin S. '.NoW
it is my turn" she said. There are but
two waltzes before supper, except the Ger.
man, and that l dance with-you know
whom Z a.,
took her; and We began to whirl round
IL the wake of many, when, happening tc
raise my eyes to the doorway, a sight there
sent them spinning. 1t was the General
de Roehejaquelin in his gaudy uniform
with its stars and decoration, with Jaque
|, line on his arm. Size wore white, without
ornament; not so much as a sprig of myr
tie. The carnation, though, was on hel
ChCOAs tGC AtShb JChCAb IL hct eyes. kO1s
stood there like little flame: a magnii
cent ioYer-spirit, with the blossoms of th,
doorway's arch hanging round her head
A wrathful little spirit, though, be it said
as she surveyed me. Use -7--
Be you very sure that seated my small
corsin quickly, and had Jaqueline on m.
arm. .1 Ha
"Shs is very easy With you'll 1t is m,
turn now, 1 heard her say" -.
"And now it is yours, l whispered.
The waltz was divine. 1t was as if tn
hidden orchestra had kept their best til
then-full of the pathos that all dance
music has when meant to be most joyou
full, too, of delicious evolutions, winding
IN and ont till its ravishing tune seemed T.
fill the very core of the heart. Ny arm
was round Jaquehne, my head was bent to
ward her, felt her breath, her heart; W
: swayed to the same muse; it quiekene,
, and whirled us at It's will; we were il
another world-a wild and sweet ana mas
sionste Woodland am sure I did no
want to come back to this one. Suddenly
with, an imperious movement, she stoo,
still
THAT will do, monsieur" she said.
1 GGThopEc trarbla Won m ,,,ora a.