The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1873-11-08

more to say
Talk on forever lady, your voice is
music to my ears
Would yeu marry me, knowing no
more of me than you do now
'Yes lady, if you were to go to the
very alter Masked he replied.
Then 1 will test you
How, lady?
'For one year be faithful to the love
you have professed, and at the expira-
of that time l will be yours-as truly as
heaven shall spare my lifo.'
'Oh, cruel suspense
'You demurP
Nay dearest lady shall fulfill your
iujunctions as ] PROMISE
If, at the expiration of a year you do
not hear from me, then the contract
shall be null and void. Take this half
ring, and when I supply the broken por
tion will be yours
He kissed the little emblem, swore
again and again to be faithful, aud
pressing her hand to his lips bade her
adiea.
He was conducted away as mysterious
ly as he had been brought thither; nor
could he by any possible means discover
where he had been, his companion re-
jecting all bribes and even refusing to
answer the simplest questions.
Months roll away. Colonel Mervlle
is true to his VOW, aud happy in the
anticipation of love. Suddenly he was
ordered on an embassy to Vienna, the
gayest of all the European capitals,
about the time that Napoleon was plan
ming to marry the Archduchess Maria
Louisa. The young colonel is manly,
handsome, and already distinguished in
arms, and of course becomes a. once $.
grsnt favorite at court, everv effort being
made by tho women to captivate him, +,
but in vain, he is constant aud true to
his VOW.
But his heart 10 not made Of stone.
The very fact that he had entertained
Ruch tender feelings for the white domino
1 had doubtless made him more susceptible
than before.
At last he met the young baroness
Caroline Vonwoldoff and in spite of his
VOW she captivates him, and secretly
curses the engagement which he had so
blindly made at Paris. She seems to
wonder at what she seems to believe to be
his d.votion-and yet the distance he
muintains The truth was, that his
sense of honor was so great that, though
he felt he loved the young baroness, and
even that she returned his affection, still
he had given his word and it is sacred
The white satin domino was no longer
his ideal of his heart, but assumes the
most rspulsivs form in his Imagination /;
and becomes in place of his good angel,
his evil genius. Well time rolls on
He il to return in few days. 1t is
more the carnival season Vienna, too,
that gay city. He joins in tho festiyi
ties Of the masked ball, and wonder fills
his brain when about the middle of the
evening, the white domino steals befor e
him in the same white satin dress he
had seen her wear year before at the
French Opera House in Paris.
Il come Colonel Eugene. Merville to
hold you toyour promise, she said lay
ing her hand upon his arm.
lis this reality, or dream ? asked
tho amazed soldier. Come, follow me,
and ytu shall sec that it is a reality
continued the masked figure pleasantly
Il will
Have you been faithful to your
promise Z asked the Domino az they
retired into saloon.
Most truly, lady, in act, but fear
not in heart
Indeed! 1T is too true, lady, that I
have seen and loved another though my
VOW to you has kept me from saying so
to her.
And who is it that yon thus love?
Il will be frank with you, and you
will keep my secret?' Most religious
iy.' 1T is tho Baroness of Won
Wollorf,' he said.
And do you really love her?'
ALAS eply too dearly he replied.
tNayertheleEs 7 mi,at hold vo,, .o