National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-05-02
ESPERANZA.

Do Won know the music-room in the
Redoubte at Spa? The large expanse
in the centre of it is kept clear foI
dancing, and spectators whose minds
and toes are not light or fantastic, re-
main in the cloisters which surround it,
and which are well supplied with COM
Portable chairs and sofas. Sometime
it happens that the young men are in
dolent or timid, and the young ladies
stiff, and then the smooth shining floor
is a desert, and in spite of the floods OF
light and music, there is something de-
pressing about the general aspect. But
that was not the state of affairs one
August night, although the Majority of
visitors present were English. There
had been great deal of determination
at the tabieS-dhote of the different ho-
tells walking, riding, driving parties
had been made up daily the foreign
element was just sufficient to correct the
British stiffness, without being numeri-
cally strong enough to provoke its ex-
clusiveness. Altogether very pleasant
little society was formed in the place
that season. Millicent Lund was an
attractive member of it handsome,
high-couragcd girl an orphan, sole
surviving child of a drysalter, conse-
quently an heiress. While at school,
from ii age of twelve to nineteen that
is, she was happy, but her guardian 8
wife had patronizing manners, which
Milly quietly put up with till she was
twenty-one, and then took charge of
herself THAT is, she engaged one of her
old gukernesses, who was getting too
blind and deaf to teach, and would con-
sequently have been otherwise destitute,
to accept the nominal position of taking
charge Of her but of course it was a
sinecnre. People were shocked but
much Milly cared for that She sat on
sofa behind one of the pillars, talking
to a black haired man of about thirty,
who dressed rather too well for the ex-
preston of his features, which was in
telligent.
81 am afraid of you, Mr.. Bertram, y
she was saying.
care you 2" he replied. "How peo-
pie are maligned; heard that you were
afraid of no one"
Perhaps you have been slandered
also"
"Shall tell you romantic story p
% yes, please"
" Do not let your expectations rise,
said Bertram "there is nothing sens
tonal about it. Upwards of year deo
happened to be staying at Brussels
during the Carnival. The Countess G..
had fancy to give masked ball, and
| received an invitation. 1t was very
brilliant affair, and at the same time the
company was select, for the hostess re-
ceived all her guests on arrival singly,
and unmasked, in n small ante-room, 30
that none but those who were properly
invited could gain admittance. l had
not been in the room five minutes be-
fore | saw Niue domino, who produced
the most extraordinary effect upon me
that L have ever experienced. up to
that time I had laughed at mesmerlsm,
presei siments, everything which is con-
nected with mysterious intercommu-
nlcation of spirits. But now the fact
OF the existence of secret sympathles
was forced upon me. l knew at once
that this was the only woman l could
ever love. Of course l had often
thought myself in love before, but now
saw that 1 had given that name to
P"'SihS IduCN, Wul1u iS'NA
heart. / spoke to her, l danced with
her. How the night passed, | have no
idea it seemed gone before it had be-
gun"
You saw her face before she left 2
Not for moment. Nor was l able
to discover who she was, or where she
came from, afterwards. That she was
English, 1 am confident, though she
spoke Italian all the evening.
" l am quite interested" said Mise
Lund. What was her height, and her
figure P'
" Like Yours"
'Indeedl And the color of her hair ?"
Yours exactly"
" And You have never met her again ?"
" Not till this evening""
=" Really, Mr.. Bertram," said Milly,
laughing, you almost look as if you
were going to claim me as your mysteri-
Gus domino"