Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1873-04-01

I =.
Of couise Mrs. Sterling being lady oil
society, and finding such treasure IS
beauty in her possession. lost no time IN
mulcting Mr.. Holberton TO the extent OF
a ball dress-a ball dress that was simply
bewitching-and taking Lillian in ii to the
only party she ever attended in her llle.
aud whittier she went with u delightful
mingling oil sensations, knowing ihat 1t
WAS not intended she should cOme "ut ior
some years 10 come, aud so, mVlc than
hall conscious of her mothers disap-
Iproval, but nevertheless full of salislac-
liou ut the pride in her fathers eyes as he
surveyed her her father y no had been
talked over to 10 this single escapadc-
ard flushed with anticipation ol Ihc
miraculous delights of the night.
Il WIS said TO DC, think. the finest
party eve: given In the capital. fhe
rooms were no more spacious than lh"'c
at Liiiun's home, perhaps not 80 spacious
the pictures and statuary, choice rs they
were. did not strike her with any new
,n,utiou; Lut the white. steady blaze ol
thc wax lights filed the place with S"rh
/ radiance that Il sccmcd like e"in. in-ide
q star, and the color AMI iragrinrr of the
: lluNclS made il intoxicating 10 breathe
The air; vines running alOng the cormices,
and biOSsumiug on every Intel. wreath-
ng every statue, aud dripping irti
every picture; ono manici u mere plot
cot thick purple yio.cts. unO,1er u mat ~
single sweet brier roses; the ScOnGes
twincd with great red aud white lilies /;
am ilumiued fountain shooting up like
lauccs of flame. and falling noiselessIy
into the bodded moss around il, and cool
| iug the great ball loom like = dew rosy
oleahder and snowy orange trees lining
the broad stairway, with night blooming
cureuS, like a lamp Oi light itself. and nn
aloe in flower; and wrcaths and balls and
/ baskets OF azaleas and carnations and
| hyacinlhs stretching everywhere from
lony door to door . murmur OF sweet
voices; the band playing the 7rdHmere
lit 10 break her heart. And people pass
/ ing in such loilctles aS she had only seen
pictured on fans-this one moving color
with the simmer of her silks. that one Il
moving light with the splendor oI her
jewels When Lillian looked upon it all,
and glancing into the supper room. saw
| flowers again sollening tho glitter OF gold
and silver and crystal there. and the tam
/ laSiic ercctions OF oonlection and sweet.
meat, the block OF ice with lis red hollow
OF c.arel punch, and tasted : simple sip
VI maddening elixir of Champagne
and green tea. it is no wonder that she
hall lancicd il place OF enchaulment,
and carried herself with all the abandon
that comporIed with the scene.
OF all the lovely maidens there she
could not Gnow she WAS the lovelicat.
Her dress, OF thai last pale shade of
! green that you sometimes see IN late
autumn sky before unset-that meiiable
tint which nobody cut Il mil!iner was ever
audaciouS enough to catch and label with
| the name oil vert cau-was yelled with
web over web of flowing silken net, ill
slie might have seemed waller nymph
! with the white loam Ol her shadows
about her; aud round her meek Mrs
Sterling had hung wonderful string Of
\ aqua marine beads cui in countless facets,
which. virclins the throat. that had the
sNau's own carve in il with their band
OF light. buried themselves in the laces
ct lh, slumarher. aud Tell in n chat elaine
LAT down among the snowy skirts, aud II
cluster of the aqua marine hung in the
BRIG 1t hair and trembled abnve the white
forehead liky star Ii was bewider.
ing night to Lillian. with the dress, the
scene, the homage to her beauty, the
music. The devotion of ono partner more
than all the rest-a pale and handsome
Southern youth-aul the issuing II
thunder OF rolling carriages, into the
cold air and the yellow streik al dawn.
And u couple Of nights thereafter. still too
excited for any sleep save in SnatcheS,
she WAS trundling. To the sound OF horns
and the cank Of chains. down the historic
street of Baltimore, was rolling across
the immense sIelch oi the Gunpowder
rivers. So weirdly desolate. with not a
light or sail on ali their dark and lonely
expanse. rolling across the mile long
Susquehanna Bridge, that shook to the
great trains tread. and so nor!hward to
her home again.
And then came the single cloud in
Lilian's sky--a cloud OF no great durn
ton. though black enough, she thought.
while it lasted. Her mother. shocked at
the escapade OF the Washington party
and ut its possible effects on Lilian's
character, determined that the truani
should be sent away io finishing school,
and one so far off taat there could he no
Ielenling An English school, therefore,
recommended by valued acquaintauces
across the water, was chosen; and Lillian,
her appetite for excitement having been
stimulated till The prospect of the ocean
travel quite obliteratcd the prospect Of
the school, and conscious herself that her
education was not yet all it should be,
departed in high spirits Tor the foreign
shores. and was established and Ieit in
the famous school by her parcg.a with
great satisfaelioR,