American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-05-24
Miscellany.
ESPERANZA.


-. az hsSr llAA AZ
Doyou know ths music room i'm TIN
redoubte at Spa? The large expanse in tn,
center of it is kept clear for dancing, ant
spectators whose minds and toes are no
light or fantastic remain in the cloister
which surround it, and which are vel
supplied with comfortable chairs ant
sofas Sometimes it happens that tin
young ladies stiff and then the snootl
shining floor ~ aidesert, and in spite "a
the floods of light and music, there lis
something depressing about the general
aspect But that was not the state of af
fairs pus August night although the ma
jority of visitors present scere English
osTs aaS p s3 81 ss ne aeren,
hotels; walking, riding, and driving par
element was just sufficient to correct the
British stiffness, without being numeri
caliy strong enough to provoke its exclu
siveness. Altogether very pleasant little
society was formed in the place that sea
son. Millicent Lund was an attractive
Z sasperbE Il ~ g lnna,NnesE high -cour.
aged girl an orphan, sole surviving child
of a drysalter, consequently an heiress.
While at school, from the age of twelve
to nineteen that is, she was happy, buther
guardiap's wife had patronizing manners,
: 's which Milly Quietly put up with till she
was twenty-one, and then took charge OF
haelEt@fix ~ ENGAGED one Of her
Blind and deaf to teach, and would conse-
.Tquently have been Otherwise desti-
tute, to accept the nominalposition of talk
igs shssge ehess but e eess it was 81,
- much Milly cared for tllstr She sat On a
sofa behind one Of the pillars, talking to
black-haired man Of pbout thirty, who
dressed rather too well for the expression
L.. ~.<.I~
,,--,.'.I am afraid Of you, NJ, Berzam," she
- fare yonsi he replied j "How people
are maligned; L heard that you were
afraid Of no one" .
"Shall tell you romantic story?"
80 yes, please
- Do -let-y ear--expectations~ rise,'
said 8ertram; there is nothing sensa-
= ! fSapaened to 'se staying IL Brssse1s dur dur,
ing the carnival. The CountessSG. had a
fancy to giys maSked ball, and receiv-
affair, and at the same time the company
H-=' was select, for the hostess received all her
- TaRts on Frriyai spglyand unmasked, in
|. 9 d Small ante room, So that none but those
whOsEere pnopeRI y.invited feould gain adj
mittance. had not been in the room five
. minutes before saw d bluesd6mino, who
o.. produced the most extraordinary effect
upon me that have ever experienced
- Up to that timesI had laughed at mesmer-
ism, presentiments- eveything which is
!. connected with q my sterious intercommu-
a nicatiOn of spirits. But now the fact of
81 the existence of secret sympathies was
% forced upon me. I'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 1 that 1 had
given that name to passing fancy, which
never reached my heart. spoke to her,
danced with her. How the night passed.
have no idea. 1t seemed gone before it
had well begun 70.
"You saw her face before she lefts'
Mot for moment. Nor was able to
discover who she was, or where she came
from, afterwards That she was English
am confident, though she spoke Italian
all the evening. G-sf ~ -
"I am quite interested" said Miss
Lund, s'sWharSasfherE height and her
fgure?'
<fsaeeaaa9 pn dsE co1ss of her hair,n
.zs3a ferzs e4essls." ass 1t..yST
And you have never met her again?"
aR Ss5 tll tHi Fl, sYRs al1pggn did Mil,
laughing, you almost look as ifyou were
-S ssSiaiE e CLAIM ne as your mysterious
mo; Iremember my PROMISE -
"And that was?" .ssasE
Not to claim her until she wrote or
uttered the word 'Espefanza.'" 5-s'
SsS ssse sept T iaas f saa
only to turn sout . ghost. ora ghoul to
make it complete" said Miss Lund; but
as she spoke she started and turned pale =
ss-s.t was only with An effort that she com
pleted her sentence e rsr.-a -,
Bertram, looking round for the.
xvaf a spa, man whom he knew sill s1ig ht-
and he eSperienced that pleasing thrill
which anipates aspoiDter on snuffing a
gamey scent, or dramatic author when
the idea Of plot comes into, his lead, for
he relieved the tedium of a somewhat
iethargic existence by watching the little
esocH r9p2enGes going pn around him. If
he had been tattler, this might have
proves mtSchfevos pr0pensity, but he
kept his discoveries to himself, or only
intimated them TO the principal actors, for
his amusement consisted in knowing what
other people failed TO perceive The
young man who had just entered moved
quaintances Presently, he saw Bertram,
who came forward and shook hands wistsI
him, asked him when he had arrived,
VIVA, what ',ossi ne vas ssayiH at, and other
swerings whichsile SOW Miss Lund, and
could not prevent a slight start before he
bowed coIdly. The young Lady. replied
with distant bend of the neck.
''You know Miss Lund?" said Bertram
are7fdA& % dance again, and as am not
in mood for violent exercise, having only
just swallowed my dinner, 1 shall go and
have look ut the Trente-et- Quarenten
Though not gossip himself ~Bertram
by no means objected to take occasional
advantage of the gleanings gathered by
members Of that fra ernity so he went and
sat down by Mrs. Cracket.
So yOu have been making love to the
heiress," said she 1870.
Rash under vorr very nves wasn't If r
he replied I" But. what is there between
her and Graham?"
Do you mean to tell me that you don't
z"How should T. was not aware of
Miss Lund's existenceitiIl this evening"
We'll they were engaged for ever SO
long; he was at her house every day; most
improper, with only that poor old Miss
Corney to act as chaperone; when sudden
1y shabroke off the match. The airs these
parvenus give themse1vesr'
- 8 Was there no cause, -thens'
ooh, suppose it some jealous