Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-08-08
THE BYZANTINE SET.

THE BYZANTINE SET.
81 don't deny that men are a great
convenience in the present state of So
ciety. They talk well, dress well, feed
we'll, and smoke well, but they don't
domesticate well. "A man that's mar
ried is man that's marred,'" said Con-
stance Marble, turning her magnificent
eyes away from the piazza of the Noun
tain House, where two of the mascu-
line persuasion were to be seen dimly
through cloud of smoke, to where
sat, or, rather, reclined, q midge of q
woman upon q pile of cushions.
"But you must marry some time,
Constance. Everybody in our set does.
cannot see that there is anything
gained by putting the evil day afar off.
You surely would not be that abomina-
tion of desolation, an old maid"
"And why not, ma belle Adriap
have no sympathy with monopolies any
way; while youth lasts I prefer the
8 favor of the many rather than the
tyranny Of a magnificent one; and
when in the sere and yellow leaf,
#Ill-"
"Live forgotten and die forlorn,' ,"
interrupted Adria. "What nonsense
you do talk, Constance Nature would
never have wasted so much that is
charming upon one destined for life
OF celibacy, and if don't dance at your
wedding before next year this time, I'll
give you that set of byzantine jewelry
you admire so much"
"Consider the jewels mine, O rash
predictor of evil p said Constance,
laughing, as she nodded good-by, and
left the apartment.
"He laughs best who laughs last.
8 She is not the petrifed lump of indif-
ference she fancies herself, and we
shall see what we shall see," seliloquiz-
ed Adria de Vargas as the door closed,
and then aroused herself to the neces-
sities of the toilet.
Meantime it might have afforded
these ladies some satisfaction to have
overheard the conversation mingled
with the blue rings of suffocation from
the fragrant Partagas upon the piazza
beneath their window.
"Well, Roy, after four weeks of OBJ
servation, what is your opinion of Con-
stance the Magnificent ?" asked Fred
Travis.
"She does the statuesque well," re-
sponded Templeton, somewhat indiffer-
emily.
" By heavens, she is glorious Her
presence somehow makes one think of
a delicious day in early autumn, while
summers bloom yet fingers, and the
mellow ripeness of luscious fruit scents
the air."
"Yet there is always an atmosphere
of winter about her, if I may complete
your tigurative fight. Ihave little taste
for those inconsistent personelle8 that
tempt you with pulseless passion and
defy you with mobile indifference"
We'll, she is trihe icy, I must con-
Tess. L rather prefer "a being all life,
light and color like the little De Var
gas"
"The De Vargas is charming. ]
rather affect those crosses between a
yellow-jacket and humming bird; she
glitters so bewitchingly and sings with
such infinite tact and zest, that 1 like
her-by Jove, I do !"
" So do I, and I fear not wisely but
too well, >" said handsome Fred, taking
long pull at his cigar.
" Hard hit, are you, my boy. Well,
| give you my blessing she pays nice
little income tax. But 'speak of angels
and you hear their wings Here comes
4 the rival bellies now p
With something like a sigh, Roy
Templeton threw away the stub of his
cigar, and gave his attention to the ris
ing star, while Fred walked off in the
sweet summer sunshine with winsome
witty Adria.
"That couple do try my patience
SO, said she as they went, throwing 6
backward glance at the pair sitting in
lazy impassibility upon the piazza.
"Aow so ?" queried Fred. "Tney
appear to me very inoffensive duo."
"That's just the difficulty. If they
would quarrel between themselves, Of
with any one else, l should feel better
about them. When they first came
here decided in my own mind tha
they would make match. After labor
ing month to give them every posi-
BILE chance for sentiment, there the,
sit, manifesting about as much interes
in each other as if they were a plastic
OF paris dog and cat sitting upon SOM
restroom mantelpiece."
We'll, match-makers usually do hav,
their labor for their pains. Don't yo,
know that it is very wicked in you, Mis-
Adria, to be cherishing such design
upon the life and liberty of you.
friends?"
-" You are wonderfully sympathetic
Monsieur Travis. l cry peccavi Blu
it would be such comfort to see Con
stance in love besides, really thinl
them perfectly suited To each other