The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-01-09
CONQUERED AT LAST.


They talk we'll, dress well, feed we'll, and
smoke well, but they don't domesticate
well. "A man that's married is man
that's marred,'" =" said Constance Marble,
turning her magnificent eyes away from
the piazza of the Mountain House, where
two of the masculine persuasion were to
be seen dimly through the cloud OF smoke
to where sat, or rather, reclined, a midge
of woman upon pile OF cushions.
But you must marry some time, Con.
stance. Everybody in our set does. l
can not see that there is any thing gained
by putting the evil day afar off, You
surely would not be that aDOmination OF
dcsolation, an old maidp
"And why not. ma belle Adriaf ! have
no sympathy with monOp6lies anyway;
while youth lasts | prefer the favor OF
the many rather than the tyranny Of a
magnificent one; and when in the sere
and yellow leaf, Pill"
"Live forgotten and die fOrlornp" in
terrupted 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 be-
fore next year this time, rll give you
that set Of byzantine jewelry you admire
so much"
"Consider the jewels mine, o rash pre-
dictor Of evil!' said Constance, laughing
as she nodded good-by, and left the
apartment.
ale laughs best who laughs last. She
is not the petritied lump Of Indifference
she fancies herself, and we shall see
what We shall see," solilOquized Adria
de Vargas as the door closed, and then
aroused herself to the necessities OF the
toilet.
Meantime it might have afforded these
ladies some satisfaction to have over
heard the conversation mingled with the
blue rings of suffocation from the fra
grant Partagas upon the piazza beneath
their window.
"Well, Roy, after four weeks of OBJ
servation, what is your opinion of Con-
stance the MagniticentT' asked Fred.
Travis.
''She does the statuesque well," re-
sponded Tenpleton, somewhat indifier-
emily.
"By heavens, she is glorious! Her
presence somehow makes one think of q
delicious day in early Autumn, while
Summers bloom yet fingers, and the
mellow ripeness OF luscious truit scents
the air."
"Yet there il always an atmosphere Of
VlnIeI dpouG uci, IL may Complete
your figurative fight. have little taste
Tor those inconsistent persopelles that
tempt you with pulseless passion and
defy you with mobile Indifference"
"Well, she is trjfle ICY, must con-
(ess. l rather prefer "a being all lie,
light and color,' like the little De Var
gas"
1.-The De Vargas is charming. rather
affect those crosses between q yellow
jacket and humming-bird; she glitters
SO bewitcbingly and sings with such in
finite tact and zest, that l like her-by
Jove, dep
$50 do |, and fear mot wisely but too
well,w said handsome Fred, taking long
pull at his cigar.
"Hard hit, are you, my boy. Well, 1
give you my blessing; she pays nice
little income tax. But speak of angels
and you hear their wings.' Here come
the rival bellies nowp
pleton threw away the stub Of his cigar,
and gave his attention to the rising star,
while Fred walked OF in the sweet Sum-
mer sunshine with winsome, witty Adria.
"That couple do try my patience so,"
said she az tney went, throwing back
ward glance at the pair sitting in lazy
impassibIlity upon the piazza.
s'How soW queried Fred. '"They ap-
pear to me a very inofiensive duo"
.sThats just the difficulty. If they
would quarrel between themselves, or
with any one else, should feel better
about them. When they first came here
l decided in. my own mind that they
would make a match. Alter IabOrlDg a
month to give them every possible chance
tor sentiment. there they sit, manifest
ING about as much interest in each other
as if they they were a plaster-of-paris
dog and cat sitting upon some restroom
mantelpiece."
"Weil, match-makers usually do have
their labor for their pains. Don't you
know that it is very wicked in you, Miss
Adria, to be cherishing such designs up.
on the life and liberty OF your fricnds~
"You are wonderfully sympathetic.
Monster Travis. l cry peccaUtl But i,
would be such comfort 10 see Con
stance in love; besides, i really think
them perfectly suited to each other"
"Indeed, l do sympathize, mam'selle
TO such an extent, that wish you would
take to matchmaking on your own ac
count"
"You might regret it forever after il
did. But tell me, do you think Mr.. Tenn
,pleton fond of my cousiny"
"Indeed, am as much in the dark IL
regard to the state OF his feelings as you
He is as uncommunicative as an oyster
and as hard to understand as a PROPOSE
tion in Euclid"
"Quel desespotrP' 1t is enough to ex
asperate a saint. One day they are 81
friendly, and apparently absorbed il
each other, that l am. quite encouraged
and the next they act very much as
the North Frigid Zone mad dropped dow
fbetween them. Oh, dear, IL is too pro
yoking! and Constance knows that
won't marry until after she doesw
"Alasw
| "And I don't dare to say word 70
fear shall spoil 1t all, they are SO queer
but feel certain that II this uncertaint
continues much longer my nervous sys
tenn will suffer serious disarrangement.
or course Fred laughed ut the idea {
| her having a "nerTous SYSTEM" but cotii
lend her no light on the perplexing Ten
pleton-M Marble question--whlch goes t
prove that a third party "can't most a
ways sometimes tell' just how matter
of q private interest do stand betwee
two people, even though those two pee
ple are the FiduS Achdtes Of ones dali
life.
Notwithstanding the apparent inditfe
ence Of Roy Templeton, he was, detel
mined to make Constance Marble hl
wife; but ne was wise in his day an
generation, and, knowing that the rae
Is not always to the swift, he waitet
like n sanguine, philosophical MicaWbe