The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1875-03-06
THE PHANTOM BRIDE.
ny II. JAMES.

in Paris during the reign OF Louis XIV,
She was a brilliant brunette, with
abundant raven hair, and wore the
Spanish veil and mantila which she
had assumed for the occasion with all
the grace of daughter Of Andalusia.
Her companion, noble Scotch earl of
some two or three and thirty, arrayed
as a warrior of Mary Stuart's, in
Scotch plaid and Highland bonnet and
feather, had been pursuing the fair un-
known all the evening with protesta-
tions of love and eternal fidelity. His
answer was prompt and unhesitating.
Eyes, l swear it. If 1 die 1 will
dream of you in the sepulchre, and q
thrill of joy will welcome you, if your
foot but press the grass over my head"
"And if / should die?" inquired the
young girl in sad tone.
"If you should die, will be as faith.
full to you dead as living; and If you
should be permitted to visit me, will
kiss your cold hand with as much love
as at this moment" and he pressed to
his lips the little, white hand of the
beautiful Spaniard.
"Ah, we'll l permit you, then, to
love me. We shall see if you will be
constant. Fareweli-we shall meet
again"
| "But where ?-when ?" demanded
the earl, anxiously.
81 cannot tell. Perhaps here-per-
haps elsewhere-but you will see me-"
| And with gesture which forbade
him to follow her, she disappeared in
the crowd.
Two years passed, during which
Earl Ralph Morton sought vainly at
Marty, at VersailIes-in every place of
public resort-for his beautiful un-
known. He was Scotchman by birth.
and, like many of his countrymen,
had entered the service of Il e King of
France. But a court life did not COM
port very well with his slender fortune,
and he became, ere long, almost hope
lessly involved in debt.
"You must find some rich heiress, "
said his sympathizing friends-it was
the usual resource of embarrassed gen.
tlemen in that day. But the earl had
not forgotten the bewitching Andalus-
ian, and was in no mood for the search
He was spared the trouble, however.
His uncle, who was archbishop of an
Assyrian city destroyed by the Romans,
informed him, one day, that it was time
for him to marry, and that he had found
wife for him.
rs she rlch?" inquired Ralph. 81
do not ask if she is pretty-it is all the
same t. me-"
Every rich and very pretty"
The earl thought of his unknown,
and sigEel; then thought of his credi-
tors, and consented. The uncle ar
! ranged everything, and when all wa:
settled, he gave the nephew his bene'
diction and two hundred pistoles, and
sent him off to Burgundy to pay his re.
spects TO NademOiselle de Roche Noire
whom he was to marry in fortnight.
A gloomy journey of several days
duration, brought him at length to the
ancient feudal manor house of Roche
Noire, situated in the heart of forest
on lofty rock, from which it derived
its name. He was expected. The
grand door of the mansion was open
and an aged servant met him at thu
, threshold, and conducted him to large
hail, at the extremity of which sat al
; old man and a yOnng girl. The for
, mer, whom he OWNED at once to be thu
Baron of Roche Noire, rose at his en-
trance, and saluting him in the some
, what formal fashion of the day, pre-
I sented him to his daughter, Herminie.
The latter had the voluptuous beauty
$ of the flower which has unfolded unde
a southern sun. She was pale, will
J. fair hair, and eyes of the deep blue o
/, an Italian sky. Her figure was rlcl
= but graceful, her hands exquisitel!
/, shaped, and transparent as alabaster
, So much the earl saw, as he bent lov
. before his betrothed, and, in spite o
4 his professed indifference, he inward!
> congratulated himself on his good for
tune.
: The Earl and Baron exchanged tn
usual reciprocal compliments and in
: quiries. Ralph was accustomed to so
: ciety, and understood how to max
himself apraaahla, the harOn in snit