Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1876-08-17

4
Just then the band began one o
the Hungarian waltzes-a sweet ano
rapturOus msasure that set the blooo
itself to dancing in ones veins. Why
not? One last dance, one last mo-
ment of estacy, ere he went out for
ever into loneliness. Directly he
crumpled the bit OF lace into his
pocket, and was bending before the
little Rosa, who seemed suddenly 70
have lost all her light gayety, and
put out her hand to him with a con-
scious burning blush upon her face
that his heart reflected in melting
glow. And then there was no thought
of pride, of negation, or forgetting
the music was swinging them at its
will; they circled in each others
arms to it's delicious and delirious
movement - eternity would hardly
have any bliss for lovers beyond the
bliss of this moment Yet only a mo-
ment was it, few moment, a brief,
sweet space of unconscious time; and
then faint recognition crept through
its spell and warned Lucian of the
poison in the honey. He was in the
act of surrender; he was about to
seal his fate and that of this dear
girl; to take her away from her IA
theirs wealth and her luxurious ease,
and condemn her to the carking car
es of poverty. All his nature REBEL
ed he chose not to be swayed by
this melody of horns and strings; he
would have no passion, neither music
nor love, so master his soul as to be-
come the element i'm which it swan,
an exclusion of thought and fear, Of
sight and sound, and all other emo
ton; and with his imperious deter
mination, he chose to break the en-
chantment; the real world crept back
upon his senses; he heard the tune;
beyond this cloud that wrapped
them, again beaking into its distinc-
tive measure, and, exerting his will,
he controlled their steps, and paused
at last beside Mrs. Barnetta, and,
with low bow, and without word,
gave Rosa back into the lady's care,
and passed into the crowd and out OF
the place, and home to his lonely
rooms.
1t was daybreak before he sought
repose, walking the floors till then,
hardly knowing what he did or what
he thought, but intent upon conquer
ing himself. He would give the world
for Rosa Mercier's love, but he would
not give his pride. To him that
pride meant self respect; to- marry
her, the child of opulence, meant Ell
ther TO sell himself for price or to
reduce her to trouble and WEAKNESS
in which her love might soon wear
out. He did not doubt that love now.
Without a syllable's speech he felt
sure of it. While 1t thrilled him
wildly and deeply, it cast sudden
shadow OF regret; he only hoped, and
cursed his fate that caused him to
hope such a thing, that presently the
love would pass. and some one who
would make her happier would claim
her. At length, with maledictions
in the act, he emptied his pockets of
the gloves, handkerchief snd trifies
there, and went to bed, viii the sun
coming through the curtains, and
worn out in body and mind, slept TO
the blessed and thorough Oblivion of
the world.
When he awoke it was late In the
day. All his troubles rushed over
him, but in a moment all his will to
it rose, too. He dressed himself lei
surely; he meant to call that night
on Miss Mercier, restore her hand
kerchief that he had forgotten to
give back after the dance, and in
some indirect way let her know that
he intended never to marry, and so
seal his doom beyond hope. He
went into the next room when he
had finished his toilet, and after at
tending to one or two other affairs,
looked for the handkerchief he re-
membered having taken out of his
pocket and tossed on the table. II
was not on the table; 1t was nowhere
in the room. In panic, he rang the
bell, and when it was answered, In
stituted an inquiry concerning the
thing. Yes, indeed. Susan had seen
it, and thought it was so yellow and
soiled, she would take it down and
wash 1t. "Lors, sir, it was the dirti-
est little rag" she said. Just stay
color. And 1 thought I'd give il a
run through the tub and the blueing
and make it fit to be seen.'
Good heavensl" he cried, with q
Mortified flash OF remembrance OF
having somewhere heard that the
yellower lace was the more precious
it was, and that it was never washed
on any account except by people
, who did nothing else. Let us have
it at once" And i'm five minutes af
/ terward Susan stood before hin
+. holding up little limp rag, and witt
: "a pang as from the blow OF some.
, thing unknown and dreadful, tn,
conversation that he had heard ovel
!. the transOm OF the hotel door, a veal
: or two ago, swept back upon his
: recollection. u
. Five hundred dollaIsl And gone
to grief i'm a moment! And he coulc
no more replace it than fly, withou
what was the same to him as abso
lutte ruin. OF course he must re
4 place it: he could not be indebted
through the stupidity of his servant
or through any Other means, to Mis-
Mercier in that sum Without an,
= doubt she valued such a bit Of lace
and if anything were needed to dem
onstrate to him the wisdom Of thu
course he had decided on, and the ut
ter absurdity of having dared for