Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-03-03
The Mediterranean MOSQUITO.

Clarence Sydney Montgomery was
handsome young man when he reached
the town of Cannes in the twilight of q
warm November evening. His face was
indeed his fortune, and a more beautiful
one America seldom sends abroad to
demonstrate the comeliness of her race.
The object of his devotion had not
hung on the branch ripened fruit
awaiting his hand, like all the other
girls, and before he was fully aware of
his own mind, had been snatched away
from his sight altogether; hence the
zest OF. pursuit and painful uncertainty
such as the young Adonis had not pre-
viously known.
The charmer had not firted with him
in ballroom or at the seashore, he had
never danced with her in his life. TO be
sure, she was the only child of very
wealthy merchant. but us she was barely
seventeen, and not "out," even in the
American sense of the word, only the
most fortunate chance could have
brought her in contact with Clarence
Sydney. He had met his fate on the
platform Of II drawing-room car between
New York and Philadelphia, where she
had lost her Skye terrier, and the young
man, in rescuing the little beast from
the wheels, had been moved by Emilys
sweet gratitude to seat himself in q con-
venient corner of the saloon during the
remainder of the journey, and admire
her over a rim of newspaper. The tele-
graph along the route sent no more
rapid signals than did the eyes of Clar-
ence Sydney over the newspaper margin.
Before the termination of the journey he
had slipped his card into Emily's hand,
with his address inscribed thereon, and
she had promised to write him note.
That guileless old gentleman, the young
lady's papa, had alighted from the train
entirely unconscious of Clarence sgd
ney's existence. After that there were
stolen interviews, ruthlessly terminated
by the departure of Emily for Europe to
complete her education. Despair seized
the lover left behind, although he had
made favorable impression on mamma,
or fondly hoped that he had done SO.
Cannes is one of the most lovely spots
of the lovely Riviera. Our traveller be-
held it in that interval of balmy twilight
when the rose tints of sunset have faded,
but certain tender bloom of the day
still fingers. Clarence Sydney, having
deposited his portmanteau at one of the
leading hotels of the Boulevard de lIm-
peratrice, and partaken of dinner,
slrolled forth to enjoy the evening. A
sympathetic waiter, who evidently di-
vined the situation from the young
strangers agitation of manner and indif-
ference to the meal served him, gave ex-
plicit directions as to the location of the
villa occupied by Emily and her family.
The young lady's papa, in order to be
rs English as possible, and achieve the
most expensive end permitted for
aigner, had rented house at Cannes for |
The winter. The moon was rising, she'd
ling her silvery radiance over the Esterel
and the wide Mediterranean
which broke on the shore with the gentle
of calm weather.
Clarence Sydney passed along the
beautiful promenade where the palm
rees grew in clusters, crossed the little
square with the adjacent streets of shops
lshted, and ascended the hill beyond,
himself prey to contending emotions.
How would he be received? Had Emily
llready forgotten him? Did he dare to
all III the evening? He advanced to
he gate of the fortress, which he had
lot sufficient courage to storm, after all.
like thief in the night, he peered
Trough the bars wistfully. Within was
garden in shadow, and the villa gleam-
d white in the moonlight paradise
# flowers and aromatic scented shrub.
'ery, where a fountain played with rip
ling music. Alas ! Emily's father was
nown to be very stiff old gentleman,
ot likely to favor the suit of Clarence
sydney, and only too liable to ask I'M
'leasant questions as to the extent of a
oung mans income who meditated
Still the mother was more
han half won over already, amidst tear
III condolences on the part of the daugh-
er; and backed by this feminine reserve,
e must needs learn his fate.
Oh, if Emily should happen to ram
lie in pensive solitude down the ave-
ne, her white garments shimmering
midst the fragrant foliage All nature
as favorable to such meeting. The
ight was so beautiful and mild the
aims overhung the road in feathery
usters, their shadows sharply defined ]
Il the ground by the luminous moon {
nseen waters murmured in the thickets
gardens, and the air was heavy with ]