Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1877-09-29

out; for Laura was an heiress, and but
little gainsaid in her wishes.
"I thought you would like to have
me-" Laura said, timidly looking up with
her brown eyes, as he dismounted. She
never did have any spirit.
&c 1t is just like you, Laura" he said
fervently.
"I-I don't think you will admire her
so much by daylight" she said, again
timidly; and he had laughed and handed
her into the carriage and disappeared
before she knew she had ventured to say
so much.
But more iudicious curtain had been
dropped within the drawing room; and
as Mrs. De Berrian sat pensively leaning
her head on her hand that bore gleam-
ing sapphire, dark curl straying over
the contour of the white hand set in its
lace ruff, and the damask shadow of a
great vase of roses on the table, taller
than herself, falling round her, Colonel
Lefebvre thought that he did admire
Mrs. De Berrain quite as much by day
light-although it occurred to him later
that Bell would have called it rose-light
or curtain-light instead. He was con-
firmed in his admiration before he left
her. He was not sure but that by the
time he saw Mrs. De Berrian again he
should be really in love with her. And
his little cousin Laura? Well, thank
Heaven, he could afford to marry where
he chose.
She was rather an enchanting woman
after her kind. 81 will tell you about
her," said Laura to her cousins, when
she had endured their reproaches. "She
makes it vital point to please-in her
person, her manner, her voice. Her face
can only afford smiles, so she never re-
sents, not even such look as Bells.
She was charmingly dressed. She is
visiting people just on the verge of
society, Mrs. Vaughn says, but she
doesn't seem to belong to them. 1t is
my belief that she has had money, run
through nearly all of it, and that is her
last throw for station and husband"
Laura, where in the world" cried
her displeased aunt, "did you pick up
such -
"French novels" said Bell, who had
run over. Il must say, Laura, think
you took a great deal on yourself. Now
she will return the call"
"She-she would like to be respecta-
ble," stammered Laura. And you
know very well that if you want Lucian
to go and marry such woman out of
hand, you have only to persecute her"
"Persecute her! You do use select
terms. We let her alone-which you
had better have done"
CT didn't want Lucian to be NOR
titled"
$50 you mortify us" -
And by the time Lucian came home,
Laura was in a flood of tears, and sobbed
out, in reply to his amazed inquiry:
ooh, they are abusing me so - And
then every one laughed at the idea of
their abusing little Laura, the darling of
the house.
"Well, well, Laura" said he. "Pll
not abuse you. Invite you to our picnic
tomorrow to Great Falls. Mrs. De
Berrian will chaperon you"
"Mrs. De Berrian !'' rose the chorus.
"Madam Arroyo, the Spanish minis
ter's wife, invites her,"
"Well, to be sure" said Bell, catch
ing her suspended breath, "nobody
knows anything about her either-an ad-
venturess, all the legation say"
"The Count Zara escorts her. I
suppose nobody knows anything about
him"
The Austrian attache-yes, he hit
Nell hard then, he thought. "And
the young Russian duke that enchanted
you So"
"Oh, men, all of them!"
every fine men, and some of the finest
ladies at the capital. Eli take care of
you, Laura, if you'll CO."
"In go, Lucian."
Perhaps she'd best" said Bell to
Helen, at the door, "I shouldn't let
him out of my sight, if were she."
It was month later when Bell ran
over one evening, as usual, now the gaye-
ties were so few, and sat talking gloomily
with Helen.
"I never would have believed it of
our Lucian," said she. "All but en-
gagged, as he was, to Laura, and with
her fortune, that would have just doubled
his own, and she SO gentle-and now
perfectly lost and infatuated over this
French doll"
81 can't imagine that it is the same
brother who turned pale when we came
down with carnine on our cheeks the
day after we first saw the French play,
and who expostulated with us So.
"Our turn now."
"He would have. made Laura such
a good husband" said one.
"But now this demoralizing
woman >
And while they were bemoaning his
decline and fall, the subject of their COM
plant was whirling away in palace-car,
surrounded by wraps and rugs and lunch
baskets and periodicals and French
candy and Mrs. De Berrian, the wax
| lights shining softly down from above on
the charming picture the lady made, as,
having removedher hat, she leaned back
among her cushions under the shelter
of the rose-colored scarf passed over her
dark curls. Mrs. De Berrian had been
summoned to New York on important
business; Colonel Lefebvre had sud
denly found that he had business there
too. Mrs. De Berrian perhaps meant to
give him some business before he re-
turned. Neither of them was aware that
behind the curtains of a neighboring
section, whose births had been made up
and occupied just as the train started,
reposed one of his aunts and his cousin
Laura.
If simply an infatuation over mere
beauty were in case, no one could marvel
at Colonel Lefebvre's infatuation. BY
candle-light at night, behind veil out
doors, in the dim, deep-curtained draw
ing-room, Mrs. De Berrian was worthy
painters pencil--delicate features,
scarlet lips, deep dimples, penciled
brows, the sparkle Of teeth, the soft
dark glow Of great eyes, the snowiness