The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1878-01-18

deed most inexplicable and mysteri
Gus affair. The only pleasant thing il
connection with it is the manly atti
tuie Kirschbaum maintains. l caI
assure you and your husband-r
My husbandw she calculated, il
surprise, "why sir, have nohusband
at least not yet" she said blushing
1t is no secret in society, however
that L shall soon wed with Signo
FOeretti, the tenor"
Itwas my turn now to calculate
"Not married ~ ! returned. ''ant
who, pray, was the gentleman will
| whom / saw you riding in Centra
Park on Monday?'
"Why, my uncle Ofcourse-CaptaiI
Peters, of the Inman line" she re-
piled; and who is this Kirschbaum, ,
she inquired, ''Of whom you speak as
if he knew me? remember no gen
tleman among my friends bearing
that name"
"'AIy dear Miss Vaughn" l said, re.
| spectfUIlly, ~ am all at sea. Some
! body has gone out of his head-possi-
bly, I, peradventure another man, but
| things are getting queerly mixed up"
saying which l wiped the beads of per
! spiratiOn from my face, which were
y
den me, but may l ask who you are?''
Somebody is certainly demented.
All your talk. about the Commune,
the balloon mystery, and my going to
Paris again, was as sealed book TO
| me, but | let it pass, hoping eshould
| tlOunder out of the maze shortly. As
TO whom / am, L supposed Mrs. Bios
som had told you. | am only an as
piring woman with a soprano voice
which the critics say promises future
distinction for me, and, indeed, l
have been very successful in SIignon.' ,
1t is not pleasant for me, as YOU see,
sir, to speak of my self (her sweet face
was painfully fiushed), but we seem
to be drifting so hOpelessiy that have
answered your question in all can
dor"
As I turned to apologize 1 saw
kirschbaum OH the opposite side of
the room, engaged in merry cOnversa-
ton with Mrs. Blossom. He had not
seen me, apparently, and | changed
my position so that my face would not
be visible TO him, and said TO Miss
Vaughn:
My dear young lady, you shall
have ample apology for what no doubt
seems to you like rude conduct from q
man old enough to have a proper re-
gard for a lady-a fatherly tenderness,
indeed, for woman of your age but
before | say in explanation l wish to
ask question. VIII you kindly tell
me if you ever saw that handsome,
smOoth-faced gentleman before, who
is talking with Mrs. BlOssom?"
ooh, yes, indeed" she replied, II
know him very WE'LL,
''Oh, you do, eh?" l returned petu-
lently. ~ dare say you do "
She looked at me reprOachfully, and
said very gravely 1--WE may as well
agree as to disagree. Your last re-
mark was intended to I've invidious
and l submit that you have 10 reason
to annoy me further"
If had been Il younger man ! be-
lieye | should have determined as [ |
stood looking down into the depths of
Miss Naughn's angelic eyes, to east |
the gauntlet at SignOr FeOretti's feet, !
and enter the lists aS a competitor for |
the smiles of her who held me SPELL |
bound with her graceful beauty.
"But no." thought |, "all that is,past |
for me; am welded To a memory: |
let me not add weakness, even in |
thought, to my palpable rudeness." |
Aftera moment | found voice to ask |
very meekly:
And who is this gcntleman?"
u thought you knew him, or |
shOtld have told you that before, " she
r?joined, half pityingly. '"That is
brated actor, who has just returned
from Australia. He will plav a round
Of old English characters soon, at
Haye you known him long ?n l
pursued.
ooh, yes" she added, laughing.
since childhood. He is, in fact, my
brother--his real name is Silas
Vaughn"
| felt faint and giddy, but summon
ed strength to ask if the gentleman was
a man Of veracity. She regarded me
with look of genuine sympathy, as
II 10y the quick intuition OF her sex
she had made discovery and said
slowly, "E-e-e-s and no. He is truth
ful enough about matters of vital inn
pOrtance, but no sometimes lets his
run wild for amusement,
and at such times l have heard SOth-
ern say that he evolved such roman
ces as to create the impression among
his professional friends that he missed
his calling in not going into fiction. !
hope" she continued, with q woman
y SMGSIICSS JlIdl NGlI 10 lily SOUL, |
and which I shall never forget, "that
Silas hasn't been"
At this moment SignOr Feoretti
came up, and | stood on one sidej and
as this soon-tO-be mated pair were
engaged in conversation
| quietly passed through the throng
to the lower rooms. Here, while dom
ming my coat and hat, / encountered
and bade AIEs. blossom an abrupt
good night, and thence l proceeded
to my hotel. And as passed thither
under the silent solitary stars, be-
gan to study upon plan for the re-
of those misguided SONS of
men who speak with most miraculous
organ, but with an utter disregard of
irmth.. I confess thatI have not pro-
crossed well thus far in perfecting my
plan, and every day occurrences some-
times make me toei that 1 haye not
only entered upon my life work, DGt
# we are not without occupation in
he next world that l shall still have
food for study and reflection, even af-
-er have passed to where, "bey ond
hn- nj