The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-12-22

leys conversation; she laughed heartily al
his atlOcious jokes and was as Interested ir
the adventures TALL horrible lles) that he told
of himself as Desdemona had been in those
of her dark lover.
Twas instantly seized with all the jealousy
of the latter. Could my DesdemOna be happy
thus In my absence2 Had Amy turned firtt
AS to Lawley, loathed him. SO he was going
to allow me one dance with Miss Granger
but no more, because he intended keeping her
to himself, II | had poison in nv pocket
verify believe | should have mixed it with his
sherry. | did what could to annoy him. for
| whispered to the butler that my master
never drank wine. and had the satisfaction of
seeing his glass passed whenever the cham
| payne went round. / returned a stony stare
to him rs he appealingly pointed to his glass
and chuckled with delight when in despera-
ton, he at last poured himself out a glass 81
water But even this did not lower his spirits
he talked to Sir Thomas about hunting and
shooting, complimented the Miss Hum phreys
on the arrangement of the flowers in the
| centre piece, seemed up in the state of the
crops, and set all the gentlemen right on the
state of the latest odds. In word, | could
! see that all the cOmpany-and Amy amongst
the number-looked upon him with the re-
| spect due to most entertaining young man,
and one who had driven up in his own
| tandem.
| The crisis came at last. was employed in
biting my lips with rage, when Amy turned
round to me, and said in a tone as cold as the
| WthbHtE OubSHlf, DItiII, ana Then
| turned to answer Lawley with the sweetest
| of smiles.
| did not take her any bread, but made my
way out OF the room-out of the house. and
walked about In the frosty moonlit air to cool
my heated blood.
| took quite long walk down the avenue.
and on my return had come to my senses a
| little and then began to be ashamed of my
foolish jealousy. What had Amy done wrong2
Why should blame her for being amused at
n yVlpUs gtllpiH tnlky Did I yuo bnr TO
about the country with sad, pale face until
she should see me AGAIN. Was 1t not thou
sand times better to see her rosy and cheer
| full
With these better thoughts / returned to
the house where | found everybody in high
| spirits. The maids appeared in clean print
| dresses and fresfJy trimmed caps, the men in
Sunday coats, and hyper pomaded hair. They
We're all busy In putting the finishing touches
| to the decorations, while the butler was pilng
log on log on the fire, as though he would
never stop.
Hold, Mr.. Trstram !" said one of the
grooms; 1--WE shall be hot enough dancing,
I'll be bound"
"In that case we can open the windows"
replied the butler. 81 never think Christ
mas eve IS Christmas eve without o topping
good fire. Besides" he added eve amt all
of us going to dance the night through"
The French maid here called for some one
to help her arrange the mistletoe. went to
her assistance, and began the following con-
versatiOn:
you have a young lady named Miss
Granger staying here, haven't you? Do you
know anything about herr"
81 ought to, at any rate" she said coqllet-
tishly, as she cut away some dead leaves, "for
| am her maid
has she not?"
Eyes"
"You were with her in Italy?'
Don't the berries look funny il you hold
them up to the light she said, ignoring my
question, and shutting one eye and scrutiniz-
ing with the open one (which twinkled mis-
chevously) sprig OF mstletoe as she held it
above her head towards the light.
| began to have an inkling of the way in
which she wished me- to help her fix the mis-
tlet0e.
Tell me little about Miss Granger, and
we will set the mistletoe to rights after
wards | said significantly.
on She iS-a-very- nice dem OiSelle- and IS
and-she took his name because he wished-it-
and that's all" said the maiden In one
breath, and speaking very quickly.
q" a short IS policy of his" remarked.
Il mean to say 1t was silly thing on the
part OF the old gentleman; for it Is not likely
that SO pretty young lady as Miss Granger
Is would keep her own name long, suppose
moo; only one"
Hal What was his name?''
bah" she tried, trying to remember
"Comn,ent s'aypelte-t-W Count Count Trico-
lini"
Count TricoIini2"
eyes. Oh, he was very fond of her, and
sang SO prettily! Mr.. Granger liked him
very well, because he made such capital cigar
cites for him.
And was-dld Miss Granger like him."
"Oh, | cannot say!' she said with a shrug;
II think so. At any rate she gave him a
ring"
A what ?" shouted.
"a ring; and he is coming to see her in
England, But you seem to be very much in
terested in Miss Granger"
My master has met her before" replied,
sick at heart.
See, there are the people coming down
stairs, and with reproachful look at mel
we have not yet arranged the mistletoe.
Stay, we will put this bit up yonder behind
the door,.
knew very well that she expected me to
kiss her; but | could not do it. My head
seemed on fire; / could only think OF Amy,
all or worse, perhaps. a jill! / saw her
coming towards me, but cared not to get out
OF the way. She was still laughing and talk
ing with Lawey. She passed close to me,
but could not look at her did not know
If she looked at mel felt broken-hearted.
And now the scraping of the fiddle was
heard, and the twanging of the harp; and in
ten minutes the faces of all spanked with
pleasure as they took their places for the first
dance of the evening Roger de Cover
ley | alone of the assembly sat detected
and ioyless.
Come, Fibbins, you're going to dance,
hope" said the butler. why, you are the
only one standing out!
''Oh, l expect every one to dance this
dance, said Sir Thomas, pompously. Come
along, my man."
The French maid pointed at me, and told
her partner that was the most dsagreeable
young man she had ever seen and that she be-
lieved was intoxicated.
But neither the butler nor Sir Thomas, nor
any one else could make me dance. / sat sui
len and reckless of everything.
ooh, let him alone!" said Lawley; che is a
queer fellow,
But where was Amy? She was not among
the dancers-she had gone away.
! was not In the humor to watch the dance
with great interest | have a dim rccollec-
ton Of quarrel between the under house
maid and the odge-keeper's daughter touch
ing precedence; and ] know that the IN
wonted exercise which the fat coachman, as |
her ladyship's partner, had undergone, had |
him so hot and red in the face that |