Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1879-05-22
ssN.gteAaup,
THE DEX-N0US.
A Little Adventure of silly Little
Woman.
BT HENRY GREYIII.E

1t happened II long time ago-so long
that. when think Of it, | cannot hclI
smiling, Just as ifmy adventure concerned
some one else. Yet the portrait that see
before me hung facing my sofa, with fair
curls and dreamy eyes, is my own-that is,
as was thirty-tve years ago, when we
wore tight sleeves and English curs.
was Il widow and had been one a suiii-
cicnt lengthot time to find great enjoyment
in returning to society. ! had worn
mourning for two years Grape throughout
the first ycar-so that my returning to the
world was quite proper. BY clever
transition had passed from black to gray,
from gray to lilac, from lilac to pale pink,
so adroitly and so quietly that no one had
perceived 1t excepting my dreSsnakcr,
whose account charged Inc with three
gray drcSscs-thrCe where the good
nuturcd public thought it had seen only
one An affair Of shades!
had reached sott-bue, with roses in
my hair, when met at II friends house
Count Alexis b. He was one Of the
most charming takers oil that time, when
everyone pridcd himself on his wit; he
wore his hnW like Lord Byron. had been
the friend of our eyer.rcgrcttrd lcmontof
and, moreover, when ont walking, had Il
way of draping himself in his military
cloak that turned all heads. Mine was no
stronger than that of others and did not
hold ont any longer; it is true that Count
Alexis did his best, for he offered me his
homage in the most unrquiyocal fashion,
At balls he was my partner for the
mazurka; at concerts he was always
behind my chair, and when out driving
his open carriage, in which, with the aid
of the famous cloak, he was super6ly
lrapcd, passed and rcpasscd before mine
ten times or more. Whatrcsistancc could
offer to so much fascination?
Nevertheless, there could benO question
of my marrying Count Alexis. My dearest
enemies took too much pains to induce
me to accept him, and my real friends,
those who had passed the age of haming,
were too urgent in their discussions.
Count Alexis was an Incompatible cava-
here scrVantc, but he was over head and
ears in debt, and, moreover, great rake,
it was said. He would have been, it
seems, one Of those husbands who turn
their backs on their wives at the end of Il
week of married life! had y son, and |
owed ii 10 him to keep his fathers fortune
intact; if remarked it should be to a
steady and prudent man, who would
make good use of our moncy-in short |
could not marry Count Alexis. Every
one was agreed on that point, lamong the
very first.
Yes; but he was charming. His black
ewes, his stories of the Caucasus-at that
time only spoken of with poctical enthu-
siasnl-his very tollies had an irresistible
charm for me. Every evening | met him
somewhere, and if, in sensible moment,
staid ut home, at about 10 o'clock he
would be announced, and beg for the favor
of cup of tca-cOuld refuse it to him?
| granted it, and these talks, by the sOf-
tened light of the lamp, in the solitude of
my little drawing.rooni, seemed to be more
dangerous than all the rest. felt the
danger so much that one night forbade
him to return. He protested with his
usual cloquence.
"No," / said to him, sit is useless; all
this leads to nothing; we are losing our
time, you in asking me, ! in defending
myself. My dear Count, you are irresiti-
Bile, but will never marry you"
Alexis assumed tragic air that became
him admirably.
"Accursed fortune" murmured he,
"that places a gulf between you and mel
| WHY are you not poor? With what joy
would | not have hailed you as my wite!"
shook my head.
at is not my fortune, answered; ''lt
is the little trust that can be placed in
you"
SIN me? what a calumny! cried my
lover, bounding.
He leaned against the mantel-picce and
declaimed some verses that described the
state of his soul. He was superb thus,
and his eyes magnctized me.
"You are a mdurdiS Snjet," said, smil-
ing, but with downcast eyes, for feel my
self giving way; "you are adored by all
women, and it is too much to be loved by
one."
He smiled in his turn. A rose was
blooming in glass of water on the table
beside me; it was he who had brought it
to me. He took it and scattered the petals
at my feet.
"All before one" said he. pointing to
the perfumed rose leaves strewn on the
carpet.
was in very bad taste perhaps; |
cannot tell; it was puerile, declamatory,
and meant nothing into the bargain, but,
thanks to the black eyes and to the poetry,
! felt deeply moved.
go awayl" said in low voice.
This was acknowledging myself unable
to continue the struggle. The Count un-
derstood it, and threw himself at my feet.
"What are you doing?" l cried; ''you
are mad. Some one will come in-you
will compromise me"
| Alexis was great good. d.for-nothing, but
he was not stupid. He got up immedi.
ately, sat down at semi-respectful dis.
tance, and began TO deliver me speech
He recited it very well, thanks, suppose,
to u long habit of drawing it from his
memory alta given moment, He spoke oI
the fatal chains Of society, of the slavery
Of its servants, of the small thanks ont
! got from the world for submitting to III
fantastic laws-here he paused-of the in
etfable 10y of talking open-hearted to