The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-04-29

beaITlccs my love, SAW 'hS'
better sit on the veranda, where II Is coo,er.
am going up stairs for few minutes.
The two exchanged glances, ana as MINI
Bcaton moved of in one direction beaI.I1e
f,oated towards two chairs standing so close
together that they seemed to have caught
some of the loving spirit OF the happy cou-
plc who had last occupied them. Before
Victor had reached the house the yoWng
Girl had concealed the unromantic ioSm
or one OF the chairs beEind her gatl1y Out
annie skirts, and was already become n
mart az the scene. As Victor ascenued
the steps and his eyes met those OF pea,
trice graceful yet slight movement Q!
her hand seemed to invite him TO seat
hc her eide. The cbair was still 'eN,se 10
her She did not move 1t, nor did ElctoI
as No seated himself. He noticed the calm
rornso with which the moonlight invested
The cirPs form, save that the amber seads OF
her necklace rose and fell as lishstly as
when they were kissed by the waves OF the
Baltic sea: and he became SO ABSORBED tlat
he started when Beatrice said, owe so to
town in a few days"
q So soon :" exclaimed Victor.
yes" Beatrice replied sadly yet like
this place so much. Perhaps-pcrhaps II
is because of the pleasant acquaintsnces 1
have formed here"
Victor sighed. =.
al think | also will be obliged to leavc,'
he murmured.
con, will YOU 2" cried Beatrice, eagerly.
"Will you 60 to town with mamma ana
me2"
ooh, yes. certainly" answered Victor.
"Thcn that is settled" exclaimed the
Young girl as she arose, shook out her skir's
and with them cloud of perfume. "Let
us then 60 down TO the brook once more
while it is moonlight"
Arm in arm they walked slowly down tBe
path that led 10 the stream. The touch OF
that soft hand lying on his arm and the
sweep OF the light skirts about him as they
moved gently thrilled Victor, and he felt
that after all women would average better
than men. and that the airy, gentle creature
ut his side, fond Of Irritation as she might
he. would need to be wooed shyly and won
almost in spite OF herself
As they reached the creek Beatrice seated
herself on the grassy bank. and Victor re-
clncd lazily beside her. Opposite to them
the moon was going down, and its rcficc-
ton in tie wafer seemed TO be gently
swaying bridge OF silver, inviting them TO
pass over it into Il lovers paradise beyond;
alt cit. it might be q FOOLS paradise.
81 shall never forget this brook, where
YOU caught me rs ii were il mermaid,
Monsieur Pau lenon," said Beatrice. "lou
must have thought me silly that day
Victor raised his hand dcprccainS'y.
"Ah, confess" continued she; 4" didn't
you think NE silly"
"Remcmbcr my intirmity, Mademol-
scllc." answered Victor sadly.
"Pardon me- she responded. 81 am
very needless. You are the last one TO
whom would give pain and she paused.
Then she continued: but it seems as II
had received more light within few
weeks"
"And sweetness, too" added Victor.
"And light and sweetness, according to the
poet, arc all that a modern soul needs"
Kit seems to me-" murmurcd Beatrice.
"as if there were something more needed
"And that isl"
"Wby. love. Don't you believe in love,
Monsieur Par,cnon?"
"Oh, yes; OF course. Everybody does,
you know. Are you in love, Mademol-
scle Z"
Yes-why--I dou't know. What do
you mean. Mon:icur!"
Victor made no response, and Bcatlic"
continued: You startled me so when you
asked me that. Somehow am not my own
self tonight"
Whose self ore you:" asked Victor.
"Somc ones elsc!"
Her beautiful eyes met his gaze, softly
murmurcd "Yes" escaped her lips, and size
half put up her mouth for a kiss-the most
delicate way in which q woman cln express
her love, as Beatrice well knew.
There was no need OF further lingering
by the creek, and the pair took their way
to the pension, Beatrice hanging on Fictol'S
arm in all the glory of full possession. They
parted at the foot OF the stairs with aSmpc
Goodnight" AS Beatrice reached the
top of the staircase she looked down, ana
seeing Victor gazing thou@htfuly after her,
she threw him kiss and Disappeared. She
entered her mothers room, and threw her.
self, breathlcss, into chair.
"Wel!, Beatrice" cried Madame Ecaton,
inquirinsly.
= lie is as good as married to me, mo-
Their"
"Thank Heaven !" exclaimed the widow.
deyoutly, "that much is off my hands,"
Women are privileged to jump at conclu-
sionS except in the exact sciences; and mar
riage is not vet an exact science.
Victor passed an uneasy night, and his
mind was filed with regrets.
The next morning Nine. Bcaton searched
for and caught Victor before breakfast. She
made an attempt 10 embrace him, crying:
Monsieur Parlcnon, Victor, the dear
girl has told me all; and am so happy, so
proud"
"To what do you rcfer:" he stammcred.
ITO what do | rcfer!" she repeated.
lis it possible you have been tritiing with
my chiid's affections! But no: It cannot
be; the very thought would Kill me-"
II am afraid, Madame" Victor managed
to say, "that there Is some mlsapprchcn-
slon."
Misapprchcnsio !" she cried excited
". "Do you refuse TO acknowledge that
YOU engaged yourself to my daughter:'
yes" flanticaliy cried Victor; and
darling past his would-be mother-in-aw he
rushed TO his room.
Nine. Beaon struck her mouth sayagcly
with her cIenchcd hand. After all her
schening and plannin" she had put her cru
cial question in the wrong form, and Victor
had taken advantage OF If. Before she
could collect her thoughts Fic;cr had left
the pension. He was soon followed by
| Madame and her dau tighter; but the two be-
in.S whose mutual dcstinicS depended upon
Il monoSyllable never met again.
De La Natyr'S ur0noSltion for the issue