The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-03-30

her rival Agae the fine new maid who had
eoms express from Paris to supersede her In
this critical time It was Marthe's wHg Of
tho head Mt sight Of the young men that
aroused the ladies' to their presence. and
startled Aglas. who had just gathered M lie.
Angelluue's hair into one thick shining bunch
between her two hands, into letting H. fall
again over the chair back. where II spread IT.
self out. and dropped down In great glossy
sweep ~ the lloor.
"Ah ah II cried madame, with good
natured pooh, chitdr' forcing Angeque
back into her seat, and signing ~ hgiae to
make MI end Of her work: "so you are pfyiGg,
are you. good-for-notbings2 Well well, you
| are pafdoned. come in"
ut is little your own fault, after all,
tempt curious eyes thus ndiserestly."
a,a ag Tffga aad yo ad % foo win"
his involuntary glance. almost. q pity,
humanity speaking, liz It not, to deliver such
hair Ia tho convent shears All, well, the
greater the sacrifice tho more hcgepfhn'e
Eut since the little ono must lose IL, Wish IL
were Ceoile's." :.
For to him that hath shall more be given,
murmured Angelidue, fixing her LIQUID gray
eyes, brilliant with strange feverish ilfe. on
the opposite wall.
apt sho Ia with her teHtsr' laughed madame.
tWsll, child, you unworldly women have nj
least this advantage over us worldly ones.
that you never seem to grow old -,,,
NO. said Ceclle, who was rathsr lnoiihsu
81 pout over the implied slight To her own
raven tresses. 1T Is their holiness preserves
them. no doubt but It seems to mo nuns stay
the same forever, like fiios 10 honey
Meantime the evening of Angeliques htst
appearaDre was close ut hand " WIS nj ~
hall Mt the prefecture. nnd most Of the people
If any n9te IN the neighbnrhood were pres
snf An excellent Occasion for demgtsetes u
mnrter; but although neither 81 to9 10 tsho-
mont sisters brlOnged To THIS clnse, thelr
lpauty nade them remarked. Deciie was
already known IN this society. and her bru.
netts b,iIlnncy produced all It's usual
effect Az for Angellque, 10 nadhtnes OK
ceeding surprise, Hhs was quite tho sensa-
tlon 81 the evening. This slender, shadowy
Rirl, In the hot-houss atmosphere OF excite
ment, Of light aud sound and fragrance,
flashed forth into intense beauty, fevhrlsh and
fragile Of tho peculiar type admired by hcr
nation. Her largo gray eyes true French
dnfkeped till tho dllated pupil and outer violet
circle mnda tho eolorlesg iris hetwsen look
like pure light; her lips glOwed as rcd ms
wine IN the palIUr Of her face. aud the rnhsses
~ Dor magnificent fair hnir SO disposed ma to
display their abundance, gave her n sort ~
ethereal moonbeam radiance. People turned
10 look after her. and many were the ques-
lions asked, and iu1ny the pretenders to her
hand even after they had learned who and
what she WINS A dowerless girl, when she
Wll8 HE tWnlLlIHI HE IIlR one. WIS very VIGIL
for mn evenings amusement, . divided IL went
no further. 81 the little novice had almost
mn embarrassment OF partners. aud listened
to much language not of kind set down In
any convent manual.
'You have made aucccs f0u, Strur Angs-
Iiaue" said madame, when they wero rolling
homeward In the early morning who would
have thought IL was IN you, you little nun
IT you only had n dowry, nowr'
Out Of The darkness De Mnrcnye heard n
long shveiing Sigh. Augellque was cold
perhaps, In her corner.
Can you not got on faster PierreY' he said,
impatiently. looking out at the eoachman,
who was guiding his horses ut q strange IN
even Jog along tho dusky road. Mon Dieai
tho fellow Inns been drnkingl' he exclaimed,
springng up and forcing open the door OF the
carriage, which nj the moment, with one final
lurch, tumbed over the slope among the
bramblea below.
First mn utter blank, then n sharp sting Of
pain. and then De Marcaye found himself
half sitting up, with his head resting against
his friends shoulder, and his right arm doi-
blsd helpless, where he had fallen ON II. The
glimmerng lamps Of the second carriage,
which had contained Cecile, her chaperon
and st. Esteyan, from the road above, where
II had halted uncertainty ilumined tho spot,
bringing out, like 80 many shadows, the sent
tered groups-the two servants near tho
bank busy with the fallen earriage; In tbs
background madame and her friend. Mime.
Duchesne, with Angelique. white and still,
and Cecile weeping Historically.
For Heavens sake, Cccile, save thy tears
for u more convenient timer said madame,
almost sharply. Then, passing behind st.
Estevan, she whispered In his ear, Say
nothing, but help me 10 get Angelique home
quickly. ] fear some Internal injury. though
Ehe says nothing. IT you can hasten those
snals yonder with the carriage, / will sup
port CASTOR"
Acting on madame's suggestion, the young
man yielded his place beside De Marcaye, not
yet fully restored to consciousness, and pres
entity urged on by st. EstevaD. the convey
ance, sinRularly little the worse for It's mis-
hap, stood ready. The ladies' were packed
together In one carriage, with Nine. Du-
chcsne's coachman on the box, while CASTOR
was placed In the other, with Pierre, con-
siderably sobered by the fright. for support,
st. EsJevan having volunteered TO take the
reIns. In such fashion ended Angelique's
first ball
But, alas poor AngelIque, that was not tho
end for her Nadame's fears had proved true,
and for weeks Angclique lay In the grasp Of
a violent fever, her dellrious fancy constantly
retraclng the scene. with always the same
heart-breaklng moan. Madame, with devo-
ton astonishing to those who knew the suf-
ferer's slight claim upon her, gave up every
thing else TO nurse AngeliQue, from whose
chamber she rigfdly excluded every disturb
ing influence, until reason had returned and
the girl was pronounced out OF danger. Then
madame dawned upon the outer world again,
which was pronounced to have been going
generally wrong since her eclipse. CASTOR,
Notwithstanding that his arm seemed to have,
been doing well, looked pale and thin; Cecile
was peevish and inclined to be hysterical
when contradlcted; while st. Estevan
came and went, with dismal face
that, madame averred, dealt upon
her nerves. Altogether she declared that It
was a cheerless house. and that she had half
a mind to run away and leave the SKIES and
sevens to sort themselves. "And positively
the only reason whyI do not" she continued,
sis that sick child yonder; and CeciIe, little
ungrateful! whose future | charged myself
with, and who now repays me by bristling
like Lii at a word. All, well, marriage will
do much, Udi and pr0pos OF that, CASTOR, l
desire q little serious conversation with you. +"
Serious conversation is the bane Of life, -
retorted her nephew, laughing; ''and IL you
are the adorable little aunt | think you, you
will spare me business at present. But, par
don me- there Is Eugene, with whom | have
an engagement" And with hurried saluta-
ton he left the room. Madame looked after
the two young men, and nodded with CON-
pressed lips.
I'VE will see," she muttered: call In good