The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-02-25
A QUEER PARTY

IjiCJ SOBuSs SIlCV VIC vi q
group of young men who were amusing
themselves by watching the driving, one
bright May day, in the Champs Elysees,
Paris. You will see that she never
lifts her vail or moves her head"
And the ogre who accompanies her
does not address a single word to her. l
have watched them"
A young American-a musical student
of the conservatoife-who had been idly
Ilumming a strain from "Trovatore"-
Mon ii scorfar di me?"-turned at the
words to see who was coming.
He saw a handsome coupe. distin-
guishcd-looking gentleman, who wore
some orders on his breast, and by his
side dazzlingly beautiful woman. The
fair head rose from among the velvet
and lace wrappings like q moss-rose
from the caressing moss. The delicate
tints of her complexion were not hidden
hv the gauzy vail that covered her face.
The large blue eyes seemed fixed in some
strange melancholy; the red lips never
parted for word or smile. The wind
lifted a curl of golden hair now and
then, but no other movement stirred it.
"Such statuesque repose!" said one.
"She's deaf and dumb" cried another.
No woman could be so lifeless"
She's insane, and the mans her
kcepcr!" exclaimed another.
She's frozen!" cried student from
the Latin Quarter.
Gentlemen" said the first speaker,
my theory is that some great tragedy
has broken her heart. The man with
her is her husband and tyrant. He
has, perhaps. murdered her lover, and
knowing all holds her fast by the guilty
secret. The poor child's life is blighted.
She goes through its daily forms like a
machine--she is. in fact. nothing more
than cunning mechanism. Feeling.
thought, hope, Joy and sorrow, are all
dead. To gain the diadems of the
world she would not lift an eyelid; to
set her foot on thrones she would not
raise it. I would give five hundred
francs 10 know the truth"
Lemoine, are you in earnest?" cried
the student, eagerly. II know you are
one OF the lucky dogs who scatter gold
as the leaves in autumn-but is this
bona fide?"
Eyes! Francois here shall hold the
stakc-whichever Of you fellows brings
me an authentic story shall have it, all
fair and above board"
The young American, Ray Glenmor-
gan. hesitated a moment, and then ad-
dressed the speaker:
"Wll you admit stran ger to your
ranksa I, too. feel an Unsuitable curios-
ity on the subject and"
The moneyed party glanced at the
handsome young fellow as he faltered,
and took in the whole story. His clothes
were shabby TO a degree, but the face
was full of genius and hope.
La pauvre diable % he thought; che
would be glad of p chance for the re-
ward. Certainly, monsieur" he cried,
heartily; eve welcome you to our
ranks; we are the Knights of Hope
less Quest, but we will 60 out gallantly
to3the fray. Here is<my card"
"And here mine,' answered Ray. Il
am an American"
".Ah! that l have perceived by the
flavor Of monsieur's French" answered
the other with a smile, and then Ray
bowed and walked on.
Strange how the face of that woman
haunted him. The steadfast, immov-
able face, where all the life of hope
seemed indeed dead for ever. And yet
there was a wild-rose bloom on the
cheek, and the lips were red and full.
The sorrow, whatever it was, had not
wasted or changed the soft, round out
lines. or drawn dark lines of grief be-
meath the. lovely eyes, or paled the fresh
colsr of the young face.
Hemust know something more of her.
Perhaps the man was not her husband,
and then he might re. .en Sc the beautiful
creature from some hateful bond OF
slavery.
What strange sweet airs stole out be.
meath his hands that evening as he
turned his fantasies into music.
He had always set his dreams tc
music; but now-now it seemed for the
first time that
"He heard strange melodies around Linn roll
Sudden and sweet as when
Theetars Of morning sung, and from his soul
Uprose the glad Amenn
And as OF old statue thrilled to song
At rising OF the sun,
He felt within. his soul, silent so long,
Liie's music had begun"
He forgot al the perplexities that haf
been haunting him all day, the rent tha
he owed, the hunger that had gnawec
his vitals, the signs OF decay in his
habiliments, ina sort of ecstatic dream
wherein the blue-eyed divinity turned
and blushed and smiled on him.
But he was brought sharply out O
his vaearies by a peculiarly incisivt
voice, and turned to face q grenadier
looking female. in q high, smoky-look
ing Normandy cap, surmounting a sal
low countenance. pair of sharp blacl
eues q mouth FURNISHED with proiectin!