The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1881-01-15
A STORY OF A NIGHT.
BY MARY REED CROwELL.

Inc ocean HOUSE pdElOTS were CTO"u-
ed that lovely August night, and Nor
daunt Leslie leaned against one OF the
windows In a lazy, lounging attitude,
that betokened very faint interest IN
the gay merry-making that was going
on, in the exquisite music of the band,
to which scores of feet were making
rythmic fail IN the graceful evolutions of
the tr0is temps, or even IN the bevy of
pretty, deliberately dressed women who
passed by his post OF relief Like the
swift, brilliant changes Of a kaleido-
scope.
He was fine looking fellow, dressed
IN the regulation evening costume, and
looked every inch the refined, well-bred
gentleman he was. Just now, however,
there was a very perceptible deepening
of a shadow that had been growing on
his handsome face ever since a day,
month ago, when he had been presented
to Violet Verne.
Just now there was almost q hopeless
despair In the deep set splendid gray
eyes, as a slight fairy-like creature gIided
slowly, gracefully past him in the dance
"a girl with eyes that matched her
name-tender, loving eyes, whose violet
tints deepened to almost liquid darkness,
as she looked up at him, half-smiling,
half-adoring, as she came within the
reach of his ardent, gloomy eyes.
He was conscious Of q sutfocating
quickening of his heart-beats; he was
conscious Of a wild, passionate yearning
toward this slender, lovely girl, whose
face lighted so at light of him-whose
faintest flush set his heart madly throb-
bing; and the wild wishfulness and
yearning tenderness almost maddened
him with their savage strength; as he
watched her-a picture, in her navy blue
silk, with cardinal ribbons setting off SO
uniquely her piquant brunette beauty.
He compressed his lips with the stub
born determination of "a man who knows
he Is bound TO wage war with himself,
and not only to wage the war and fight
the battle, but gain an undoubted vic
tory. He looked after her one long, long
minute, and then turned resolutely away,
to almost gasp for breath as he saw
Olympia Osmond's face smiling in his
Olympia Osmond, the fair, stately, yell
low-haired girl, who wore on her finger
the blazing solitaire his hands had placed
there, three months before, when he had
ASKED ucT 10 De Ills VIE.
It had been pleasant enough wooing.
MIR. Leslie had been attracted TO her by
her evident supreme disregard of him
whom women were prone to make good
deal of, en account of his god-iike beauty
and kingly presence, no less than his
fabulous wealth and high social position.
He admired Miss Osmond for her IN
deniable beauty, regular, girlish fea-
lures, as cold and passionless in express
sion as perfect in outline. Then her
disregard for him piqued him, all I'M
used as he was to being disregarded.
Then, when some one told him that Miss
Osmond had said she disapproved high
ly of penniless girls making market OF
their charms to entrap wealthy hus-
bands, and that she for one should lead
the crusade in favor of reform on that
score, then MOrdaunt Leslie thought the
time and the woman had come, and ne
deliberately set himself to win this fair
haired passionless girl, who was 80 diff
cult to WOO that the task gained In i'm.
portance, and man-iike, the wooer gained
in eager determinedness, until the
fortress finally yielded, and Miss Osmond
blushingly acknowledged her detection
from the ranks of the crusade she ha6
avowed her intention of leading.
Leslie had been content; nothing
more, for his heart had only been super
ficially touched His pride was graft
fed at owning such a splendid creature
as Olympia Osmond, and at being
| envied by other less fortunate men; and
there it stopped, although his manner
was perfect to the beautiful woman, who
moved SO regally grand through hi
magnifcently appointed household.
SO he had been perfectly content; an(
! had told himself he had not the capabll
! itv of ardent, intense love for any WON
an, and had played the lover very agree
/ ably to bis betrothed, and had his car
riages and horses at the sea-shore for he
especial beneft-while her cross ole
! aunt. In q thankfulness that Olympic
would soon be off her hands for good
made an extra effort and dressed the gil
like princess, and made her the belle O
the Branch-unt1 Miss Verne came
heralded by newspaper correspondents
who described her looks, her manners
her toilette, her carriage and her pair
her Jewels, until all the men were on til
Qui UiUe OF dying curiosity, and tn
I
wrought envy.
She came-a tiny little lady, as unas
Stunning as lovely, as graciously sweet q
dianifed, who took male and femal
hearts alike by storm, and who mad
Mordaunt Leslie almost mad for love {
her; who taught him, all SO late, that hi
real true love had slept the enchante
sleep, until Violet Verne's dainty hand
had broken the spell.
That was the condition of affairs tina
lovely August night, when Mordaur
Leslie turned away from looking ate
the girl who was like light to his eyes
and who met the cool, placid face of th
woman he was to marry In less than
; month.
Miss Osmond was leaning gracefully 0
gentleman's arm-a stranger to Lesl
) and Miss Osmond quietly introduce
!. the two.
J. s.NT,,.1o,4Dt tEis Is Mr. Ha1vorooo q