The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1881-09-08
tbs RkIDE OF THE CARNIVAL.

Does she renlly love me?" said Captain
Ernst Won Steinberg, aid de- CAMP to King
Louis of Batavia, as he left the presence of
the young and beautiful Baroness Anna
von Gratfenberg, the belle of Munich, "or
is she the heartless coquette which COM
mon rumor makes har?"
AS he passed down the staircase, he en- =
countered the baroness pretty French
chambermaid, Lisette.
| "Lisette, you ere looking charminely to-
day-do you know it?" 't-'~assS
"My mirror told me so this morning. -
said the soubrette, looking up boldly into
his face. r..
What lips! what eyes and whats fgure!'
said the soldier. But, do sou know. I
think you would look infinitely. prettier in
lavender silk robe, with cherry colored
ribbons?"
VERY possible, monsieur" answered the
waiting maid; "but that costs money-ar,?,
how is poor girl like me to dress like a
Lady,"
Il have thought II that difficulty" said
Fam add have provided a rem edy.
! WI. you allow mo to present you with q
I slight token of my gratitude end admir-
htion:"
/ As he srcke he drew forth little net
silk purse, through the 'interstices OF which
several newly coined god pieces showed
their pleasant, brilliant countenances.
Lise:te eyes reflected their brightness"
| Monsieur is altogether too generous, "
she said.
But the little white fingers clasped the
! g|itter:ug Offering, and conveyed it to one
of the pockets OF the coquettish black silk
apron that she wore,
Now, tell me, 1isette, is your mistress
morrow night?"
| "Ah, but that ia great secret, monsieur,
which promised not to reveal" replied
the Parisienne, archly, laying her fingers
on her lips.
"She is gaing them" said Ernst.
Monsieur says SO" answered the sou.
bret:e, smiling.
"And what else did your mistress charge
you to keep recset?" asked the officer,
smiling in his turn.
! "That she was going to wear rone- colored
domino, with bunch Of sky blue ribbons
onthe right shoulder" replied the waiting
maid, htlrriedly, and she ran upstairs, az
if to avoid further catechizing, fully salts
ted that her indiscretlon had been an ample
offset to the adds. camps present.
| 'EiJ SCON, Mtuh1l0 ANNA, SAID the
young officer to himself. II have now re-.
coinnoitered to the ground, and I shall
know where to open my trenches. Ais
cir In love aud war. And now TO my friend,
the sculptors-if his ingenuity aid me, my
success will be certain"
On the night of the masked ball the ROYAL
palace OF Munich was q blaze of ]lpbt.
Every window glowed as If the interior
were q mass of fire, and the brilliant raw
streaming forth upon the night, fell on the
glitteripg helmets, breast plates and sabers
OF the mounted cuiraieiers, OF were reflect.
ed from the ,bnyonets OF detachment OF
the infantry Of the line drawn up as a guard
OF honor in the square without.
! Chamberlains stood at the entrance of
the palace, and files of lackeys, with wax
tapers tlaring in the evening air, shed al
most the light OF day on the grand stair
case. Carriage after carriage rolled up ia
succession, With their living freights Of
beauty and youth and as light feet fell like
snow fakes on the carpeted marble, as
graceful forms vanished within the portals,
the ears OF the bystanders were lulled by
the pleasant rushing of silks, while the
breeze was perfumed bya thousand deli
cate odors.
But if such were the external manifesto
tons Of the fete, how far more brilliant and
beWildering was the interior of the palace
OF pleasure! H,w those lofty halls glowed
with the dazzling effulgence of thousands
OF wallpapers! How softly beautiful we're
the marble statues that graced the inches,
lined the corridors, and looked down from
their pedestals on the grand ballroom
How Orientalin their magnidcence were the
gorgeous drapcries of velvet and satin, with
fringes Of gold bullion, but above all. what
music streamed on the enchanted air from
an orchestra composed of hundred of the
best inhtrumentalists in the city! And the
life, the animation of the throngs that filled
that brilliant saloOn-who shall describe it,
Ernest Won Steinberg, who looked but
tor one person in that brilliant multitude,
was so masked and mufaed that his disguise
was perfectly impenetrable. Therefore,
when he found the rose- colored domino at
last, he hesitated not to address her.
! Good evening, fair mask" F..
Good evening, gallant cavalier. But
how know you that am fair?''
Were to pronounce you the fairest
IN Munich, none would dispute your title. "
| DO you know me?"
The belle OF Munich hides her face in
vain," answered Ernest. s'That ininita-
| ole. foot and hand are her betrayers,"
You may be mistaken, after all" 10.
Il cannot be, and claim the ha.d. said
Ernest; "and viii find employment for that
! DAINTY loot, The music sounds; let's away
to the Dance"
Il believe my band is promised already, "
answered the fair one, $50 take it quickly
before some one disputes the prize with
you"
The next minute they were whirlinp
round the vast saloon to music that MIGHT
keep dancers on their feet for life. Anna
leaned upon the shoulder of her partner.
and he breathed in her ear words that she
could not listen to without thrill of pleas
ure.
At the conclusion of the dance Ernest
led her into side room,s in which they
! found themselves quite alone.
"You persist, then, said the lady, in call
ing me the Baroness Won Graffenbere."
II had doubted before, your dancing
would have convinced me. The leader Of
the Sylphides is known by her step"
! Well, you have guessed right. And ROW.
IN return for my confidence, may request
you to raise your mask?" ::
II can refuse you nothing, >" said Ernest
Won Steinberg. -
be raised lis mask as he spoke, and dis
closed to the astonished gaze of the baron
:ess. the Well known. features Of King Louis.
of Bavaria: '~- e%7
"B1t I thought you assured us that the
cavalier was Captain Ernest Won Steinberp!'
exclaimed the reader.
| = Let us explain, To give additional zest