The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-12-31
THE UNL0ED WIFE.
BIZ MRS. E. D. E. ssoUrHwonrH.
CHAPER /. or.
Sir Knight, of IL fair courtesie,
Ten me whetlr dark or bright,
Or little loved, eloyed Alright,
rs fha fare of ~ Taf1fa 49,

4
/ e. B. BRowNNe.
1t was splendid sectacle, that famous
masquerade ball, With was given as the
valedictory of the oltand the salutatory o.
the new year, at the pening of one of the
most brilliant seasonour national capita
had ever seen.
A great war had eded.
A renowned militsy commander was a
the head of our government, with a coun
Gil selected from amng the most eminen
statesmen of the naDn, and a diplomatic
] corps of the most dtinguished ministers
1 from foreign countrss. -ol5
Certain illustriouspersonages of roya
rank or lineage brazilian emperor, {
| Russian grand dukGand a Bourbon prince
were among the tansient and honored
guests of the city. 1i-o
1 Besides these, thru were gathered at the
capital the usual HfHier multitude of noted
politicians, finansers, authors, artists
| beaux, beauties, lSders of fashion and
queens of society.
Conspicuous amstg these bright lights
of the world, were Two who were termed
one the Zion" and he other the belle" OF
| the season.
They were both yung, handsome, gift
| ed, and one was wealthy.
| The name Of theirst mentioned was
| Tudor Hereward. II was an accomplished
| scholar, an eloquentrator rising states
man, and although lit twenty seven years
| of age, he was alreaq an able party leader
in the National Houe Of Representatives
In person he was tai fair and stately.
| His dress was alwys faultlessly neat,
and even fastidiouslyd ainty.
His manners were reserved and cold
except when he was armed up in debate
on the floor of the Touse of Represents
tives, when he woui often seem to be
tranfiguEed and insred with splendid
and burning eloquene. Men predictet,
for him an illustrious future. He was
now, as has been sal, the 'lion" of the
season.
The ''belle" of the vinter was Leda Won
kirschberg, the onlychild and heiress of
Jacob Won kirschber, head of the great
banking house of tina name.
She was a beautiful stately blonde, with
brilliantly blooming cmplexion, sparkling,
pouting ruby lips, a1i shining, ripping
auburn hair. III.
Her dresses were IL happiest ''inspira-
tions" of Worth and If Pingen, and the
envy and despair of hr rivals Her man
ners were at once diei1ied and gracious.
So much for the soial status and per-
sonal appearance of he ''lion" and the
belle" of that resplenent scene and sea-
son.
To say that nearly 4 the young ladies
were more or less Infatuated with the
lion, and that quiteall the young men
were in love with the belle" would be
but faint statement O. the situation
And that these two vere utterly devoted
to each other was too apprentice all.
But ahi 1.-THE course { true love--there
was an insurmountable bstacle in the way
of its happy terminatiolin marriage.
The belle of the seaso was betrothed
maideni
The fact was not gencaly known, for
1t had not been ostentatDusly announced
in the society column ofthe newspapers
but Miss Won Kirschberg was really en-
gagged to be married to d. Nicholai 3ruin
a millionaire, much richie and very much
Older than her own fathe.
So you seei
The ancient bridegroor-expectan had
not come with the widowed father and
motherless daughter to Washington, so
that few in the city kndv 81 the great
mans existence, and none knew of his re
ations TO the beauty and hiress.
Least of all did Tudor Hdsward, her de
voted knight, suspect thelrlth. For if he
lad done so, be sure that hi5f1ne sense of
honor would have forbidden aim to tres
PASS on the sacred rights bf a betrothed |
over by too marked atbeIIins to the be- |
rothed maiden.
No! Tudor Hereward was ignorant in |
seeking and innocent in winning the inn |
FASHIONED heart of Leda Voi Kirschberg. |
Why she had concealed tb fact Of her
engagement, and Thy she had |
and even il1viteethe exclusive I
attentions of Mr. Here%ard, is, perhaps, |
lot difficult to understand.
In the first instance it sas probably
othing more than vanity prmpted her to
eek to seek to attract and 1onopolize the
ttentions of the most brilliant society
nan at the capital. Possibls she meant
% harm at all, and had no ultimate OBJ
ect in view. But she who lays at ''flirt-
1g" plays with fire
Before she was well awarof the truth,
he had not only captivated the famous
Dung statesman, but she hd irreyocably
'st, to him. her own heart
But that she had no intention of giving
i'm her hand was soon guiteapparent.
The night of the last day il the old year,
he night of@the misrepresentation. given by
enator D., IN his splendid nov mansion IN
he northwest quarter of thecity. was des-
ned TO decide their fate
Miss Won Kirschberg and Mr.. Tudor
ereward were, of course. among the in
ted guests
He took no character. 1t would not
ave been in harmony with his proud, fas-
iious nature to play anypart, or at least,
~ conspicuous part in such a harlequin
lie. II
lie merely covered his usual evening
ess with an inscrutable black domino of
,e cashmere, and his handsome face with |
black mask of fine velvet II
Shelly some subtitle sympathy divining I
8 thoughts and intentions on the subject 1
also eschewed the queens, gypsies peas t
Is, nuns, and nights and mornings, into
aieh the ladies would try TO transform
emselves for one evening only, and over a
dress she were a white silk domino,
q over her fair face white mask of satin a
d lace o
Neither had received any intiInation OF !
others disguise, yet the same subtle j
npathy which had directed their costume n
the evening brought them together "
'ough the immense crowd ff maskers h
Z filled all the reception roo1ps, dancing Y
ms, supper rooms, and conseryatories, b
] oyerfiowed into the hallss balconies, \