The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1881-11-18
5fliscrl
The Bride of the Carnival.

"Does she really love me 2" said Captain
Ernest Won Steinberg, aid-de-camp to King
Louis of Batavia as he left the presence of
the young and beautiful Baroness Anna Won
Grafenberg, the belle of Munich, cor is she
the heartless coquctte which common rumor
makes her y
AS he passed down the staircase, he en-
countered the baroness pretty French cham
Der maid, Lisette.
"Llsette, you are looking charming to. day
do you know it?
MY mirror told me so this morning" said
the soubrette, looking up boldly into his
face
"What lips what eyes and what figure"
said the soldier. But do you know, think
you ABldloQk infinitely prettier in la,ven,,
ribbons"
Every possible, monsieur" answered the
waiting maid; "but that will cost money
and how is poor girl like me to dress like
LADY,"
II have thought of that difficulty" said
Ernest, "and so | have provided remedy
Will you allow me to present you with
slight token of my gratitude and adnira-
tion?"
As he spoke he drew forth a little net silk
purse, through the nterstices of which some
gold pieces showed their pleasant brilliant
countenances. Lisettes eyes reflected their
brightness.
"Monsieur is altogether too generous" she
said
But the little white fingers clasped the
glitterng offering, and conveyed it to one OF
the pockets ofthe coquettsh silk apron that
she wore.
"Now, tell me, Lisette, is your mistress
going to the masked ball at the palace to-
morrow night ?"
"Ah, but that is great secret, monsieur,
which promised madame not to reveal, re-
piled the Parisienne, archly, laying her fling
ers on her lips.
"She is going, then ?" said Ernest
"Monsieur says so, answered the soubrette,
smiling
"And what else did your mistress charge
you to keep secret ~ asked the officer, smil-
ing in his turn.
THAT she was going to wear rose colored
domino, with bunch of sky-blue ribbons on
the right shoulder" replied the waiting maid,
hurriedly, and she ran up as if to avoid fur
Their catechizing, fully satisfied that her inds-
erection had been an ample offset to the aid
de camps present
VERY good. Madame Anne" said the
young officer to himself. 81 have now re-
connoitered the ground, and | shall know
where to open my trenches. Ais fair in love
and war. And now to my friend, the sculp-
tor's-if his ingenuity aid me, my success will
be certain
On the night of the masked ball the royal
palace of Munich was blaze oflight Every
window glowed as ifthc interior were mass
of fire, and the brilliant rays, streaming forth
upon the night, fell on the glittering helmets,
breast plates and sabres of the mounted
curassiers, or were reflected from the bayon-
| cts of q detachment ofthe infantry ofthe line,
drawn up as a guard of honor in the square
without.
Chamberains stood at the entrance of the
passage, and files of lackeys, with wax TIA
pers iiaring in the evening air, shed almost
the light of day on the grand staircase. Car
riage after carriage rolled up in succession,
with their living freghts of beauty and youth,
and as light feet fell like snow-flakes on the
carpeted marble, as graceful forms vanished
within the portals, the ears of the bystanders
were lulled by the pleasant rustling OF silks,
while the breeze was perfumed by a thousand
delicate odors.
But if such were the external manifesto
tons of the fctc, how far more brilliant and
bewildering was the interior of the palace OF
pleasure. How those lofty halls glowed with
| the dazzling efiulgence of thousands of wax
tapers. How softly beautiful were the mar
BILE statues that graced the inches, lined the
corridors and looked down from their pedcs-
tails on the grand ball loom. How Oriental
in their magniicence were the gorgeous dra-
peries of velvet and satin, with fringes of gold
bullion. But, above all, when music stream
ed on the enchanted air from an orchestra
composed of hundred of the best instrument
talists in the city. And the life, the ANNA.
ton of the throngs that filled the brilliant So
loon-who shall describe it2
Ernest Won Steinberg who looked but fol
one person in the brilliant multitude, was SC
masked and muffled that his disguise was i'm
penctrable. Therefore, when he found the
rose-colored domino at last, he hesitated moi
to address her.
Good evening, fair mask"
Good evening, gallant cavalier. But how
know you that L am far?"
"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. THAT inimitablt
foot and hand are her betrayers."
"You may be mistaken, after ALL"
81 cannot be, and l claim the hand" sale
| Ernest "and will find employment for tina