Sacramento daily record-union., 1881-11-05
CHAPTER 1.
THE RECEPTION.

hair, smiling serenely on bne paAo -1@oo -
blonde. seated in corner OF the sofa :!
yes"
"You would know him by sight, if you
were NOT so new to the city, Goodwin ;
for he is seen everywhere, and has really
a striking figure. He is Count Henri de
Barigucs, of very old and noble French
family. man of fine culture and great
fortune, it is said, and regular fsscinater
of women.
81 don't like his locke. He .impresses
me unp.easantIy.
That is. probably, because you are a
man. have always noticed that the men
who charm women ara seldom fayorites OF
their own sex"
The Count does not seem to have
charmed the blonde he is talking to-"
You're mistaken there. She is said
to be engaged to him. Indeed, hear they
are to be married the coming spring"
Impossible"
why impossible? What have you to
do with It, Goodwin! Have you ever seen
the young lady before p
''Not to my knowledge But I have
been observing her for some time. She
has, think, very interesting face, though
she is not exactly pretty. She seems to
dislike him, while she listens to him, as #
she were doing something against her will. u
g You're evidently trying to weave a
romantic story around that couple. Maybe
it is case Of horrible fascination some
evil genius and an angel of light, or some
thing of that sort-eh ?"
'' suppose I'm very foolish to be giving
my impressions, Archer. But can't help
feeling as hostile TO that man as feel
kindly to that girl. who appears to be
somehow in his power. Who is she ?"
" She is Miss Margaret Royden, only
daughter of w. Neville Royden, as he
writes his name, the rich President of the
Babylon Bank, regarded as an able fnan-
cier and model gentleman
g Margaret I like the name. Itmeans
pearl, you know. She seem like pearl of
women"
You're in a bad way, my dear boy.
You seem TO be half in love with her al
ready. But you're very young. When a
man isn't thirty, he's pretty apt to be
spooney on every new wouan's face, not
positively hideous. that he sees. I'm over
thirty. which is the age of wisdom. When
you're as old as 1, you'll be past senti-
mens."
g Nonsense, Archer! You're but three
years my senior; and can't fel-
low express the opinion that young
woman has an interesting face without be-
ing set down as spoon? may never see
and never think of Miss Royden again
"Oh yes, you never may; but you will,
in my Judgment. I've seen good deal of
life, and the symptoms in your case are
very marked. Do you want an e1otic di.
agnosis 2"
"No, I don't, Archer. Let's talk of
something else. am stranger in New
York, as you are aware, so far as society is
concerned. Are there any notables here
Point them out, please. If am to make
my home here, might as well begin my
ocular acquaintance.
''There are number of well known per-
sons in the room tonight. The company
is rather mixed; for our host is poll
tician, as you know, and cannot afford to
be very exclusive Northrup is a thorough
gentleman himself, man of very fastidi.
Gus taste: but he loves popularity, and
has TO pretend to like persons that he must
secretly despise. He wants to go to Con-
.gress, and l hope he'll get there. He'll
reflect credit on the city, which has
never reflected much credit on itself
by the kind of representatives it has
generally sent to Washington. That is
w. Neville Royden, leaning against the
wall, the very digni6ed, pompous-l looking
man with dark eyes, iron gray hair, par
tally bald. The lady, little to his right,
is his wife. She is very fashionable and
very high church. They say that she
won't allow her husband to kiss her during
Lent. She may think this notifying the
flesh but Royden doubtless enjoys oscu-
latory abstinences. l learn, privately,
that he is anxious that Lent should extend
through the whole year. The young man
with brown hair, parted in the middle, and
with glass in his eye, probably to prevent
his seeing well, is Philip Royden, who is,
hope, much more sensible than he shows,
with his dandifed ways and transparent
affectations. J"
"Who is the man promenading in the
music room with the lady in lavender
silk"
James Rivers, known as rising jour
nalist-did you ever meet risen journal
ist?-one of the fourth-page writers for the
Harbinger.
.sThe lady in lavender is the daughter
of our host, Miss Elise Northrup, des-
perate fiirt, it is said, and certainly pic.
turesqe, though looking as if she had been
grandly got-up for this special occasion.
l am told that she is very clever; that she
writes graceful verses, but has too much
Judgment to publish them, which is greatly
in her favor.
1.-The black haired girl, with olive COM
plexion and color in her cheeks. is Miss
Ruth Grayson. That is her father-he is
widower-on the other side of the room,
glancing toward her admiringly. She is 8
feminine philosopher, who reads the classics
and holds that women lack individuality
and independence of character. Most mer
are afraid of her and don't wonder, fol
she quotes Greek and Latin, and she ISM