Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1881-11-23


more 10 say
Talk on forever, lady Your voice
IS music to my heart and ears
sWould you marry me. knowing no
more of me than you now do"
Yes, ifyou were to go to the very
altar masked!' he replied
Then will test YOU
How, lady?'
For one year be faithful to the love
,ou have professed, and | will be youts
as truly as Heaven shall spare my
life.'
%, cruel, cruel uspense !
you demur
Nay lady; 1 shall fulfil you iniuuc-
ton as have promised
If at the expiration of year you DO
not hear from me, the contract snail
be null and void. Take this halt ring
she continued, 'and when l supply the
broken portion 1 will be yours
He kissed The little emblem, swore
again and again to.be faithful, and press
ing her hand to his lips. bade her adleu'
He was conducted away again as N.Y.
terlously as he had been brought thlth-
er, nor could he by any possible means
discover where be had been, his CONF
panion rejecting all bribes, and even
refusing to answer the simplest ques'
tions.
Months rolled on. Colonel Merville
was true to his vow, and happy IN Tie
anticipation OF love. Suddenly he was
ordered on an embassy 10 Vienna, that
gayest of all European capitals. about
the time that Napoleon was planning
to marry the Archduches Maria Louisa.
The young colonel was handsome
manly, and already distinguished IN
arms, and became at once great iavo-
rite at court, every effort being made
by the woman to captivate him, but IN
vain; he was constant and trne to his
vow.
But his heart was not made OF stone :;
the very fact that he had entertained
such tender feelings for the white DOM
mo had doubtless made him more sus-
cepuble than before. At last he met
the young Baroness Caroline Waldorf,
and in spite of his VOWS she captivated
hun, and he secretly cursed The engage
ment he had so blindly made in Paris.
She seemed 20 wonder at " hat she be-
leved to be his devotion, aud yet the
distance that he maintained. The
truth was, his sense Of honor MAS so
great. that although he felt he really
loved the young baroness, aud even
that she returned his affection, still he
! piyen his word, and it was sacred.
N. ...:.. .1vuI:uu wus no iouHvr t"o
ideal of his heart, but assumed the
most repulslve form in his imaSlnatlon'
and became, IN place OF his good angel;
his evil genius!
Well, time rolled on ; he was 10 re-
tlrn In a few days; it was once more
the carnival season, and III Vienna
t,o. that gay city. He joined IN the
fsstlyilies of the masked ball, and "hat
wander filed his brain when about The
middle of The evening the white domino
stood before him; in the same while
sat,a dress he had seen her wear year
before at the French Opera House III
Paris. Was it not a fancy?
i come, Colonel Eugene MeivIlie' 10
hold YOU to your PROMISE she SAID
layinp a hand lightly upon bis arm.
Is this reality or dream1' asked the
amazed soldo;.
Come, follow me, and Jou shall zee
that il Is a reslit,,' continued the ma'K
pleasantly.
i WILL
Have YOU been faithful TO your pro
mise p asked the domino, as they re
ured 10 IA neishboring saloon.
Most truly in act, hut, alas! lear
not l.: heart.
'Indeed!'
1T is too true, lady, that have seen
aud loved another, though my voT TO
YOU has kept me from saying 50 10
her,
And who is this that YOU thus lovN'
'I will he frank with you. and YOU
will keep my secret"
'Most religiouslY.'
st is the Baroness Won Waldorf, he
said, with sign.
And you really love her!'
Alas. only too dearly said the sol
der, sadly.
Nevertheless. [ must hold you t'
vonr promise. Here 10 the other bag
of the ring; eau you produce its mate :
Here it is,' said Eugene Mervllle.
Thee l, too, Keep my promise 4! salt
the domino, raising the mask, ant
showing to his astoDished view the lac'
of the Baroness Won Waldorf.
.Ah. it was the sympathy of tru
love that attracted me after all ! ex
, claimed the young soldier, as he presse'
her 10 his heart.
She had seen aud loved him for hi
! manly spirit and character, aud, havlni
found by inquiry that he was worth
Of her love, she had managed this deli
cate Intrigue, aud had tested him, an
now gave to him her wealth, title an
everything.
r They were married With great pomT
and accompanied the archduchess
Paris. Napoleon, to crown the happl
ness Of his iavorite, made Colon'
Eugene Mervillc at once General