The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1882-04-20
THE CARNIVAL BALL.
FROM THE SPANISH.

A brilliant crowd of all the rank and
fashion of Madrid, from royalty down,
filled the splendid rooms. The women
closely masked; the men, generally,
undisguised, save by their fantastic
and gorgeous costumes. Some, howev-
er, under the impenetrable mystery of
mask and domino, lowered about, and
whispered clever or cruel things into
startled ears, seeming to know every
one, with all the lines of social in
trigue, while they themselves remained
unknown.
My friend Prince Carlos and l took
up mastery position at the poor Of the
grand salon, and amused ourselves bv
guesscs and conjectures on the dazzling
stream of humanity that tioated by.
Duly we appreciated the snow-white
arms glttering with Jewels, the superb
hair, the soft, caressing, undulating
grace of Spanish movement; but the face
still remained a mystery, masked and
inscrutable.
However, we had faith in the invisi-
bic from the beauty of the visible, and
were even quite prepared to fall in love
on the evidence vouchsafed; for youth
has infinite trust and hope, and a pas
sionate enthusiasm for the mystic and
unknown.
A magnificent Circassian, with hair
sweeping the ground, and brow bound
with an antique fillet of gold coins, soon
captivated the susceptible heart of
Prince Carlos, and he was speedily led
away bond-slave to the naughty sui
tana.
While but how can describe the
vision of beauty that dazed my senses
and slew my reason utterly?
'Ibppuub tho lapaa aroxv1 x,rbfrb
parted as she advanced, leaving path
way clear as if for some regal progress,
came n masked lady. tall, slight, ele-
giant; gliding on with balanced move
mcnt as if she walked to music. BY
her side was a cavalier, also masked; but,
from the orders he wore, one could see
he was of royal rank.
The costume of the radiant being he
escorted seemed meant to represent The
Darn. Over the long trailing robe of
rose-colored satin embroidered in silver
fell a veil of silver gauze in soft, cloud
like, glittering folds, through which
flashed, like rays and arrows of fire, n
superb zone of rubies and diamonds
A diadem of the same gems, like points
of flame, encircled her brow, and
crowned her, as the Goddess of Morn
ing, with an aureole of spleRdOr.
My first impulse was 10 fall PROSTATE
ut her feet; but fortunately resisted the
inclination TO offer divine honoTs, and
thought It better to follow in her train,
and fill my soul with the lovehness of the
earthly form.
In short time she glided to a sofa,
rs if weary of dancing, or talking, or
admiration, and, dismissing her cavalier
with graceful wave of the hand sank
back amidst the cushions with the lux
urious grace of an Odalisque, while she
laid her bouquet on the sofa, too IA
tigued even 10 inhale its perfume.
| approached, and, with that seductive
Difference to women for which my man
ner is celebrated, requested permission
TO take the vacant place beside her A
carnival ball has immense privileges, or
/ would not have dared the risk of such
proposition. The bouquet was in the
way, and l gently raised it to my lips be-
fore handing it to the lovely owner.
You are cOurtier, senor,' she
said, with a smile that disclosed two
rows of pearls set in coral. ''But your
homage may be a mistake. You know
my name, perhapsP'
Il know nothing, serranita,m / re-
piled, Except that you are divine.
Can the face equal that perfect form
Will you not lift the shrouding mask for
one moment2 But. que tBlportG, the
face must be beautiful, or Nature would
have failed in harmony"
"Ah, senor,n she said, with some
thing of tenderness in her voice, % the
beautiful seldom wear a mask; they are
too eager for conquest and triumph.
You, see, disdain to wear one. 1t is
only the consciousness of being hand
come can give one such courage"
"GraciqS, serranita; but have l no
higher claim to notice? You may have
heard my namePo
=" All the world, She answered, '.has
heard the name of the poet whose praise
confcrs celebrity. May I, too. hope for
"a sonnet? A poet should have but one
theme-woman."
True, most lovely seuana; but in