The Osceola times., 1882-08-12
A Coquette's Victim.
LINCOLN 9. CHAFFREY.

A large and splendid hall, lit by glist.
ening chandeliers, and ornamented with
all the taste and luxury of artistic skill
filled with an atmosphere of light, and
music, and perfume; haunted by groups
of lovely women and distinguished men,
all glorified by that spirit of pleasure and
splendor that one finds in such gather
ings.
Through the long parlors, hung with
gorgeous draperies and rare paintings, be-
meath the fretted ceilings of blue and sill
yer, crimson and gold floated the forms
of the proudest and fairest, clad in filmy
robes of white, or rich, rustling brocades,
chatting, flirting and dancing in the
vague glitter of the light that made the
place one blaze of enchantmen,.
Soft, dreamy music swelled on the air,
its rythm marked by the light step OF
dancers, yet subdued and rendered indis-
tinct by the constant hum of sweet voices
everywhere. Couples passed to and fro,
or fingered about the doorways, talking
of love, of pleasure, and of the scene be-
fore them.
Staid diplomats and rulers sat at the
card tables, playing digniiied whist with
stately matrons-the bellies af past gen
Grafton. Others, in an adjoining saloon,
discussed a magnificent collation..
The farthest of these parlors opened
into large conservatory, where long and
graceful air plants trailed downward from
their mossy baskets, and the dark green
leaves of the lemon trees eXhaled CRATE
ful aroma. Strange trop cal plants, with
broad, varicgated leaves, grew rank and
ffbrous in marble vases along the ballus-
trade, heavy vines clambered up their
trellises with pendant bells of azure,
gold or crimson, showing bright amid the
the fcathery foliage. A soft light, dim
and roseate, fell upon these leafy treas
ures from ground glass globes of faint
pink hue, scattered here and there among
the evergreens.
No place could have been more fitting
and appropriate to the pursuit Of the di-
vine social ce-flirtation-than this
same conservatory. In cozy alcoyes,
where the orange and magnolia trees
were cub)wered by the tracery of the
ivy vine were placed rustic seats of curl
ously joined branches; and here, in the
cool sound of silvery fountains and the
heavy fra rance of the blossoms, one
might sit with ones partner and whisper
the enfantillages of love without fear of
reproach.
In one of these alcoves-the most Sc
cluded of all-surrounded by the thick
and odorJus LEAKAGE of trees and vines,
sat Lee Ba3ton and Maggie Lowell. As
usual, she was weaving her web of fasci-
Mountaineering her words, modulating
her exquisite voice, flashing her brilliant
glances from underneath her long droop-
ing lashcs, artlessly toying with the watch
chain or eve glass of her cavalier, and ex-
erting all those little Establishments, SEEM
ing innocent enough in themselves, but
which tighten each moment the adamant
fetters of passions slavery about the vic
TINS senses.
Lee Baston-young, talented, wealthy,
already celebrated in the political world
was an excellent object for the consum-
mate skill of this coquette. More and
more inclined TO admire her at each meet
ing, he had been insensibly drawn on,
from one step to another, until this night,
when the dance the wine, the music, the
lights, the gaicty, the brilliancy of all
surroundings had bewildered him with a
sweet and voluptuous dellrium.
vatory, with it's shadowy recesses, its
rippling, bubbling and ccaseless FLASHING
of falling waters, its aromatic and languor-
inspiring odors, and its vague reverbera-
tions of the festivities within, invited on
ly the dreams and thoughts of love.
A half hours conversation, lowering
nearer and nearer to the dangerous topic,
a silent but eloquent pause, few burn
ing, imprisoned words of declaration,
and Maggie Lovell's empty triumph was
attained.
She laughed low, musical but metal
lie laugh.
"My friend" she said, edo not talk in
that strain-l shall fancy you are in earn
est"
"My God in earnest Do you not be-
lieve me, then? Oh, Maggie, ! swear it !!
/ love wholly /"
There was husky intonation in his
voice, and he stopped without finishing
his sentence.
"No, do not know what you mean. |
-I-indeed / do not understand you.
You surely can not be serious! You
frighten me-"
He dropped the delicate, white gloved
hand he had been holding, and looked
long and earnestly into her eyes.
"Do hear you aright?"
"Yes: | must 90 now. / am very, very
sorry YOU have so misunderstood me.
Never refer TO this scene again. 1t has
been as painful for me as for you"
"And is this the end2"
Eyes pity you. Goodnight"
Her purple velvet rustled against the
shrubbery, and Baston was alone,
"Pity mel Great heaven, | had rather
she had laughed in my face"
The Conversation Haus of Baden-Ba-
den is one of the peculiar institutions
of the continent. Here great ballroom
a theatre, a restaurant, n library, a read
ing room, dressing rooms, and lastly, tho
most prominent of all, gambling saloons
Of infinite splendor, where millions o
dollars change hands every year.
Day and night, from the weeks begin
ming to the weeks end, sit silent rows o
men and women-rich and poor, youn
and old, gentle and simple-around tn
internal but fascinating gaming tables c
this strange house. The laborer hesita'
ingly lays down his few coins--the frui
1t may be, of long and weary toll; tn
prince drops his rouleau of Napoleons o
his fayorite color or card; the profession:
player, with the cold gravity of his clas
speculatps ranidlv halt carpfully and Il,