Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-02-22
A STORY OF A NIGHT.

a STOkf oF n NIGHT.
The Ocean House parlors were crowd
ed that lovely August night, and Nor
daunt Leslie leantd against one of the
windows in lazy, lounging attitude
that betokened very faint interest IL
the gay merry making that was going
on, In the exquisite music OF the band,
to which scores of feet were making
rythmic fall in the graceful evolutions
Of the trOis temps. or even in the bevy
of pretty, acknowledgement women
who passed by his post of relief like the
swift brilliant changes of a kaleIdo-
scope.
He was fine-looking fellow, dressed
in the regulation evening costume, and
looked every inch tie refined, well
gentleman he was. Just now, however,
there was very perceptble deepening
of a shadow that had been growing ON
his handsome face ever since a day, a
month ago, when he had been presented
To Violet Verne.
Just now there was almost a hopeless
despair IN his deep set, splendid gray
eyes, as slight fairy-lIke creature gid,
ed slowly, gracefully past him in dance
"a girl with eyes that matched her
name-tender, loving eyes. whose violet
tints deepened to almost liquid darkness
as she looked up at him, half-smil-
ing, half-adoring, as she came within
the range of his ardent, gloomy eyes.
He was conscious OF a suffocatlng
quickening of his heart-beats; he was
conscious of wild, passionate yearning
toward this slender, lovely girl, whose
face lighted SO at sight of him-whose
faintest flush set his heart madly throb-
bing; and the wild wishfulness and
yearning tenderness almost maddened
him with their savage strength, as he
watched hey-a picture III her navy blue
silk, with cardinal ribbons setting of
50 uniquely her piquant brunette beau
~.
He compressed his lips with the stub
born determination of a man who knows
he Is bound to wage war with himself,
and not only to wage the war and fight
the battle but gain undoubted victory
He looked after her one long, long min
ute, and then turned resolutely away, to
almost gasp for breath as he saw Olym-
pia Osmond's face smiling in his
Olympia Osmond, the fair stately. yell
low-haired glrl, who wore on her finger
the blazing solitaire his hands had
plaee1 there, three months before, when
he had asked her to he his wife,
1t hid been a pleasant enough WOO
ing. Mr.. Leslie had been attracted to
her by her evident supreme disregard of
him, whom women were prone to make
a good deal of, on account of his god
like beauty and kingly presence, no less
than his fabulous wealth and high So
cial position.
He admired Miss Osmond for her un-
denlable beauty, regular, girllsh fea-
ture, as cold and passionless in express
sion as perfect in outline. Then her dis
regard for him piqued him, all unused
as he was to being disregarded. Then,
when some one told him that Miss Os-
mond had said she disapproved highly oil
penniless girls making market of their
charms to entrap wealthy husbands, and
that she for one should lead the crusade
in favor of reform on that score, then
Mordaunt Leslie felt that the time and
the woman had come, and he deliberately
set himself to win this fair-haired, pas
sionless girl, who was SO difficult to WOO
that the task gained In Importance, and
man like, the wooer gained IN eager
determineduess, utill the fortress finally
yielded, and Miss Osmond blushingly
acknowledged her detection from the
ranks of the crusade she had avowed Ii er
intention of leading,
Leslie had been content: nothing
more, for his haart had only been super
ficially touched. His pride was gratitied
at owning such a splendid creature as
Olympia Osmond, and at being envied
by other less fortunate men; and there
its topped, although his manner was
perfect to the beautiful woman, who
moved 80 regally grand throug his mag
nificently appointed household.
SO he had been perfectly content;and
had told himself he had not the capa-
woman, and had played the lover very
agreeable to his betrothed, and had his
carriage and horses at the sea-shore for
her especial benefit-while her cross
old aunt, in a thank illness that Olympia
would soon be off her hands for good,
made an extra effort and dressed the
girl like a princess, and made her the
belle of the Branch-until Miss Verne
came, heralded 10y the newspaper cor
respondents, vino described her looks,
her manners, her toilette, her carriage
and her pair, her jewels, until all the
men were the gui Uiue of dying curiosi'
ty. and the women in a condition OF the
highest wrought envy.
She came-a tiny little lady, rs unas
suming as lovely. as graciously sweet a
dignified, who took male and female
hearts alike by storm, and who, made
Mordaunt Leslie caost mad for love o
her: who taught him. all too late, tha
his real. true love had slept the enchant
ed sleep, until Violet Nerne's daint.
hands had broken the spell.
That was the condition of affairs tina
lovely August night, when Mordaun
Leslie turned away from looking afte
the girl who was like light to his eyes
and met the cool, placid face OF tn
woman he was to marry in less than
month.
Miss Osmond was leaning GRACEFUL,
ON gentleman's arm-a stranger b
Ieslie-and Miss Osmond quietly In
trodueed the two.
"Mordaunt, this is Mr.. Helvernon, "A
old friend of mine. Mr.. Helvernon, Mr.
Leslie, to whom 1 am engaged to b
married"
n smote Mordaunt like chill of ic
air. that calm possessionship OF him