River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-11-22
W0OING BY PROXY.

W00ING BY PROXY.
She is leaning back in deep crimson
chair, with a white dress sweeping in
long, shining folds about her. She is
talking 10 two or three men with that
rather weary grace he has grown accus-
toned to see in her, ard which is so
different from the joyous smiles of the
Jeanne de BcauIen whom he knew so
long ago. He is watching her from the
opposite side oftne salon, as he stands
beside his hostess, and he tells himself
that il is for the last time. He is going
TO her presently, and he knows Just how
cold!y she will raise the dark eyes that
once never met his without having con-
fessed that she loved him. He knows
just what he viii say and what sic will
will answer, and there is no need for
haste in this last scene of his tragedy.
4 man should know when he is
beaten" he Is thinking, while he smiles
vaguely in reply to Nine. de Souie's
comm0n-places. "Eiere is more stupid
ity than courage in not accepting de-
}1-lL - iAllt f-iEAt ~ Il lltlS 10 retreat
with some dignity. For six weeks I
have shown her, with a directness that
has, dare say, been amusing to our mu-
tual friends, that after ten years alb
sence my only object in returning to
Paris is her society. She can
not avoid meeting me IN public, out she
has steadily refused to receive me when
call upon Der, or To permit me a word
with her alone. ] have been a fool to
forge that all these years In which i re-
GREETED her she naturally despised me,
huta least it is not Just other to refuse
INC hearing The moment he had
been waiting for Is come, the little
court about her disperses, until there is
blt one man beside her, and she chances
H~ound with a look of mild appeal
against the continuance of his society
De Palssier has escaped from his
hostess in an instant, aud the next he is
murnuru2, with the faintest suspicion
o tremor in his voice, 'WIll Nine.
Miramon permit me dance?"
Thanks, NJ. de Palissier, but | am
nlt dancing this, evening" she replies,
with exactly the glance and tone he ex-
poet.
VIII madame give me few mo-
mcnts' serious conversations" and this
time the tremor Is distinct. for even the
nineteenth century horror OF melodr1l-
ma cannot keep a mans nerves quite
seady when he is asking u question on
which ms whole future depends
"One does not come to balls for seri-
0ls conversation" she begins, lightly
where may | come them" he inter
ripped eagerly.
Nowhere There is no need for Sc
rlous conversation between us, NJ. de
PalIssier,' she replies, haughtily and
rising she takes the arm of the MuCh-ed-
fled gentleman beside her, and moves
away.
1t is all as he prophesied to himself,
and yet for a mommet the lights swim
dizzjly before him, and the passionate
sweetness of that Strauss waltz the band
is playing stabs his heart like a knife.
For moment he does not realize that
he is standing quite motionless, gazing
with despair in his eyes, after Nine. de
Miramon's slender, whitehead figure,
and that two or three people, who have
seen and heard. are looking at him with
that amused pity which a sentimental
catastrophe always inspires in the spec
tators.
Some one touches his arm presently
with fan, and with a start he comes to
himself and recognizes Lucille de Beau
len, the Young sister of Nine. de Mira
mon, whom he remembers years ago as
child, and with whom he had danced
several times this winter.
And our waltz, monsieur" she asks,
guyly. .'Do not tell me you have forgot
ten it. That is evident enough, but you
should not admit it,
Mile pardons, mademolselle," he
mutters, hurriedly.
- am very good tonight" she says"
putting her hand on his mechanically
extended arm. Though the waltz is
half over, there is still time for you to
get me an ice.
So they make their way through the
saloon, she talking lightly and without
pausing Tor reply, while he, vaguely
grateful to her for extracting him from
am awkward position, wonders also tn
she should care to be SO kind to man
whom her siste has treated with such
marked dislike.
Tie reTeshmant room is almost emp
ty. and she seats herself and motions
him TO a chair beside her when he has
brought her an ice.
DO YOU think NJ lie Marquis, that il
was only to eat ices with you that l have
forced my society so resOlutely upon
vou2" she asks with look of eanerstness
very rare on her bright coquettish face
II think YOU an angel OF compassion
to an old friend OF your childhood,
Mile. Lucille"
'It was compassion, but more for my
sister than for YOU" she says gravely.
s'Your sistei," he echoes. bitterly.
at has not occurred to me that Nine
de Mitamon is in need of compassion.
and yours Is too sweet to be wasted"
"Chut, monsieur she interrupted
z Var.4FN ~
speeches as most young women. and
think at M, only as Jeanne de Mira
mons sister. who believes that, much as
she loves her, you love her even
more
For the second time this evening De-
Palissier f0rsets possible observers, and
ellspiug both the girls slender hands in
ms he murmurs, unsteadlIy: God bless
youi"
~ nj forget that we have an audience,
monsieur" she saws, Withdrawing her
hands quickly, but with a smile OF frank
camradrship Il have n story to tell
vsu, and not much time to tell it in.
Years ago, when Jeanne left her con
vent on becoming iance TO VI. de Mira
mon, she met you at tier first ball, and
You loved each other. II was. very 70 l.
ish, for Won we're cadet of your house,
avn EAtN u sous alSutSItINt, Htl1 Jcdl1to
had not 81 sou, so both the families were
furious, but al would have ended well
rs a fairy tale if you had been reasonable.
Jeanne met YOU time after time in
secret, ami promised any amount oil
patience. but she would not run away
aud marry YOU in defiance OF her par
erts: so you tormented her with doubts,
and shamed her with suspicious until
she dreaded those secret meeting almos
IS much as she Ioncei for them. Al
last. after maklnga more violent quarre
than usual. YOU exchanged from your
regiment NJ Versailles 10 one in AlSiers
and left her no refuge from the re
pyoaches Of our father and mother bu
10 marry NJ. de Marimon. He might
have refused to marry her after hearing
her confess, rs she I'D, that she hal
given her heart 10 you, and that
only your deSertion had in
duced her TO consent K
their marriage. But he did not; be had
a better revenge than that. He mar
RED her, and for eight years he tortured
her in every way that Jealous and cru