Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1883-10-17
A GAY DECEIVER.

A clear, warm night, late III June; the
sky starless, yet beautiful in spite OF it's
darkness, for the air trembles as with a
| delicious sense of perfected summer.
Short, green grass, dry and soft to the
foot; over it move crowd of people in
evening dress. The women are mostly
in white or very pale color; few flash
and glow in gorgeous crimson, we'll suit
ing the hour aud place. On every side
CLEAN a myriad OF cOlored lamps; flower
| beds are outlined with lnnumerable little
brilliant lights, while here and there a
tree is changed from itself into a
falry-like mass of strange foliage by a
brilliant light beneath it. The air is full
of music. full Of fragrance. Suddenly the
band begins to play God Save the
Queen There is a general rising Of
those who are lounging upon chairs, q
general taking off of hats; and the royal
party passes down tho broad walk
among the throng of well-dressed men
! and women.
1t is fete. night at the Botanical Gar
dens; nothing more extraordinary. Yet
the superb uu-Euglish stiffness of the
night, the warm sweetness of the air,
fills one with a certain excitement.
There is a contented gaiety about the
crowd; it is 60 delightful to stroll over
the grass instead OF being packed like
| he1liogs in hot aod gas-!it drawing
rooms. Aud the sky seems perfectly
honest; there IS no rain cloud harbored
| above; even the grass is innocent Of dew.
| Who could help being happy here?
Lord Ferdle was unhappy, merely be
cause he was alone ard could not meet
anyone who interested him. The women
OF his set whom he met oa the promen-
ade were dull or dowdy; he cared for
none OF them; Tor he was hungry for ex-
element; be had drunk we'll at dinner,
and he was young enough to be affected
| by the soft midnight air. He felt in the
vein for adventure; but he preserved q
superb composure, and walked the pro-
menade with an air of indifference which
would have done credit to much older
nlasher. For Lord Ferdie, though q
magnificent specimen of our gilded
| youth, bad one great fault-he was ter
ribly young His close-cropped hair,
his perfect shirt front, his solitary dia-
mond stud, his broad shoulders and adj
mirable coat-all were unimpeachable:
bnt his upper lip had yet but the faintest
OF downy growtbs. But the anxious
mothers with manageable daughters
liked him none the less for that. They
bore down upon him, but he evaded
them all. For Lord Ferdie had found
out what bore it is to be made love to
by anxious mothers and manageable
daughters. Their attentions had already
given him great opinion of his own
worth, and of the superiority of his fas-
cinating powers; so he walked about
| alone, the admiration alike of the women
and Of the less gorgeous members of his
own sex; and he was hungering for
amusement as a schoolboy hungers for
tarts. The brilliance of the scene, the
scented warmth of the air, made him de.
sire something different from the dull
society he saw about him.
Suddenly fash from pair of CLEAN
ing black eyes came straight into his
own. The look was so direct and full of
meaning that it affected him almost like
an electric shock. He turned and saw
passing him slight figure draped in
masses Of white lace. Two dark red
roses were fastened on her shoulder.
! He went to the end of the walk. and
| when he returned kept keen lookout
for the white lace and crimson roses,
and the burning black eyes. At last he
saw her coming. She seemed to be
aware of his approach; for just as she
passed him she lifted her eyes and fas-
tened them again upon his. There was
something fierce and gypsy-ike about
her face. Framed in the cloud of white
lace, it looked strangely handsome.
The full crimson lips trembled, as if
they were 1ipe for kissing. Lord
Ferdie realized suddenly as she passed
him, that she was walking alone. he
turned Immediately and followed her.
In few moments sine left the promen-
AIDE and went to an empty chair at the
side; here che sat down. Lord Ferdie
fingered near and watched her. Eg1-
IDENTIFY she was perfectly we'll aware of
his neighborhood. Now and again she
would turn her eyes upon him for one
swift instant. At last she rose and
wandered slowly over the grass. It
looked awful]y tempting, thought Lord
Ferdie. He hesitated one moment
only; the next he followed her. She
walked very slowly across the grass,
among the people who were moving over
it, toward thick group Of trees, where
there were no illuminations. This ia
vored spot had already beer discovered.
Here and there white dress cleaned;
and very, very close might be seen the
fair surface of shirt front. Evidently
the nook was we'll approved b1 lovers.
Lord Ferdie's :. fair unknown moved
on with slow step, and at last paused