Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1883-08-29
IN THE MIRROR-ROOM.
BY HELEN LOCKWOOD.

The host. at Beaumesnil was re
markedly handsome and attractive man,
graceful and frankfaced, of lavished
and genial hospitality-the last person
IL the world, you would have said, to
he connected with anything shady
mysterious.
Beaumesnl was as nearly a perfect
place as money and taste could make
1T, both without aud within.
Ii anywhere among those beautiful
frescOed rooms there existed the tradi-
.tIonaI closet with it's grizzly skeleton, it
was certainly well-concealed from view.
There were "stories" about Capel
Aohun, but you could not be with the
man himself ten minutes and remem-
Der them.
Whether it was his strong personal
magnetism, his charming manners, his
wonderful conversational powers, or
ali three, there was the fact-yoU liked
him after acquaintance, however you
might have been prejudiced before,
The party gathered at Beaumesnl,
that autumn of which [ write, was not a
large. but very gay and select one;
aud the affable host spared no pains to
make everything as pleasant as possible
TO every one.
There were a number of beautiful
women among the guests-one excep-
tlonally so-Vivien Gueltan. She was
q South American heiress; and it was
whispered that Mohun meant, if he
could win her, to have her for his Sec
~Und wife.
He had been married once-Beaum-
esnIl and the "stories came from his
wite-a very lovely woman who died sud
denly within six months of her wedding
day.
AlohUn. ii was said, had been devoted
to her, and was terribly cut up at her
death,
The only foundation for the stories
lay III the fact that the doctors said that
she died OF polson-some strange, dead
Ay Indian drug, seldom seen In this
country, and Mohun had spent some
years IL India
either that the doctors were mistaken,
Or that she had taken it herself, by &C
cIdent or otherwise.
MOhUn must have known of the Cos
sip, but he never seemed sensitive on the
subject, and though he seldom spoke of
his wife he had no appearance Of avoid
ing to dc SO.
[ don't think, either, that hardly any
Of the women of his acquaintance would
have hesitated amoment about marrying
him on account Of anything that was
said about him.
Indeed, the most of them would have
been glad OF a chance to be the wife of
the handsome and agreeable master Of
Beaumesnil.
Whether Miss Gueltan was one of
these, rem aims to be seen. She was not
ike other women In most respects, but
she certainly did not seem Indifferent to
Capel Mohun's attentions; and If for any
reason he intermitted them, or fingered
beside another long, she had a way of
drawing him back to her without any
seeming effort
Miss Gueltan's beauty was of rather
peculiar type. She was very dark, but
had a rich color In cheek and lip, and
blue-gray eyes, that were fairly dazzling
III their bIilliancy.
did it ever strike you," said
Blanche Camadine to her most devoted
Chat Devereux-" how like Miss
Gueltan is to that portrait of Mr.. Mohun's
wife. in the picture galIery?"
Certainly noti'' returned Devereux-
- Mrs. Mohun was pure blonde; Miss
Gueltan is a brunette .
F'Still, there is resemblance-abo
the eyes-and the carriage of the head
and [ should think they might have
been about the same height and figure"
q don't know but you're right"
Devereux said, slowly, looking across to
where Viyien Gueltan stood talking
with her host.
She had a bunch of crimson lilies In
her white hand, and one trailing in the
silken blackness Of her long hair. AS
they watched her, she looked up at
Mohun.
9 There p exclaimed Miss Camadine;
50 That is what I mean-that kind of
blazing light in the eyes. Come with
me, now, and look at the picture
Il see what you mean. wonder if
Mohun has noticed it 2"
perhaps. That may be one of her
attractions for him. He was so fond of
his wife T.
Devereux laughed.
CT don't believe that rubbish, do
you?"
Certainly! Why not Yivien GueI-
san must believe it, for she very earnest
IT requested me not to speak before
him OF her resemblance to his wife"
"Oh then you have mentioned it to
her? Does she think it herself? ?"
q don't know. She smiled very
oddly when 1 spoke of it.
81 wonder if she is in love with
him ?"
s'Sbe seems very much absorbed in
his society and yet, [ have seen look
in her eyes sometimes as if she almost
hated him."
1Io& SC II bod
That afternoon, just as Blanche Cam
adine and young Devereux had nicely
settled themselves in a shady nook of
the garden, with parasol, fan and book,
who should come strolling by on the
nrher side Of the hinh shruhharv h11t