Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-10-15

EsPERANEA.
(Continuec from yesterday. }

| anu ILLS CElkuc ME-. Ocy less LuC fO0n &
widow, committed. She constantly took
a seat. which was obsequiously vacated
for her. at the unsocial board. removed
her gloves, took card and pin, piled her
stock of napoleons into little heaps in
front of her. and went in for the thing in
the most business like way, her admirers
clustering round, and backing her luck
on the principle. suppose. that imitation
in the sincerest flattery. The admirers al
luded to were all men; their mothers,
wives and sisters abhorred her to a wo-
man. They would have cut her, only her
late husbands cousin was lord, and her
own father baronet, and she was rich.
Blood and money cover more sins than
charity. so they bowed and smiled, and
answered when she spoke to them. but
that was not very often. for the widow
preferred masculine conversation.
This was the lady to whom Graham now
devoted himself. He procured nosegays
for her: he contended for the honor of her
hand in the ball room. and her feet when
she mounted On horseback. and his atten-
tons were always most earnest when Mil
" Lund was present. Bertram smiled
approval.
Graham is no fool" thought he; "he
has selected the next most attractive girl !;
lust as the Lund has selected the next Tin
her blinded judgmenD most attractive
man." This soliloquizer had no false
modesty, you see.
Having thus ascertained that these two
yonng people were desperately in love
with one other, Bertran no longer gave
himself the trouble OF paying SO assiduous
a court to Miss Lund, and cultivated the
acquaintance of Graham. who was too
much man of the world to show a re-
serve which might betray jealousy, if he
felt any, which is doubtful. The two men
had not CHANGED to meet often. but they
had been thrown together some two years
before in the settlement of domestic mat
ter in which Graham had behaved in a
manner calculated to excite Bertram's es-
TEEN. and he was inclined to like the man
who knew better of him than most other
people did. For our lives and friendships
depend quite as much upon men and wo-
mems opinion of ourselves as upon their
own intrinsic merits.
They breakfasted at the same little table :
they strolled afterwards in the hotel gar
den, smoking; they also consumed their
last cigars at night in company, and wax
ed confidential. At least, the one who
had something to confide did it, and Bert
ram learned that Graham was on the point
of going out to Africa to shoot big game.
The other visitors at Spa made totally
different arrangement for the young man,
and decreed that he was about to marry
theElively young widow forthwith. Mrs.
Crackett announced the forthcoming event
to Millicent Lucd as an ascertained fact,
and that young lady, believing it, went
mad. do not mean that she required o
straight waistcoat. or put wild flowers in
her hair. or sang scraps of songs, or dane
ed with her shadow. She did not even
show any emotion before Mrs. Crackett
and the gossips, but smiled, and remarked
that she supposed that it was a good
match, tor she was not uf hysterical
nature. But her mind was for the time
unhinged for all that: and she was quite
capable OF doing some desperate thing
which society would have brought in tenn
pOrary insanity. 1t was quite true that
she had broken with Graham, but then,
he had no business to marry any body else.
etc.. etc. How could she appease her
resentment; how prove that she did not
care one iota for the man she had been
betrothed to? If she could only take the
IullldIlfo, IudG WOulu Do DCUlcI Stllls NV
: one can throw off the restraints conven-
tionally imposed by their fellow creatures
with impunity; if Milly Lund had not
INDUCED her tastes for independence and
originality to such an extent; if she had
had any experienced friend of her own
sex in whom she had confidence, to advise
her, she would never have been guilty of
writing, on a sheet of lemon colored note
paper: Let me see you tomorrow morn
ing.-M. L." and dropped it with her
handkerchief at the Redoubte, when only
Bertram was near enough to pick it up.
The wisp of paper was not addressed to
any body in particular-that was the only
shred of prudence she showed; but then.
} she gave it almost with her own hand,
which was very shocking,
eff Graham had known that | had this
in my pocket. he would hardly have bid
den me such friendly goodnight ~
said Bertram. on examining the note be-
fore going to bed. And then he put it
carefully away in his pocket book. When
he called at Millicent's lodgings he found
her alone. not even Miss Corney being
present. She had wild, excited look in
her eyes. and a deep flush on her cheek ;
and directly the door was closed she STEP
ped hurredly towards him.
'Do you know why have invited you
! here?" she asked
Bertram looked as many volumes as he
could. and bowed discreetly.
"Esperanzdr she said, turning away.
"What ~ cried Bertram. "Mv sympa-
thies were true; You are really"
The blue domino?''
Instead of throwing himself at her feet,
seizing her hand, and calling her bv her
christian name, as he ought to have done,
Bertram said in a musing tone: Curious
} was never at ball in Baussells in my
: life."
"Oh, cried Millicent, shrinking away.
covering her face with her hands, aud
shedding tears of bitter shame and humil.
iation.
Il hope you will forgive me-" Bertram
! continued. had no idea you would be-
lieve my rodomontade, which was only
made up at the moment for fun. Pray, do
not he distressed; | knew all about 1t.
1t is pique which has compelled you to
, listen to the suit of so unworthy an indi-
vidual; if it were otherwise, I should in
deed esteem myself the most fortunate of
men. As it is. it is happy that am nei-
Their needy adventurer nor an unscru-
: pulous lover, or perhaps you might have
. been hurried into marriage which would