River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-05-21

RESP Cecil asked, as they whirled off
Time is never so brief as when some
pleasure, whose intensity exists in its
novelty, absorbs the mind of the par
ticipant, and Cecil felt pang. of re-
greet as the sound of the three strokes
of the quarter to midnight came to
her. She must leave this elysium of
bliss TOO soon. Did Cinderella feel
keenly the sorrow when she fled from
the palace at the midnight Ginning.
Cecil wondered, and she sighed at the
briefness of the hour.
II have but one more favor to ask, "
Cecifs paTdner said, as the music
came to a sudden stop, and the waltz
ers sought their seats or promenaded
down the long hall.
what is that?" she asked, as they
followed the promenaders. There was
ring of merriment III her hitherto
wheezv voice, for she was so intensely
happy that she had forgotten her role.
'That may have the first dance
after the masks have been removed"
''ADd that is but one after the next, p"
Cecil said, in a tone of regret Il will
not say yes, for a promise never made
is better than promise broken.
may, like Cinderella, be obliged to fly
from all this when the clock strikes
u, but should we chance to meet
again, will give you the liberty of
| exacting it from me" She laughed a
! little maliciously as she spoke when
she thought of Mr.. Pepperton's futile
| search for her through the crowd.
AS they neared one of the doors that
| led into the wide hall they met many
| of the dancers with their masks re-
moved, and Cecil experienced a thrill
of surprise. even agitation, upon COM
ing suddenly face to face with her
| cousin Alice leaning upon the arm of
! Mr.. Pepperton, her, Cecil's, much de-
/ spsed admirer. Involuntarily she
turned to look at her partner. "Who
was he? Not Pepperton, not Profess
or Megs, for he was short of stature,
scarcely reaching her shoulders. Lit
tie as Cecil possessed, she would have
willingly given all to see the face of
her companion who was either sur
| prisinely like Mr.. Pepperton in both
! voice and manner or had studded &C
curately his peculiarities.
Five minutes later she had escaped
| to the dressing-room. She must go,
| To remain longer would be at the risk
| of being recognized. Cecil removed
her mask and with trembling fingers
| threw the thin, white shawl over her
! head, but rs she did so she discovered
that one of the blossoms upon the prec-
ious spray was missing. Yet where in
that surging crowd could she seek it,
and even should she find it, it would
be only to behold it crushed and torn,
and the diamond gone. Suddenly,
and without warning, Cecil burst into
tears Her carelessness would be the
only reward for her Aunt Aphrodite's
goodness; but the people were begin
ming to crowd into the room, and she
dared not linger to reflect over the
unhappy termination of the pleasure
which had caused her so much bright
| anticipation.
/ She turned and ran quickly down
| the stairs into the dark street, where
| the light of the carriage lamps made
| the gloom even more apparent. But
| John, faithful to his promise, was there
| standing patiently upon the pavement,
and beating his arms to and fro in the
| cold. But Cecil was in the carriage
almost before he had become aware of
| her movements, dreaming over the
realization of that long wished hap
| piness, and weeping over the loss of the
! flower, at the same time wondering
about the littlePrussian officer, a little
uneasily, perhaps, who had so persist
emily followed her during the evening.
81 really had terrible dream last
night, Cecil" said Aunt Aphrodite up
on the following morning as she en-
! tered the dining-rOOm, where Cecil
was partaking of rather late break
| fast. II dreamed YOU lost those flow
ers while walking down long, dark
road. | thought you wore them in
your hair for you were going to be
married But, dear me, who on earth
are the girls bringing IN here?" she
said, pausing abruptly in her narrative
| to listen to the voices which seemed to
be drawing near the room where Cecil
and herself sat.
Cecil had not broken the news of the
| loss of the precious flower, she was
putting it off hour by hour, yet she did
not know for what reason, save that
| she was too cowardly to tell. Sud-
denly, and without warning, the door
opened and Alice, accompanied by
| Jack ThurSton, walked in.
at is quite absurd Aunt Aphrodfte,"
| Alice said, stMr. Thurston found
curious flower last night upon the ball
room floor, and he insists upon be-
| lieving himself in love with the wearer,
and has avowed his intention of marry
| inc that person who can produce an
/ other flower like it. He was bent upon
seeing Cecil, just as if that child held
anything of the kind in her possession.
Now, Cecil" she said, turning to her
cousin, who had become trihe pale
| as she rose from her chair, produce
! it's counterpart waving her hand as
! she spoke toward Jack Thurst0n who
| held up q white blossom.
! Cecil quite REGARDLESS of the eyes bent
upon her, put out her hand with cry
| of pleasure, and took the flower from
the apparently astonished Jack. There
was an eagerness in her manner that
surprised those present.
sit IS the same, the very Identical
one" she cried in an excited voice.
"Ohi Aunt Aphrodlte, | thought that
| l had lost it, and was afraid to tell
you," and tears stood in Cecil's bright
eyes.
"Oh, dear. DEAR said Aunt Aphro-
dite, ''to think that anything should
have happened to those flowers, and
my dream is out too; but what a won
derful piece of good fortune it was
that it remained intact, in that great
crash" A look of anger flashed from
Alice's eyes" "How in the world did
you chance to be the happy pOssessor
| of the flower Jack?" she asked with
an effort to control her chagrin.
Jack laughed. 81 always did flat
ter myself that was lucky dog, but
this exceeds all of my good fortune"
he said turning his gaze upon Cecil.
II was dispatched by your father as
| special guard over your cousin during
! the evening, to see that she came to
| no harm. | saw the blossom fall from
her hair, and naturally picked it up.
| That, Miss Alice. is the manner in
which it came into my possession"
''Were YOU the Prussian officer, who
| danced with me all the evening, and
/ who thought was the clever Mr.. Pep
! perton?" Cecil asked timidly, then
/ turned to Aunt Aphrodite with an in
| curing look. Aunt Aphrodite under
stood the glance, and acknowledged,
| laughingly. that after her departure
/ for the ball she had sent note to her
uncle appraising him of the fact of
! Cecil's presence, describing her GUS
tome, and begging him to look after
! his niece, but not to tell her Aunt