Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-05-06


Shall we meet at the morn or the gloam
ing,
BY the forest, the mount or the sea;
only can tell that she's coming,
know that she's coming to me-
GROWN OF ORANGE BUDS.
Possibly but few have particularly not
iced the old house, for it is very like many
others in the French part of the CITY, Its
simple exterior, unornamented front, and
plain architecture would hardly attract
the attention Of any passer. OF the hun
dreds that go by in the Dauphine street
cars daily probably not more than one or
two ever give glance at the square, two
story brick building, with its large shut
tiers always closed tight and its mahogany
door apparently never opened. The drip
ping water from the window-sills has left
greenish stains beneath each opening, that
tell, perhaps, more HANDWRITING else, the
respectable old age of the house. In the
middle of the front door, with curious
twisting of its tail, vicious-loOking dol
phin in brass serves as a knocker, but il
has been SO long since the laughing
mulatto girl, with her bright tignon and
blue apron, has rubbed its surface with
brick dust the brass has, chameleonlike,
taken the color of the surrounding mahog-
any of the door. Three small indentations
just above the panels show where once q
doorp was, but it has gone the way Of
many other things of those days What
becomes of door-plates is question anti
quarians might consider with a possibility
of securing some very interesting informa-
ton.
The other morning, in taking a stroll
through the quiet precincts Of that section
OF the city, the writer was surprised to see
the shutters of the lower windows of this
residence open, and an aged negro man,
moving about the spacious parlors, brush
in hand, apparently engaged in busting
the furniture. 1t was so remarkable to
find the windows open and the interior ex-
posed TO view that an expression of sur
prise could not be suppressed. Natural
curiosity led to a closer view, and on ap-
preaching the window the picture pre-
septed amply rewarded one for the short
halt in the ante-prandial promenade.
1t was as if looking in upon a salon Of
the days of Louis XIV. The furniture was
deliberately carved and finished in gold,
the brightness of which time had not
materially dimmed. The heavy sofas were
designs of the fabric had melted into the
deep crimson of the backgrounds, and ex-
cepting here and there, where q huge
flower or n cupid's face yet remained,
there was a little to indicate the ford
character Of the composition. Large mir
rors confronted one another on the walls,
leading the eye off into imaginary yistas
that increased the apparent size of the
parlors wonderfully. The carpet was Of
heavy velvet, but, as with the furniture,
its pattern had faded into the yellow and
brown Of the wool In the center of the
room, just beneath aprofusely ornamented
arch that served to half separate the twin
parlors, stood a rich table of buhl, inlaid
with mother-of-peril, Persian i'm design
and OF rare workmanship.
About the apartments there rested an
atmosphere of other days. The heavy
curtains, faded cushions, and even the
brass shOyels and tongs that stood beside |
the fireplace told of age, and delicately |
wrought scene, representing court |
Indies at tennis play, seemed TO have |
the pallor of death about it. II was |
neither the furniture, the curtains nor the |
bric-a-brac that held the eyes with such |
irresistible attraction, but a picture that |
occupied conspicuous position on the /
wall This, perforce held the gaze and |
although other details would creep into |
the range of vision, this was the central |
object. A lovely girl of 10 looked out of |
the canvas with tender eyes that were in
toxicating in the voluptuousness of their |
dreamy softness. The face was aristo-
cratic, dignificd, and reflected such
nobility of soul it left the impression that
it was an ideal creation rather than a por-
trait SlSnanIal from ha lntyar rt ~
of the frame hung withered wreath of
orange blossoms, black, shriveled and
shrunken, the bones, as it were of once
fragrant petal and emerald spray. Save
the servant that daily kept the room in or
der. no one had entered it these thirty-fiye
years.
On beautiful spring evening in March,
1883, even the street gamins could not help
stopping To take look Mt the brilliantly |
lighted residence on the Rue Dauphine
The mellow light of hundreds of wax
candles made each window glitter as q
gem against the surrounding darkness of
the walls. and with tantalizing effect the
delicious notes of a soprano voice came out
upon the street in fitful measure rs the
evening wind blew the curtains back and
forth. With the sweet strains, and as a fit
accompaniment the perfume of orange
flowers filled the atmosphere around the
open windows, giving, SO to speak, deli
cious coioring to the singers notes.
A digniiied negro man servant stood in
the open door awaiting the arrival of any
belated guest, his elevated chin and air of
superiority at once quelling any lurking
desire of curious children TO venture near
portals. Inside, the parlors were filed
with as rare collection of beauty and
81 l. L
side the Atlantic Radiant brunettes.
whose eyes Were as lustrous as the jewels
on their BOSOM and whose exquisite grace
and wealth of charms bewildered the
locker ON, gave to the salon the appearance
of a court reception.
There was n regal magnificence in their
superb movements and queenly bearing
that told of that Unborn dignity SO marked
in Les Bellies Creoles of Louisiana The
occasion that brought together so much
loneliness was the birthday party of the
fair Stephanie Delayier. then Just 10 an
only daughter. Adored by her parents
and beloved by a wide circle of friends.
she was one of the favarites of all society.
and not a few of the beauX of these DAYS
had cast their eyes vainly in her direction
Perhaps il WIS her wealth that made her
coy TO the advances of the young men. or
il may have been her retiring disposition
In any event the most garrulous of gossip
ers had not rs yet engaged her. as they
are wont TO do with most charming young
ladies. Blu; then sometimes even these
lynx-eyed matrons of society do not always
know when a girl is really engaged, and
this happened TO be the case with Mile |
Stepaanie. |
She loved and was loved by Anatole La
marc. young gentleman from one of the
river parishes, who had graduated with
distinguished honors in Paris Monsieur
Delavier. who was nearly 60 had wei
coined the young mans proposal, but
urged. on account of Stephanie's youth,
that her engagement be kept quiet for
year at least.
Anatole was present at the party, fol-
lowing every movement Of his beloved
with his great. earnest eyes. but he seldom
approached her, that no suspicion of their
engagement should be aroused. He was
satisfied to be near her, TO feel that subtle
influence. the presence Of a loved one al
ways creates, upon him. He was not fond Of
the yapid conversation of the salons, but
his education and travel had made him
deep thinker Hence it was, he was often
considered not particularly intellectual, a.