St. Landry democrat., 1886-03-13

or beauty, believe, until she came over
here and received her credentials to the
honor Since she has been the rage
hele for several seasons, American re-
ports are painting her glories and tri-
umphs in gorgeous colors, so she will
90 back to New York to beg in new
reign as social belle and beauty. Queer
fish, we Americans.
In this strain Russell ratified on I'M
needed. | cared only to hear and know
that this strange sorceress before me
had living, breathing counterpart in
the world, here in Paris. Perhaps |
should see and know her. My blood
grew hotter and leaped more wildly
through my throbbing veins at the
thought. Common sense made
mighty effort to assert itself once more
and then gave it up, leaving me and my
absurd but uncomfortable fancies q full
possession of heart and brain; an UNI
reasoning worshiper at unknown, silent,
unconscious shrine. A feeling of jealous
rage put to flight for the moment or
absorbed all the more tender emotions
within me as my eye wandered again
to the incomplete sentence on the frosted
window-pane. Its significance could
those tenderly smiling lips and half
yelled eyes. The thoughts that took
possession of me seemed to make my
wildly-tluttering heart stand still and to
chill the hot throbbing Of pulse and
brain with sensations so strange and
sudden that for moment | believed
Russell was right and that | was really
i'll. framed the words at last: ''Do
YOU know herr"
II knew her in New York several
years ago, but have not seen her since
She became Partisan celebrity
Her name?' | gasped.
''Perie Perfume. See, we have it, =
Russell answered, pointing to my cata-
logue. "'No. so, Peerless Perle. '"
| | could not distinguish word or line,
| but the sound of my friends voice tell
upon my ear as though it were to en-
grave the words it uttered indelibly in
my memory. mo use, my boy said
| he, wasting your sweetness or dolsg
the pathetic in that direction. The
! Perle has been the atfianced Of Law
renee Ashmore-you remember HIM
since she left off pinafores and pantalets.
| | hear she has had royal admirers
and would-be lovers without number,
| but none thus far have been able to in
| terrupt the course of true love which
would run smoothly enough but for the
old lady-aunt, believe-Whose prote-
get she is. She is also to be her heir
ess, provided this American lover can
be superseded by some one more to the
old guardians idea of a suitable match.
Ashmore, you know, is every way de-
sirable in an American sense, but a
titled lover is what the old lady is am
bilious to secure for her Perle. This, 1
am told, accounts for her being kept
| here in Paris under one pretext and
another
During this apparently off-hand re-
cital I began to feel more and more as
though spell was being woven about
me inextrcable and everlasting A
sudden faintness stole ovor me and
dropped helplessly into the nearest seat.
I heard the sound of Russell's voice, but
it seemed unnatural and afar of. Al
last | felt his hands placed firmly upon
my shoulders and he turned me sud
denly face about. s'By all the gods,
Matthews, you must be drunk, crazy, OF
dreaming. Or are you really very ill:
Your queer antics and swollen jaw ane
ewes would warrant any of these con
illusions. Here we have fooled away {
good half hour before this pretty mas:
Of paint and oil, you looking all the
| while like victim in the last stages o.
the mumps and iimjams. Come, {
breath of fresh air and a brisk wall
will do you good, my boy, and IN few
DAYS more we will sail away together
We are in great luck, for |, too, an
booked for home by L'Amerlque
Come, a stroll, then dinner and cigar:
at nv hotel, and Richard Matthews vii
be himself again.
I felt no desire to resist the strong
unyielding grip laid upon my arm, ane
suffered Russell to lead me out again
into the pleasant sunshine and the gay
restless scenes of the street. Winding
along through the busy, surging masses
we turned into the Rue Chaussee d. u
tin. and after short walk Russel
paused before pleasant, substantial
looking house and asked me to accom-
panv him for a few moments, as he hat
an engagement with a gentleman
whose home we had reached. l nigh
have demurred from being ushered int
: the presence of stranger in my demon
allied condition, but all sense of pride
will-power, or desire had left me.
blindlv followed Russell, neither know
ING nor caring whittier he might lea
me. A lovely vision was again befor
, my eyes. I was blind to all else.
servant ushered us into large, cheer.
o,ortu,ant 1uyuriouslv furnished