Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-02-03

what difference would that make I'LL
Oh! Louisr' she covered her face with
sudden burst of tears. What shall l do?
am so unhappy
Was she happy when, three nights later,
she stood in cream satin and pearls, adj
mitted Queen Of Beauty amid bevy OF
fair women? Was she as happy as on that
night nearly six months ago, when Max
Beauregard, by look and word, told her
she was beautiful? Did she, in the second
and greater triumph, forget the first? Not
once; yet new and perilOus knowledge
was taking life and form-grOwing-eHr
panding-the knowledge Of her power: the
terrible knowledge that she-girl, STRIPPING
was stronger in her beauty than strong
man in his strength, that her little hand
might grasp and crush a life. And this
was the London world! They were men
whose names were household words in the
! Grdnd monde who crowded around the
| dcbUtdntc, and counted it an hOnorto hold
| her fan. her bouquet, her gloves, or carry
a message for her; they were women uni
versaIly admired, who enyed her her tri-
! umph, and resolved to copy her gown.
| Ay, sweet was the knowledge Of power,
| sweet the homage: and when all was over,
! and too excited still for WEAKNESS, the girl
| went Up to her dressiEgrOOm, her aunt
| came to her. and embraced her with actual
| tears of delight.
| Dear child she cried, twas ever great
| er success than yours! YDu have surpassed
oven my expectations! Your name will be
in everyone's mouth, Valerie. The crowd
! OF beauty is yours!"
No word Of warming; onlypleasurein the
| triumph; and more incense added to the
| ,1n Jz hot gI tod Golden
head tonight, And when Mrs. Langley
| kissed her niece's soft cheek and told her
| to lie down and rest. she babe her dream
| pleasant dreams Of the brilliant future be
| fore her
And left alone, Valerie turned TO the long
cheval-g glass, and stood before it, stretching
| her white arms above her head.
"Yes." she whispered, Il am beautiful"
She pushed her hand through the rich
curls, golden in the light, dark where the
! shadow fell, and laughed IL low, soft laugh.
"Why should beauty give me power? but
| it docs-it does'
She paused, and her eyes grew wistful;
IA mist swept before them, blurring the
dazzling image in the mirror. She turned
away slowly, and threw herself on couch,
hiding her face in the cushion.
Queen lily and rose i'll one was ring
| ing through her heart, music that banished
| the girlish thought Of triumph and brought,
back the noble nature to its pu"er self
II don't want power" she said pressing
| her haEds on her burning forehead, II only
want to see him again-more and more
every day What shall Ido2 lam always,
always thinking"
4 gentle tap at the door Valerie start
ed and sprang to her feet.
Come in" she said, and Fanchon ap-
pcared.
ooh! Fauchonn' said the girl, "you need
not have staid up; could have taken off
these things myself"
"NGadcmoisrlIc is too kind. am used to
it," replied the Frcnchwoman; and then,
while she removed robes and Jewels, she
| poured out discrimination of mauemolsrIlc,
| and her pleasure in madcmoisclle's sue
cess. But Valerie gave no heed; the stream
Of iiattcry wcaricd her; and she was glad
| when FanChOn'S duties were over, and she
was once more alone.
And at length she sIept-a restless fltful
sleep. troubled by confused dreams, in
which, however, las; might had no part;
| but it was the ball at bennington, and
though Max Beauregard was there, he
would not speak to her, or look at her,
| turning from her in anger
what have Idonc? What have done?''
she cried, in anguish, in her dream; but
ne seemed to vanish away, and wruld not
answer; and the dreamer woke herself with
sobbing, to find it broad daylight
! 1t was only Il dream. then, after ALL all!
| thank Hcavcu-onIy dream. Her hand
stole to the little embroidered bag thai lay
on her breast, as il what it held were n
talisman to save her from future evil;
and with n long low sigh she whispered to
| herself, "Only II dream"
CHAPTER Xy.-HEAvY FETTERS
The Court CirCWlop'-ycs, here it was q
| long list of the names at Mrs. Laugley's
dance ON Wednesday night; a society paper
| speaking in glowing terms of the extra
| ordinary beauty of Miss Valerie Herbert,
| and the sensation she created Louis sat
and read these things with miserable
| feeling that Valerie was drifting away
from him; she belonged to n world in which
| he had no part or lot; he was not 'in her
| set" she had passed at one bound from the
valley to the Olympian heights, and he was
left below, looking up nj her.
| And yet before him lay letter from Va
| leric asking him, in her aunt's name, to
come and dine in Upper Brook Street the
| following evening. Yes, he was asked
now and then; he was not to see Valerie
often; she was to be alicnated from him:
| taught the creed that money and rank are
all in all. She was changed already; she
was not as she used to be down at Wei
ford her letters failed to satisfy him, and
she did not always answer promptly.
No wonder Louis felt chaGed and heart.
sore; no wonder ESPECIALLY as he was only
| Just twenty -threo) he talked and thought
a good deal of nonsense about love in q
cottage tpvpu III, cottage. bv the way,
would have been problematicaN. Fighting
the battle of life more braveIv with the
loved one by your side, and the rest of It,
! The trining facts that, without the loved
one. he could scarcely do more than keep
| atloat. and that heads of departments take
no account of loved ones in regulating in
crease o. cuulovcN' salaries-were. natur-
| nlIv. overlooked
But nj the appointed time Louis drove
| up in a ralSam 10 Mrs. I.anglcv's house.
ond vsgs u,brr.L int, IN, dra,yir,r-rnon
on,, ,;,,,.., 49,, .,,,.. $500,
49, -, ~, ,.'e Doo' lL's anu
80, ~ -, - 49, : ecu ,e1'o' gown
O'',T ~ ''',, 81" NJ, ~ INC lUun~ n'"''
NY own N"lerle' he SAID taxing her
i Ia. us "rli,S, ana Kissing her many uhleS'
Is mar" 10 see you SO seldom
w, Nlu''S ''ou' u a,
,'''P -, i-''iS' ''u We Sue