Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-01-26

u.
CHAPTER Ix.-THE BAIL At DONNINGTON.
bennington was proud Of its town-hal,
end as there was not much else in the town
to be proud of (said the military cynics),
bennington did well. The town hall was
certainly handsome without, and it was
spacious within. The rooms in which the
ball was to be held were long, wide, and
lofty; and the officers, having resolved to
make the ball a success, had taken care
that the decorations were plentiful, and in
good taste.
To NaleTie's unaccustOmed eyes the
coup CJ'BeJ from the entrance was dazzling.
What would it be when filed with a gilt
teriEg throng of uniforms and variOus-col-
ored dressesl
The girls heart swelled within her; she
forgot all perplexity in the delights of the
moment; the lights. the rich perfume Of
flowers, the harmony and variety Of color,
the suggestion and promise in all Of greater
delights yet to come.
"A pretty scene, eh?'' said General Fan
Shave, watching the girls speaking face.
cit is like fairylandn' she said.
ct believe you know, for I'll warrant you
came from fairyland. It will look still
better by-and-by. A number OF the officers
have come from -. fifty miles OF, and a
few from London; so the black-coats will
be in decided minority,
81 am glad Of that They would spoil
the look of the crowd"
''You are a true soldiers daughter. How
| you love splendor. All! here are the first
arrivals Who are they? The Mortons."
! Father, mother, and daughters; q coun-
+1-v- l.. 70
girls richly dressed in London-made gowns.
They were followed By quite a stream Of
officers and their wives, sisters, and daugh-
| tiers.
Scarlet, blue, ard gold satin, and jewels,
glowed and flashed under the light, and
gave fresh delight to Valerie's colorloving
eyes. But now there was an interest keen
| er far than this that made her watch Gag
| eIly the incoming stream, oblivious of the
| notice she herself was exciting on all sides.
| Was she watching-as she should have
| been-for her loyer-her betrOthed?
| Alas! no! it was no black-coat she hoped
| to see among the brilliant throng, but a
uniform; the fair, boyish face Of The civil
| ian was all but forgotten-the bronzed,
| handsome face of the soldier filed the
! girls thoughts.
|
even among so many distinguished-look
men. How splendid he looked in his scar
| let and gold lacel What a noble face his
vast There was no one here to compare
with him, Valerie said to herself, as she
met the bright smile that flashed into his
| dark eyes.
He came straight to her at once, and
clasped her little hand in his strong, firm
! clasp.
"Ahl Miss Herbert he said, softly,
bending down. with just a glance at the
| bouquet in her hand-he had seen it the
instant he entered the room-''you are too
good to me! How shall l thank your"
mo, mop she answered, shaking her
head, ''rather how shall thank you? 1t
was so kind of you to think of me!-and
! the flowers are the most lovely lever saw
| "And yet scarcely worthy of their queen.
"Queen lily and rose in ONE"
| said Beauregard drawing her hand on his
arm
do you learn complimentary lines of
poetry for use on various occasions?" asked
the girl, archly.
''What cruel implication! I am sure I
have not deserved it. VIII you not credit
me with sometimes speaking as I think?'
| They were sauntering slowly through
| the rooms, and as they went men turned
| to look at Valerie, and the whisper travelled
| from mouth to mouth:
| "Who is she? What an eXquisitely-lovely
| girlr' ''Who is that beautiful girl with
| Beauregard?" And Mrs. Fanshawe was
| besiesed with requests for an Introduction.
Valerie answered her companion:
Then [ should have to be very Yainr'
Was she innocent or cOquettish He
glanced at her keenly. Could she be ig-
norant Of her own supreme right to COM
| pliment, even before she entered these
| rooms? And now did she not see and hear?
! Il will ask you by-and-by, :" he said, light
/ ly, after pause, eff you still find your
COrollary good"
! What do you mean, Captain Beaure-
| gard?-you are talking riddles" said the
! girl, raising her eyes to his; but the smile,
| the look she met startled her with more
than an inkling Of his meaning; it was the
admiration which says-''You ask, Am
beautiful Can you not divine-do you
| not knoW-that you are?" Admiration
refined, eunobled by reverence, but I'M
| yelled
The girls eyes sank, her color rose her
| heart thrObbed with an emotion wholly
new, bewildering; all her pulses thrilled.
| Was this it-this what Max Beauregard
meant? Was she so beautifuI-far more
beautiful than many of these fair women
| she saw around her? And he thought her
so; it was not in idle compliment he spokel
The hand that rested on his arm trem-
| bled; she glanced around her half-nervous.
| ly, and saw men, and women, too looking
at her; she turned to Max BeaUregard in a
kind Of mute appeal, like child frightened
| by some wonderful and unexpected revela-
! ton, and again he smiled his bright, half
tender smile, and said, softly:
Forgive me! you would find it out to-
night, if you have never yet known it,
| Here comes Mrs. Fanshawe''-he changed
| tone and manner-''to rob me, and tell me
1 am usurping more than my share of hap
| piness."
| And Valerie was led away, half dazed
with the new sensations that filed her,
with Max Beauregards last words ringing
in her ears, to have a dozen men presented
| to her in succession, and to give her hand
for the first dance to Colonel Lord Dem
| more, commandment of the garrison at -,
and a man of no small consequence.
She was beautiful She knew the truth;
but as yet not its power. Her pleasure
! was that Max Beauregard thought her so.
| Obi fatal gift of beaUtyI' When she
| knew the full measure of all that gift con-
ferred, how would she use it?
CHAPTER E-THE FAIRY QUEEN.
| When Louis Charters entered the bali
room the first set was just over, and he
paused a moment near the doors, feeling
| that he, in his civilian attire, must present
q very homely appearance. He had never
been to a military ball before, and the
crowd of brilliant uniforms, the white or