The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-06-01
THE WRONG POTION.

| y IN the winter of 1856 I de.
'ss'1'ned upon accepting the oft.
ated Invitation of one of my
w who was a resident of PhiIa-
ma, to visit her. Her daughters
gay, fashionable girls, and un-
fl'ak tneir auspices / soon found my
Introduced into society, and being
90 dancer and withal not i'll
l4pklpg | received invitations to
i's'ss or the balls and parties of an
ilaspaily gay season.
Twas at one of the most brilliant
H5'N crowded Of these assemblages
slatl first met Aura Lee, She was
go htherner. and had come North
un visit to her relatives and had
DHyne &C once and decidedly regn-
e;lcS iie. Singnlasly graceful. with
~ mind hairs just dark enough to
FPtast with complexion pale and
1gas lilly, the peculiar nature of
hei charms served but to enhance
Their effect. soon found myself
ma1ly and hopelessly in love with
her Hopelessly, indeed, for what
chances had l, without wealth or DO.
siti,n. of winning one so universally
admired? Yet the very despairing
nattre of my passion but rendered it
moTe intense and to crown my MIS-
cry L became insanely jealous of
every one that dared claim her atten-
tion for moment.
Matters were in this state when
received an invitation to a large
party at the house of one of Miss
Lees most intimate friends. had
for some time been troubled with a
transient pain in the region of the
heart, for which some simple medi-
cine had been prescribed. to he taken
at the moment of the attack. The
night of the ball arrived, and was
in the act of drawing on my gloves
when the pain seized me. Hastily
snatching the bottle and spoon from
the closet where they were deposited,
l swallowed the prescribed dose and
started out, somewhat relieved.
1t was one of the coIdest nights of
an unusually severe winter. The at.
mOsphere felt like acrified ice, and as
the chilling blast swept past me, /
congratulated myself on the fact that
the house where l was going was not
far distant. AS l reached the door
Miss Lee was Just alighting from
her carriage, but when 1 descended
1Fom the dressing room. sought for
her among the dancers in vain. At
last. in small room adjoining the
conservatory, and as yet unvisited-
by the gay throng. discovered her
in apparently earnest conversation
with one of the most assiduous of her
admirers, Mr.. Chester of Virginia.
The demon of jealousy seized upon
my heart at once, and seating N.Y.
self on sofa in one of the recesses I
determined to interrupt by nv pres.
ence at least. the further continuance
of their seemingly interesting con-
versation.
Never had 1 seen her look more
beautiful. She stood within the re-
cess of large bay window, her slen.
der form in its snowy robes relieved
by the glowing scarlet of the satin
curtains, and her etheral heau:y con-
trasting we'll with the dark and
manly form of the handsome Vir-
ginian. Her dress was some white.
misty material, that flOated around
her like cloud. One single white
lily dropped its snowy cup against
the coils of her shining hair land
formed the only ornament of her
simple and most becoming costume.
AS ] gazed at her I thought / dis.
cerned faint blush tlnging her cheek
at some whispered remark from her
companion. and yielding to the i'm,
purse of my jealous feelings l rose
suddenly and came forward.
"YOu promised me this polka. Miss
Lee.n I said, Offering nv arm.
\ If she was annoyed at having her
tete-a.tete thus interrupted she man.
ifested no vexation, and in moment
we found ourselves in the ball room.
She danced with even more than her
usual grace and spirit, but the jealous
fury that possessed me rendered me
utterly incapable of entering into the
spirit of the dance. Gradually my
irritated feelings resolved themselves