The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1889-06-26
4 wEbbINa aIFT.
Ht LUCY II. HoopER.

i3f LUCY II. HOOPER.
A private parlcr on the first floor
Of the Hoffman Hotiss; we'll wartaed
and brilliantly lighted, is the scene
on which our story opens. 1t has
two occupants on the particular
evening Of which We write. One is
Frank stabrigl,t, the rising young
la#yer, a tall, strikingly handsome
man, bluo-eyed, flir-haired and
blonde-mustached, with the figure
of u Hercules and the head of an
Apollo. He is doing we'll in the
world, is "handsoine Frank" as his
friends call him, and though only a
year or so over thirty, he is already
counted amongst the shining lights
of the New York Bar. A little
givsn to dabbling in literature, too
If EunIor is tezIe sbelieveei,-asti It is
whispered that a remarkably brill,
liant comedy of native origins but
recently produced dt th6 Madison
Square Theatre, owes its wit and
sparkle to his pen. Altogether a
pets5nags IF note is Mr. seabright
and far different individual from
the poor, unknown student who,
some Six years ago, was very sin
cerely and passi5nately in love with
the lady; his hostess as well as com
panion, who sits opposite to him,
serene and superb in a Purisian toll
et.c of silver-gray silk embroidered
with steel; ind set off by parure
of black pearls and diamonds.
She was Miss Celeste Rivarde at
that time, a New Orleans belle, fa-
ffi6Gs t6F tie eameilia lsaf smooth
ness and whitcncss of her complex
ion, and for the size and slumberous
languor of her great Oriental eyes,
darker than all else on earth except
the tashes that shaded them. Fow,
she is Mrs. Wilmington Weif; a
widow after three years of matrf-
trony; and sole htitess to her mill
ionaife husbands fortune.
She was engaged to Frank Sea-
bright when she went to Europe TO
spend g winter ON tire Riviera. =
There she met Mr.. Weir, who had
gone abroad for his health. The
elderly irtatfa speetil5 betatre her
woocr, and she had not scrupled to
break off her engagement to her
young and ardent, but alasl also
p9fniless, lover, to accept tBe tA1-
zling offer of her old and wealthy
adorer. Her married life had been
spent iii Europe, moving abo1t from
one health resort to another as tire
sufferings or caprices Of Mr. Weir
had dictated. His death some eigh-
teen montErs before. had left her
free, and rich and independent as
well. She had Fingered in Paris and
Rome till the period had arrived
when her mourning hatt become
merely nominal, So far as her dress
wis concerned, for evil-minded
ttFkers had declared that such had
always been the case in regard to
her feelings.
She had arrived IN New York but
two days before. And then under
the pretext of wishing to consult
Mr.. Seabright respecting some law
bittFAssFiitess, she R3d sent for him te
come and dine with her at heI
sumptuous apartments at the Hotf.
man House. The invitation had
been accepted, the repast had been
discussed and the logai questions
satisfactorily settled. And now Mrs
Weir leaned back in her chair OIL
tire opposite side of, the fire-plac,
from that Where hef lawyer anc
guest was seated. AS she toyec
with her fan of dark tortoise shell
anu gray rh:rabout feathers, casting
glances at her quondam lover from
under her long, dusky eyelashes
Eishe felt that tire business of the even
ing #;is only just beginning. for sh,
realized, in the uttermost depths o
her passionate, undisciplined nature
that she still loved, with all the fer
vor of whfclr her soul was eaproic
this suPerb-looking young maj
whose attractions and whose attach
ment she had wantonly thrown
aside in exchange for riches and
Iovcless marriage:
"Can 1 bring him to my fee
again?" she thought to herself. Th,
mirror above the mantel-piece CAV
answer; "You, cah' if Jou' witt
She was looking wonderful,
beautifriTuhder the shaded gas light
with the sparkle of diamond
amongst the pearls at her throf
and in her cars rivaled by the brill
ishty Of hetf great, dazzling eyes
The velvcty whiteness and. warn
licse-tint of her complexion, tn,
| vivid sco,.lot Of bot. I:,,,- a. H..