The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1889-06-04
FOILED!
Why Mrs. Weir's Gorgeous Wed-
ding Gift Was Never Worn.

A private parlor on the first floor OF
the Hoffman House. well warmed and
brilliantly lighted, is the scene on
which our story opens. 1t has two
occupants on the particular evening
bright, the rising young lawyer, tall,
strikingly handsome man, blue-eyed,
fair-haired, and blOnde-mustached
with the figure of a Hercules and the
head of an Apollo. He is doing well in
the world, is handsome Frank" as
his friends call him, and though only a
year or two over thirty, he is already
counted amongst the shining lights Of
the New York Bar. A little given to
dabbling in literature, too, If rumor is
70 be believed, and it is whispered that
a remarkably brilliant comedy of ma
tive origin, but recently produced at
The Madison Square Theater, owes its
wit and sparkle to his pen. Alto
gether parsonage of note is Mr.. Sea-
bright, and a far different individual
from the poor, unknown student who,
some six years ago, was very sincerely
and passionately in love with the lady,
his hostess as well as companion, who
sits opposite to him, serene and superb
In a Partisan toilette of silver-gray silk
embroidered with steel, and set off by
pdrure of black pearls and diamonds.
She was Miss Celeste Rivarde at
that time, New Orleans belle, famous
for the camellia-leaf smoothness and
whiteness of her complexion, and for
the size and slumberous languor of her
great Oriental eyes, darker than all
else on earth except the lashes that
shaded them. Now she is Mrs Wyn-
dington Weir, q widow after three
years of matrimony, and sole heiress to
her millionaire husbands fortune.
She was engaged to Frank Seabright
when she went to Europe to spend a
winter on the Riviera. There she
met Mr.. Weir, who had gone abroad
for his health. The elderly invalid
speedily became her wooer, and she
had not scrupled to break off her en-
gagement to her young and ardent,
but alas! also penniless, lover, to
accept the dazzling offer of her old and
wealthy adorer. Her married life had
been spent in Europe, moving about
from one health resort to another as
the sufferings or caprices of Mr.. Weir
had dictated. His death, some eight
cen months 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 had become merely nomi-
nal, SO far as her dress was concerned,
for evil-minded takers 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
preteXt of wishing to consult Mr. Sea-
bright respecting some law business,
she had sent for him to come and dine
with her in her sumptuous apartments
at the Hoffman House. The invita-
tion had been accepted. the repast had
been discussed. and the legal questions
satisfactorily settled. And now Mrs.
Weir leaned hack in her chair on the
opposite side of the fireplace from
that where her lawyer and guest was
seated.
Can | bring him to my feet again?"
she thought to herself. The mirror
above the mantel-piece gave answer:
''YOu can if you will"
She was looking wonderfully beauti-
full under the shaded gas-light, with
the sparkle of diamonds among the
pearls at her throat and in her ears
rivalled by the brilliancy of her great,
dazzling eyes. The velvety white
ness and warm rOse-tint of her COM
plexion, the vivid scarlet of her lips,
the blue-black masses of her glossy
hair, made up a glow of color that
might have tempted the pen of Ben
lamin Constant. Still, Frank Seabright,
as he observed her critically. saw but
few traces. in this gorgeous woman, of
the young girl that he had once
adored. The keen glance of the
man Of the world detected the wan.