Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1889-04-13
Fooled!
Why Mrs Weir's Gorgeous We'd
ding Gift Was Never Worn.

why NIS cir gorgeous CO.
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 u story opens 1t has two
occupants on the particular evening
OF which we write, One is Frank sea-
bright, the rising young lawyer. a TAI.
strikingly handsome man. b,ue-eye5.
fair-haired, and blonde-mustache5.
with the figure Of a Hercules and The
head Of an Apollo, He is doing we,li I'm
the world, is handsome Frank. a.,
his friends call him. and though only
year or two over thirty, he i already
counted amongst the shining lights az
the New York Bar. 4 little given TO
dabblin- in literature. too. # rumor is
TO be believed, and it is whispered tina,
a remarkably brilliant comedy Of Ma
tive origin, but recently produced at
the Madison Square Theater. owes lis
wit and sparkle 10 his pen. Alto.
gether a 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 p~assionately in love with the lady.
his hostess as we'll as companion. who
sits opposite to him, serene and superb
In a Partisan toilette OF silyer-gray six
embroidered with steel. and set off by
aparure Of black pearls and diamonds.
She was Miss Celeste Riyarde n,
that time, New Orleans belle. famous
for the camellia-leat smoothness and
whlteness of her complexion. and for
the size and slumberous languor of her
great Oriental eyes. darker than all
else on earth except the lashes tha,
shaded them. Now she is Mrs Wyp-
dington Weir, a widow after three
years Of matrimouy, and sole heiress to
her millionaire husbands fortune.
She was engaged to Frank Seabrirht
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 ~
the su~iferings 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-
ton had been accepted, the repast had
been discussed, and the legal questions
satisfactorily settled. And now Mrs.
Weir leaned back 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:
"lou can if you will" (
She was looking wonderfully beauti- ,
ful under the shaded gas.light, with I
the sparkle OF diamonds among the {
pearls at her throat and in her ears {
riyalled by the brilliancy OF her great, {
dazzling eyes. The v~elvety white ,
ness and warm rose-tint OF her COM I
p%lexion. the vivid scarlet of her lips, S
the blue-black masses of her glossy
made up a glow of color that q
have tempted the pen of Ben
Constant. Still. Frank Seabright, $
rs 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 4
man Of the world detected the wan,
expression that lurked under |
the rich pink OF the cheek and the {
bright-red of the curved and dainty J
mouth, and was hidden in the lustrous G
depths OF the dark eyes that he re- /
nembered as so soft and SO appealing. Y
Celeste Rivarde had been a most win S
ming girl. Celeste Weir was a splen- c
lid-looking woman Of the world, and no q
more like her former self than a
peony resembles u Jacque- I
rose. Her nature had hardened /
coarsened under the influence ex- L
upon ii by the events OF the v
past few years. And Frank Seabright, S
he gazed upon her, wondered at his O
former |infatuation and secretly 4
that it had so entirely passed t
lway. His acceptance ofthe invitation e
dine with his former love had been, o
n truth. an experiment AS TO the state
'f his own feelings, aud one which he d
lad tried not without some uncon- d
'essed misgiyings; so it was with in "
satisfaction that he felt himself
o be entirely heart-whole as far as d
dazzling creature was concerned. S,
She looked at him with that smile Il
hna been found irresistible in L
drawing rooms OF Nice and of =.
Florence.
You are very silent this evening. o
hr. Seabright" she said, playfully.