Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1890-08-28

MS own uncle.
Now, he thought, with sigh of re-
lief, Il am safe. We are members of the
same order. he is my superior. Hence
forth his honor is sacred to me.
The next night he went to the opera.
1t was an impassiOned play, and the
house was crowded. Cora EllistOn oc-
cupied her own box.
After the first act Eugene attempted to
60 to her, but meeting several aequaint-
ances IN the passage was prevented from
doing so.
While he was talking with these, War
rem Leland and Charley Raymond passed
them, and the thought that they. might
be going to Cora irritated him.
At last, after the fourth act, he went to
visit her in her box, where he found her
alone, his uncle having gone out for few
moments.
He was astonished at entering to find
the traces of tears on her cheeks, Her
eyes were even moist.
She seemed displeased at being sur
prised in the very act Of sentimentality
Music always makes me nervous, she
said
@Indeedi" said Eugene. "You who al
ways reproach me with hiding my merits,
why do you hide yours? If you are still
capable of weeping, so much the better.
No! / claim no merit for that. Oh, my
God! If you only knew! It is quite the
contrary"
What mystery you aTe!"
Are you very curious to fathOm this
mystery? Only that? Very we'll, be it
so! 1t is time to put an end to this. 5"
She drew her chair from the front of
the box out of public view, and, turning
to Eugene, continued:
You wish to know what I am, what I
feel, and what I think; or rather, you
wish to know simply if I dream of love?
Very we'll, only dream Of that; and what
is yet more, if L have or have not lovers,
or if I never shall have q lover, it Will not
arise from virtue. 1 believe in nothing,
but self-esteem and cont empt of others.
These little intrigues, these petty pas
slOns, which 1 see in the world, make me
indignant to the bottom of my soul. 1t
seems to me that women, who give them
selves for so little, must be base Great
urss. As for myself, to commit a sacri-
lege would wish, like the vestals of
Rome, love as great as my crime, and as
terrible as death.
q wept just now during the fourth act.
1t was not because I listened to the mar
YelOus music; it was because L admire
and envy passiOnately the superb and
profound love represented. And it is
ever thus-when I read of such things I
am in ecstasies.
How well the people of the sixteenth
century knew how to love and how to die
delightful.
Now, my friend, you must leave mo
We are observed. They will believe we
love each other, and as we have not that
pleasure, it is useless to incur the penal
ties. Goodnight"
I thank you very much, replied Eu-
gene, taking the hand she extended Thim
cOldly, and left the box. BE met his
uncle in the passage.
"Ah! my dear fellow, said Mr.. Ellis
ton, Selling him by the arm. Il must
tell you an idea that has been In my mind
all the evening.
What is it, uncle?"
well, there are here this evening a
number Of charming young girls. This
set me to thinking of you and your lone
illness, and I even said to my wife, that
We must marry you in due time to one of
these young Iadies!"
ooh, uncle!"
well, why nOt?"
at Is such a serious thing. If one
makes a mistake in his choice"
@Pshaw! it is not so difficult to avoid
that. Take a wife like mine, who has a
great deal of religion, not much magma
ton, and no fancies. This is the whole
secret. tell you this in confidence my
dear fellow"
We'll, then, uncle, at the proper time I
will think of it.
do think of it, " said the other, in a
serious tone; and went to Join his Young
wife whom he understood so we'll.
Eugene left the opera in a peculiarly
disturbed state. His mind still dwelt
upon his fair connection. He felt, how
ever, more sure of himself, since he had
bound himself by the stFictest Obliga-
lions of honor.
He abandoned himself from this mo-
ment with less scruple to the emotions
and to the danger against which he be-
h oil "a ~
He did not fear oftener to seek the So
ciety of his beautiful connection, and
even contracted the habit of repairing to
her house almost every day.
Whenever he found her alone, their con-
versation invariably assumed on both
sides tone OF irony and railleTy, in
which both eXcelled. He did not forget
her reckless confidence at the opera, and
willingly recalled it to her, asking her if
she had yet discovered that hero of love,
for whom she was seeking.
At last the night Of the ball came.
COra's parties were justly renowned for
their magnificence and good taste. She
did the hOnOTs with the grace of a queen.
This evening she had a very simple
toilet, as was becoming in the courteous
hostess. She wore long dress OF dark
velvet: her arms were bare, without Jew
els; a necklace of large pearls on her
rOse-tinted bosom, and rich couture
was placed on her fair hair.
Eugene caught her eye as he entered, as
though she we're watching for him. He
had seen her on the previous evening, and
they had had a more lively skirmish than
usual.
He was struck by her briIIiancy-her
beauty heightened, without doubt, by the
secret ardOr of the quarrel, as though 81
lumined by an interior flame, with all the
clear, soft splendOr of a transparent ala
basteT vase.
When he advanced to join her and sa-
Lutte her, yielding, against his will, to an
involuntary movement Of passionate ad-
miPation, he said:
You are truly beautiful this evening
Enough so to make one commit a crime. !"
She looked fxedly in his eye, and re-
piled:
I should like to see that. and then