The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1891-10-02

Shifting colours, confused Images, mo
ments Of clear light, hours OF long
darkness-all things gross, refined, ma
terisl and spiritual were shaken up in
nay life like the fragments in kaleido-
scope, ever changing into new form and
bewildsring patterns My brain was clear
yet ! often questioned myself whether
/ was not going mad-whether all the
careful methodical plans | formed were
but the hazy fancies of hopelessly
disordered mind Yet, no; each detail
of my scheme was too complete, too con-
sistent, toe business-likc for that. A
mailman nsy have method of action to
a certain extent, but there is always
some slight slip, some omission, some
mistake which helps to discover his con-
dition. Now l forgot nOthing-I had
the composed exactitude of a careful
banker who balances his accounts with
the most elaborate regularity. l can
laugh to think of it all now: but them
then l moved, spoke and acted like a
human machine impelled by stronger
forces than my own-in all things pre-
else, in all things inhexible.
Within the week of my return from
Avellino my coming marriage with the
Countess Romani was announced. Two
days after it had been made public
while sauntering across the Largo
del Castillo, l met the Marquis
DAvencourt l had not seen him
since the morning of the duel. and his
presence gave me a sort of nervous
shock. He was exceedingly cordial.
though I fancied he was also slightly
embarrassed. After a few common
place remarks he said abruptly:
$50 your marriage will positively take
placer
forced laugh.
Ma certamente! Do you doubt it?'
His handsome face clOuded and his
manner grew still more constrained.
NO; but l thought had hoped"
Mon cher" said airly, II perfectly
understand to what you allude. But we
men of the world are not fastidious,-
we know better than to pay any heed to
foolish love-fancies of a woman before
her marriage, so long as she does not
trick US afterwards. The letters you
sent me were trifes, mere
tribes. In wedding the Contessa
Romani l assure you be-
live l secure the most virtuous
as well as the most lovely woman in
Europe" And l laughed again heart
fly.
D'Avencourt looked puzzled: but he
was punctilious man, and knew how
TO steer clear Of a delicate subject He
smiled.
"A Ia bonnie heure," he said-"I wish
you JOY with all my heart. A minuit,
tous les chats sont girls! You are the
best judge of your own happiness; as for
me-vive la liberte!'
And with a gay parting salute he left
me. No one else in the city appeared to
share his forebooing scruples, If he had
any, about my forthcoming marriage. 1t
was everywhere talked of with as much
interest and expectation as though
it were some new amusement invented
to heighten the merriment of Car
nival. Amehg other things, l earned
the reputation of being most impatient
lover, for now / would consent to no de-
lays ] hurried all the preparations on
with feyerish precipitation. had very
little difficulty in persuading Nina that
the sooner our wedding took place the
better; she was to the full as eager as
myself, as ready to rush on to her own
destruction as Guido had been. Her
chief passion was avarice, and the re-
peated rumours of my supposed fabulous
wealth had aroused her greed from the
very moment she had first met me in my
assumed character of the Count Olivia.
As soon as her engagement to me be-
came known in Naples, she was an OBJ
ject of envy to all those of her own sex
who, during the previous autumn, had
laid out their store of destinations to en-
trap me in vain-and this made her
perfectly happy. Perhaps the
supremest satisfaction woman OF
this sort can attain to is the
fact of making her less fortunate sis
tiers discontinued and miserable! /
loaded her OF course with the costliest
gifts, and she, being the sole mistress Of
the fortune left her by her "late nus
band" as well as of the unfortunate
Guido's money, set no limits TO her eX-
Iravagance. She ordered the most ex-
pensive and elaborate costumes: she
was engaged morning after morning
with dressmakers, taiIors and milliners,
and she was surrounded by certain
set" of female friends, for whose bene-
fit she displayed the incoming treasures
of her wardrobe till they were ready to
cry for spite and vexation, though they
had TO smile and hold in their wrath and
outraged vanity beneath the social mask
Of complacent composure. And Nina
loved nothing better than to torment
the poor women who were stinted of
pocket money with the sight OF simmer
ing satins, soft radiant pushes, rich
velvets. embroidery studded with real
gems, pieces of costly old lace,
priceless scents and articles of bijou-
terie; she loved also to dazzle the eyes
and bewilder the brains Of young girls,
whose finest toilette was garb of SIM
plest white stuff unadorned save by a
cluster of natural blossoms, and to send
them away sick al heart. pining for they
knew not what, dissatisfied with every
thing, and grumbling at fate for not per-
hitting them 10 deck themselves in such
marvellous arrangements of costume
as those possessed by the happy, the for
tunate future Countess Olivia.
Poor maicens! had they but known
ali they would not have envied heri
Women are too fond of measuring hap
pinesS by the amount OF fine clothes they
obtain, and / truly believe dress is the
one thing that never fails to console
them. How often ct of Mysteries can
be cut short by the Opportune arrival Of
q new gown!
Ny wife, in consideration of her ap-
proaching Maond nuptials, had
thrown of AEy widows Grape.
and now appeeS& clad in those soft
subdued half-szae of colour that
suited her fragile. fairy-like beauty TO
perfecCpn. All her old witcheries and
her gfflsaful tricks of manner and
speech $50 put forth again for my ben
eft ] kSsW them all so WE'LL under
stood the saiue of her light caresses and
iangufshine looks so thoroughly! She
was very anxious to attain the full dig
dity Of her position as the wife of 50 rich