Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-10-17

uCHIb AOtb cd0aOu NoNehSye -
drear, strange loneliness With my
faithful servant near me had felt
conscious Of the presence Of o friend, for
friend he was In his own humble, unob-
trusive fashion; but now / WIS alone
alone In Loneliness beyond oil conceiv-
able com parison-A alone to do my work,
without prevention or detection. felt,
~ Il wore, isolated from humanity. set
apart with my victim on some dim point
o! time, from which the rest of the world
receded, where the searching oye OF tho
Creator alone could behold me. Only
she and and GOd-these three were all
that existed for me In the Universe; be-
f, tween these three must justice DO full
filled.
Musingly, with downcast eyes, 70.
turned 10 the ballroom. At the doc: o
young girl faced me-she was the only
doughtcr OF great Neapolitan house.
Dressed In pure white, as oil such maid
ems are, with o crown OF snowdrop> on
her dusky hair, and her dimpled ace
ALT with laughter, she looked the rery
embodiment Of early spring. She ad-
dressed me somewhat timidly, yet With
all child's franEness.
''Is not this delightful? feel &C. II
were in fairyland. Do you know Ais is
my first ball?"
smiled YEARLY.
"Aye, truly? And you are hap2y?"
'0h. happiness is not the word-it is
ecstacyl How l wish 1t could last for
ever! And-is 1t not strange?-I did
not know was beautiful till tonight"
She said this with perfect simplicity,
and pleased smile irradiated her fair
features glanced ut her In cold
scrutiny.
"Ah! and some one has told you SOP"
She blushed and laughed little con-
sciously.
Eyes; the great Prince de Maiano.
And he Is too noble to say what is not
true, so must be Ia piu bella donzella,"
as he said, must not?"
touched the snowdrops that she wore
in q white cluster at her breast.
clock ut your flowers, child" / said
earnestly. ''See how they begin TO droop
in this heated air. The poor things!
How glad they would feel could they
again grow in the cool wet moss Of the
woodlands. waving their little bells to
the wholesome, fresh wind Would they
revive now, think you, for your great
Prince de Majano II he told
them they were fair? So
with your life and heart little
one-psss them through the scorching
gro OF flattery, and their purity must
withcr even as those fragile blossoms.
Sad US for beauty-are you moro beauti-
full than she?"
And pointed slightly 10 my wife, who
was ut that moment cartseying to her
partner in the stately fofmalitY OF the
first quadrille
My young companion looked, and her
clear eyes oarkened obviously.
"Ah, no. no! But II ] wore such lace
and satin and pearls, and had such
jewels, l might perhaps be moro like
her"
/ sighed bitterly. The poison had al
ready entered this child soul. ! spoke
brusquoly.
'Pray that you may never be like
her." said, with sombre sternness. and
not needing her look Of astonishment.
"You are youAg-You can not yet have
thrown of religion. Well when you go
home tonight and kneel beside your
little bed, made holy by the cross above
IL and your mothers blessing, pray
pray with all your strength that you
may never resemble In the smallest de-
gree that exquisite woman yonder. So
may you be spared her fAtS."
paused, for the girls eyes were dilat-
ed in extreme wonder and fear. looked
at her aud laughed abruptly and hsrshly.
II forgot" said; ''tho lady Is my
wife, should have thought Of that l
was speaking oi-another whom you do
not know. Pardon mel When / am
fatigued my memory wanders. Pay no
attention 70 my foolish remarks. Enjoy
yourself, my child, but do not be-
| iieve oil the pretty speeches
OF the Prince de Majano. A river
dercil"
And smiling forced smile left her.
and mingled with crowd Of my guests,
greeting one hore, another there, testing
lightly, paying unmeaning compliments
to the women who expected them, ana
striving 10 distract my thoughts with
the senseiess laughter and foolish
chatter OF the glittering cluster Of
society butterflies, all the while des-
perately counting the tedious minutes'
and wondering whether my patience, so
long on the rack, would last out
its destined time AS l made my way
through the brilliant assemblage, Luzi-
ano Sslustri, the poet greeted me with q
grave smile.
81 have had little time to congratulate
you, Conte," he said in those mellihuous
| scoenta NJ HE which Were like his own
improvised music, ''but / assure you
do so with all my heart Even In my
most fantastic dreams have never pic
tured faircr heroine Of LIES romance
than the lady who is now the Countess
Olivia"
silently bowed my thanks .
al am OF Q strange temperament, 1
sunnose." he resumed. "Tonight this
ravishing scene Of beauty and splendor
makes me sad at heart, know not why:
II seems too brilliant, too dazzling.
would as soon 90 homo and compose q