San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-07-20

!
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 if he told
them they were fair? So
with your life and heart little
one-pass them through the scorching
fire of fattery, and their purity must
| wither even as these fragile blossoms.
And as for beauty-are you more beauti-
full than she?"
! And pointed slightly to my wife, who
was at that moment curtseying to her
partner in the stately formality Of the
| first Quadrille.
| My young companion looked, and her
clear eyes darkened enviously.
"Ah, no, mol But if wore such lace
| and satin and pearls, and had such
| jewels, l might perhaps be more like
| her!"
sighed bitterly. The poison had al
ready entered this child soul / spoke
| brusQuely.
pray that you may never be like
her." / said, with sombre sternness, and
| not needing her look of astonishment
"You are Young-you can not yet have
| thrown off religion. Well when you go
home tonight and kneel beside your
little bed. made holy by the cross above
it 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 fate"
paused, for the girls eyes were dilat-
ed in extreme wonder and fear. / looked
at her and laughed abruptly and harshly.
81 forgot" / said; 1.-THE lady is my
wife-I should have thought of that.
was speaking of-another whom you do
not know. Pardon mel When l am
fatigued my memory wanders. Pay no
attention to my foolish remarks. Enjoy
yourself, my child, but do not be-
lieve all the pretty speeches
of the Prince de Majano. A river
derci!'
And smiling forced smile left her,
and mingled with a crowd of my guests,
greeting one here, another there, testing
lightly, paying unmeaning compliments
to the women who expected them, and
striving to distract my thoughts with
the senscIess 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 assembIage, Luzi-
| aho Salustri, the poet greeted me with a
grave smile.
81 have had little time to congratulate
| you, Conte," he said in those mellifluous
accents of his which were like his own
| improvised music, "but l assure you
do so with all my heart. Even in my
most fantastic dreams / have never pic
| tured a fairer heroine of a life's romance
| than the lady who is now the Countess
Olivia"
| silently bowed my thanks.
81 am of n strange temperament,
suppose" he resumed. Tonight this
ravishing scene of beauty and splendOr
| makes me sad at heart, | know not why.
| 1t seems too brilliant, too dazzling.
| would as soon go home and compose
| dirge as anything"
| laughed satirically.
"Why not do it?' said. "You are not
the first person who, being present at
marriage, has, with perverSe incOngru-
ity, meditated on a funeral"
| A wiStful look came into his brilliant
poetic eyes,
II have thought once or twice" he re-
marked in low tone, ''Of that misguid-
ed young man Ferrari. A pity, was it
not, that the quarrel occurred between
| yOu?"
"a pity indeedn' l replied bruSquelV.
| Then taking him by the arm turned
him round so that he faced my wife, who
was standing not far off "But look at
| the-the-angei have married! Is she
not a fair Couse for dispute even unto
DEATH Fie on thee, Luziano!-why think
of Ferrari? He is not the first man who
has been killed for the sake Of woman,
nor will he be the last"
Salustri shrugged his shoulders
and was silent for min
ute or two. Then he added
with his own bright smile
Still, AMIGO. it would have been much
better if it had ended in coffee and
cognac. Myself, would rather shoot
q man with an epigram than leaden
bullet! BY the bye, do you remember our
talking of Cain and Abel that night?"
"Perfectly."
81 have wandered since" he continued
half merrily, half seriously, whether the
real cause of their quarrel has ever been
rightly told. l should not be at all sur
prsed if one Of these days some savant
does not discover a papyrus containing
a missing page of Holy Writ, which will
ascribe the reason of the first bloodshed
to love affair. Perhaps there were
wood nymphs in those days. as we are
, assured there were giants, and some
dainty Driad might have driven the first
pair of human brothers to desperation
, by her charms" What say you?"
at is more than probable" answered
lightly. make
a poem Of it, Salustri; people will say you
4 have improved on the bibler