San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-06-22

sons, glittered-witRs unittuous APPOINT
ments of silver, Venetian glass, and the
rarest flowers; the floor was carpeted
with velvet pile, in which some grains OF
ambergris had been scattered, so that in
walking the feet sank, as it were, into a
bed of moss rich with the odors OF a
thousand spring blossoms. The very
chairs wherein my guests were to seat
themselves were of a luxurious shape
and softly stuffed, so that one could lean
back in them or recline at ease-in
short, everything was arranged with a
lavish Splendor almost betting the
banquet of an eastern monarch, and yet
with such accurate taste that there was
no detail one could have wished omitted
was thoroughly satisfied, but as l
know what an unwise plan it is to
praise servants too highly for doing
we'll what they are expressly paid to do,
l intimated my satisfaction to my land
lord by mere careless nod and smile
of approval. He, who waited on my
every gesture with abject humility, re-
ceived his sign of condescension with as
much delight as though it had come from
the King himself, and l could easily see
that the very fact of my showing no en-
thusiasm at the result of his labors, made
him consider me greater man than
ever. / now went to nay own apartments
to don my evening attire; / found Vim
cenzo brushing every speck Of dust from
my dress-coat with careful nicety-he
had already arranged the other articles
of costume neatly on my bed ready for
wear. l unlocked dressing-case and
took from thence three studs, each one
formed of a single brilliant of rare clear
ness and lustre, and handed them to him
to fix in my shirt-front. While he was
sleeve watched him earnestly-then
suddenly addressed him:
"Vincenzo!" He started.
"Eccellenza~
Tonight you will stand behind my
chair and assist in serving the wine"
"Yes, Eccelenza."
"You will" continued, ''attend par
ticularly to Signor Ferrari, who will sit
at my right hand. Take care that his
glass is never empty"
Eyes, Eccelenza."
Whatever may be said or DONE"
went on quietly, ''you will show no sign
of alarm or surprise. From the COM
mencement of dinner till tell you 70
move, remember your place is fixed by
me-"
The honest fellow looked little
puzzled, but replied as before;
Eyes, EccelenZa."
smiled and, advancing, laid my hand
on his arm.
"How about the pistols, Vincenzo?"
They are cleaned and ready for use,"
Eccellenza." he replied. 81 have placed
them in your cabinet"
That is well!' | said with a satisfied
gesture. "You can leave me and ar
range the salon for the reception of my
friends"
He disappeared, and l busted myself
with my toilette, about which / was for
once unusually particular. The con-
ventional dress suit is not very becom-
ing, yet there are few men here and
there who look well in it, and who, in
spite of similarity in attire, will never
be mistaken for walters. Others there
are who, passable in appearance when
clad in their ordinary garments, reach
the very acme of plebeianism when they
clOthe themselves in the unaccommodat-
ing evening dress. Fortunately / hap
pened to be one of the former claSs-Uhe
sober black, the broad white display of
starChed shirt front, and neat tie became
me, almost too well, / thought 1t
would have been better for my purposes
if l could have feigned an aspect of
greater age and weightier gravity.
had scarcely finished my toilette when
the rumbling of wheels in the
courtyard outside made the hot blood
rush to my face, and my heart
beat with feverish excitement. 1 left my
dressing-rOom, however, with COM
posed countenanCe and calm step, and
entered my private salon just as its doors
were flung open and "Signor Ferrari"
was announced. He entered smiling
his face was alight with good humor and
glad anticipation-he looked handsomer
than usual.