Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-02-12

OilNG DGcu d eeaAee'S5Sf - =
had she not appeared there. SO remarkable
were her grace and beauty Nevertheless.
in her dreamy eyes one saw Il shade OF sad
ness which accentuated still more the pal
lor of her complexion and the delicacy OF
all her person. She replied only in mono
syllables to the questions addressed to her
by her husband and with a smile OF deep
melancholy to the compliments OF her nu
merOus admirers.
my love-" said Ramon, offering her his
arm to take her upon the terrace that she
might enjoy the cool evening air, can
nothing divert you from your Thoughts!
Size arose without answering, placed her
hand upon her husbands arm and was
preparing to accompany him when she was
shai.en from head to foot by violent com
motion: her eyes, opened to their widest
extent, were fixed on a stranger whom she
had not noticed until then, but whose
ardent and passionate glance had not
quilted her since her arrival at the ball.
''IIe!' muttered She with joy mixed with
fright He! Miguelv'
And she sank down upon the chair she
had lust quilted.
''Wrhat ails you, Garment" asked Ramon
Moreno. care you ll?"
why did You deceive me?" cried the
young wife "Why did you assure me he
was de;,ds Oh, what you have done, Don
Ramon, was unworthy of an honest mail
you bought my consent at the price of a
Iie!''
''Of what are you talking, Carmen. and
what signifies your language?"
sit signifies that did not wish to marry
you; that wished to remain faithful to
my old and sole affection. My father in
sisted that it was my duty to renounce it
You know to what threats, to what prayers
he had recourse. His fortune and his hon
or were at stake For a long while re-
sisted and never would have yielded had
not he and you affirmed to me Miguel's
death Well, Miguel is not dead since
there he stands!''
And her glance shot toward the stranger.
Don Ramon had no time to answer for
Miguel had quilted his place and was ad
vancing with Il calm but resolute air
When he reached them he said. bowling
respectfully to Carmen:
Madame, will you do me the honor to
dance with me?"
She grew faint and put her hand to her
heart as if to restrain it's throbs: then real
iZing that all eyes were fixed upon her and
feel ny her husbands arm tremble, but re
solv ed to have an immediate explanation
with Miguel, she demanded of him accord
ing to the usage:
"How much do you offer?"
IA thousand piasters,'' raplied he.
sit is |, senior, who will have the pleas
ure Of dancing with my wife," replied Don
Ramon, land l do not believe shall pay
too much for that pleasure by giving to the
poor two thousand piastres"
''And will give ten thousand" coldly
resumed Miguel
A sullen rage took possession Of Don
Ramon Moreno's heart.
you are making this Il personal affair
senor!'' cried he. $50 be it'll | will give
twenty thousand!''
~ hundred thousandl" said the impas
sible voice of Miguel.
Tie spectators could not repress muir
mer Of appreciation. Don Ramon realized
that by persisting further he would render
himself ridiculous. Besides, he was there
and would not lose sight of his adversary
What danger could there be in letting him
dance with Carmen? 1t was upon another
field that he counted on taking his revenge.
Hence he strove to compose his features
and said in the most amiable tone he could
assume
Indeed, senior, l should with ill grace
deprive you of Il satisfaction which fatters
as much as it honors me- Your persistence
would prove to me, were | not already
aware of it, what value l should attach to
the possession of a wife whom a cavalier so
perfect esteems sufficiently to pay hun
dred thousand piasters for the mere favor
of dancing with herl'
Miguel drew a checkbook from his
pocket. filed up a check for a hundred
= L., 1.xl
it to one of the commissares of the fete;
then he offered his arm to Carmen.
During this colloquy the young woman
had not made movement. Faint, half
dead she nevertheless had the strength to
arise and follow her cavalier. Miguel en-
circie,i her waist with his strong arm and
the waltz bore them away in it's whirl
''Ahi madame nurmured the young
| man in Garments ear, mot only hundred
thousand pirstres but all my fortune. the
millions | have amassed in order to lay
them at your feet, my very life, which
henl aforth has no charm for me, would 1
have given for this moment! Not that |
now attach the slightest value to the honor
| of dancing with YOU but because want to
| tell you that | lespise your
| 81 ave mercy.' whispered Carmen. " hose
| hears bled beneath the insult.
~ here is 40 mercy for perjurer! You
| promised to wait for me- to remain faithful
| to ne until death, and you have broken
| your oathsl''
Eat, Miguel, you do not know''-
y know but one thing. Carmen-that
| you are the wife of another and lost to me.
| ] an devoured by jealousy and wish to
ave-, &c myselfr
Yes, you are right-avenge yourself
| merit death-kill me, Miguell Better die
! than live since | have lost you What
would life be to me now that have found
| you again and cannot be yours? Fer it is
| you alone love' My father forced me to
mary that man. but | have never loved
| him
"Then let us fly togetherlH
"Ily! cannot do it. 1t would dishonor
uHr
Al that moment they passed before Don
Ramon The sight of the man who had
robbed him Of his love and happiness sui
feed to dissipate the tenderness with which
Tor an instant Carmen 3 words had softened
Miguel's heart. Drunken with jealousy
and Jury, he frightened his grip upon the
you,1s, wife, FASTENED the movement of his
steps and then madly, passionately. in the
| sight of all. snatched long kiss from her
lips
Don Ramon saw it; he sprang forward 70
stop him and tear away his wife from his
| embrace When the two rivals were face
to face. Miguel opened his arms and let
| Carmen fall into those of Don Ramon.
Don Ramon received only corpse-Car
men was dead, stifled by her lover-F de
Noce. in Philadelphia Times
An Interesting Case.
A particularly striking instance OF men
tai biography is related by q normal schoo
teacher.
One day she asked her class, composed o
thirty grown girls, question. Having
done SO she began at one end and requested
an answer in turn, One after another an
swered in what seemed to her an irreleven
manner.
"N-hy," she said, "you are not on m.
line of thought at ALL" As she con
tinped the rotation she felt that the eorne
girl the thirtieth, would reply correctly
She was bright pupil and one VIII
seemed peculiarly responsive to her teach
ing. Sure enough, No 80 replied intelli
gently and thoroughly.
But instantly there was 2 protest from
L. a.l.