The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1892-01-23
DECEPTI0NS.

/ When, before the altar, the prieS'
asked her, Are you contentY' it wa,
with all her soul Gemma had responded
"Yesm
Oh, yes; she was content indeed
Through the cloud of costly lace which
enwrapped her in its snowy transparenc,
she saw the vast church all dotted witt
lights, resplendent in the dark CLEAN OF
mosaics upon golden backgrounds, ami.
mated by the slight movement of the
very elegant crowd that filed it, lighted
by oblique rays descending from the
nave, all glitter of gold. silks and brill
iants, and it was her own future that
she seemed to see thus-the years of
luxury and wealth which her rich mar
riage was preparing for her. And had
it not been the dream for which she
sighed? She, the ideal blonde, of is
years, with the tall and proud figure,
the pure, disdainful profile under heavy
curls like those of an archangel. with
naughty eyes sparkling like blue gems
under the golden fringes of her long eye
lashes.
She had been for a long time a poor
girl. the daughter of citizens who had
seen better days, that marvellous human
lily. She had experienced all the petty
troubles, all the cruel daily sufferings of
misery that conceals itself. The poor
and inelegant gowns, painfully remod-
eled every year; the insolence of credit
ors; humiliations; continual and tor
menting thoughts of ploney-she had
experienced them all. and in her little
heart, eager for pleasure and eniov-
ment, swollen with unsatisfied longings.
dream was arisen little by little. oc.
cupying all the room, rendering her in.
sensible to all the rest-the dream of at
last becoming rich.
She wanted it, absolutely; she was
born for it; she was rich now. That
YES" which she had just pronounced,
had, by its three magic letters, changed
her destiny; and she was so content. So
happy, that it appeared to her it was all
dream, that her Mechlin veil was
cloud that transported her into the
realms of the impossible. across a sidereal
heaven, of which the diamond pins
thrust among her laces formed the fam
ing stars; and. in order to return to
reality, she must cast her eyes toward
her husband. Luigo Marchis, kneeling
beside her in the mystic, velvety shade
of the altar, lit by the tremulous bright
ness of the candles.
All, there was nothing ideal about
him, poor fellow! In vain he straight
ened his correct person of an elegant
man, with his accurately shaven face,
with slender brown mustache, and
still fresh color that gave him something
the look of an actor; he remained none
the less old, with his powerful shoulders
a little bent, with his eyelids grown
heavy. and crows feet toward his tenn
pies, with the gray locks that appeared
here and there among his brown hair,
with his forty-seven years, of which the
was more conspicuous beside
that radiant and blonde spr;lg.
Forty-seven years! How was it posi-
BILE? He felt his heart SO palpitating,
full of tears as in youth! And he could
not comprehend how SO much time had
passed; he could not persuade himself of
-he incredible fact-forty-seven years
passed without knowing Gemma.
For they had been acquainted with
each other only two months. Marchis,
however much he had frequented society,
lrawn there by his banking connections.
lad never let himself be talked to of
marriage. What! A wife, children,
roubles, cares, Disappointment Not
wen by idea!
And at IL years one evening, present
rom motives Of curiosity at ball to
which the employees of his bank had in /
'lted him, he must needs be smitten by
he exquisite, vaporous grace of that
blonde girl, dressed simply in white, en-
ering on the arm Of "A funny little man
With baby face and big, silvery
'eard-her father, u modest clerk in the
'ank; rather ridiculous little old man,
Who, beside that divine apparition, slen-
ler in her robes Of snow, made one think
# the gnomes of folk tales, always
at the feet of fairies.
All, weakness Of hearts growing old!
That apparition was enough to shake all
he ideas of Luigo Marc!Iis concerning
and as the old gnome, de-
pite his absolute nullity, was an honest
itizen. incapable of resisting the assidu-
ties of the director to his pretty daugh-
er. the suitor had been greatly pleased
With the consent of that little maiden of
8, that beautiful creature, that blonde
'eing. to become his wife. Now he
rembled with joy. His eyes were misty
With vivid emotion-not perceiving that
hat, too, was q sign of old age-and it
vas voice choked with joy that to the
question of the priest, Are you con-
ent?" replied. ''Oh, yes"
Now it is done. United, forever united.
1aving arisen to their feet. she with an