Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1892-07-09
ION, yes, monsieur"

simply come to me and tell me of his
failure, after having conducted her back
/ to the BALI hope" Clarimond musing-
continued, 'that she tciU consent to let
DIR. Wouvermann marry them tonight.
| They have both been through so much
| heart-breaking tribulationl And If, as
You suggest, Nine. Kennaird has GER
tain more ambitious views for her
child, that lady will doubtless oppose
| their marriage in the future with a new
zeal born of chagrin. She appears
already to have brewed for both of them
| n prodigious amount of misery. From
all that l can learn, her Interference
has risen between them like a column
| of thick fume, through which they have
viewed Historically one anothers acts.
Her influence has been that of malig-
nancy, and l shall regret if she remains
in Saltravia, provided her daughter (as
the wife of Lispenard) shall so choose.
But what am I saying, my dear Eric?
Lispenard may choose to resign his
| office-who can tell?"
81 am certain that he will not resign
it, monsieurl'' cried Eric. 81 am GER
tain, too, that he feels, this hour, as 1
feel l am certain he realized, as do,
| that you are the soul and center of all
|
/ erousr'
Thanks, Eric; those words are surely
rich in encouragement. You know do
not care for eulogy, but when one
strives toward an ideal of conduct, as
strive now, the cheer of loved friend
is like a warm handclasp in darkness"
Just then little silvery sound
reached their ears. Clarimond sprang
to his feet. Eric saw his lips twitch
and his hand for a brief instant clench
themselves at his sides.
"The signal" he said. ''She has con-
sented. Go for DIR. Wouvermann. You
will be witness, you know, Eric, and
/" he smiled, but to his observer the
smile teemed with terrible melan-
choly-"I shall give the bride away"
In the ballroom they had begun to
miss the king When at last he ap-
peared it was in company with Kath-
leen, Eric and Alonzo. The floor was
full of dancers; conversation, stimulated
by rare and copius wines, reigned in
merry babbles that almost threatened
to drown the music.
Clarimond went to his mother, who
sat talking with several gentlemen.
Blanca d'Este, also seated, was at her
side. The gentlemen slightly withdrew
as he approached, making a lane for
him while he mounted to the low
estrada where these ladies were placed.
"You are not looking WELL" muir
INJURED the princess to him. "Others
have spoken of it. I do so hope, how
ever, that your looks mean nothing
serious. Blanca, here, has been quite
anxious. Is it not true, my darling?'
And the princess, taking the Italian
girls hand, drew her forward little,
the marvellous corsage of precious
stones giving forth jets of multicolored
light as she moved.
Eyes, yes" fell from Blanca eve
were both greatly worried"
Clarimond sent kindly glance
straight into her blue, solicitous eyes.
AS he did so it flashed through his
mind:
81 will never love any other woman
as long as 1 live. But this maiden
might make me the worthiest of
queens, the truest of wives. One day
may ask her hand, provided my mother
preserves her present change from AFRO
gance to kindliness. But not now!
Now it would be horror!'
Mrs. Kennaird, during supper, had re-
ceived, with furtive tinlxles of delight,
the attentions of an Austrian archdul1e
and a Russian ambassador. She had
not noticed Kathleen's absence. The
archduke, who was past sixty but still
handsome and of the suavest manners,
had whispered in her ear that King
Clarimond, who did whatever he chose,
. might perhaps do himself the honor tc
; request the hand of her divine daugh
ter. The elderly Russian ambassador
overhearing this remark as he present
y ed her with an ice and glass OF
champagne, declared that his roya
master would never have gone to Den
mark for bride if he had had the de
light of seeing "MddemoiseIle, cetre file.
"Ah! prince" cried Mrs. Kennaird, IL
her most genial trebles and with he1
y very acceptable if imperfect French
:, "there has never yet been an American
queen, and 1 imagine there never viii
= = be. My poor, innocent child has never
- dreamed of such an honor, and, really
~ if it We're offered to her she would hard
. ly know how to wear it."
The Austrian and Russian exchanged
glances. They We're both men of very
- high rank, and it is probable that they
abhorred the tenets of Clarimond whilt
respecting and perhaps loving his char
. acter. That he should marry an Amer
lean girl, though her beauty wer
y, brighter than the Spartan Helen's an,
. her breeding beyond n Recamier's, n,
- doubt struck them both as the essence
\ of the ridiculous. But while they may
or may not, have thus quickly and tacit
J, ly told one another their mutual con
- tempt and disapprobation, Kathleen
suddenly appeared, with Alonzo in he
," wake. Kathleen the wife felt ia
;, holder than if she were still Kathleen
:, the unwedded. Or perhaps because sh
=, was herself so intoxicated by joy,
:, seemed to her as if few words, deliv
re cred aside to her mother, might softe
nj the sense of calamity they impaired.
or This, however, was not true. Mr.
NJ Kennaird heard her low-voiced tidine
n. and shivered as though an arctic bla:
h had invaded the ballroom.