Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-07-10
ADVERSE FATES.

banding her blona little head and Mario
feat that her els = r hand trenbied in
his.
Who Was Annellas
The beautiful widow Of Count
Giummi had found her one day. pale.
desolate and exhausted. beside . dead
woman in sqaaiid. dark room That
dead woman was the aunt Of the count
ess and the mother IL Amelia, and ths
poverty which surrounded her wss tls
sole Inheritance Of ths fair young girl.
Countess Gi1mni. rich, admired and
eourted by the fine dower Of arisIocrsfic
salons, lived upon vanity and ceQusgFy.
But ia spite Of that sbs bad uorsel Of
heart. and poor ARnells's little white
face hsd the power 10 draw two beauti-
fGi tears. Inore lucent than pearls, from
her great. black, enchanting eyes- II
the baron. the viscount or the marquis
could have seen those two pearls. surely
they would have loved her even more
than they d1d-so compassionate and
tender did she seem amid the triumphs
Of her happy youth.
That saLae evening Amelia reposed in
soft bed, under counterpsne Of pink
silk, while 81 the balcony window. that
she had left partly open, the moon
peered in and laid a tint Of pallor upon
the rose red divans of the elegant little
room.
Two years passed after that first tran-
quill sleep. Annella's beauty, which early
privations and sorrows had almost with
cred IN the bud. bloomed again rs if by
magic. 1t was . pleasure to see the
radiant girl: slender little person, but
with perfect curves Of outline, the bust
full. the threat of admirable softness.
and the little hesd--oh, that dainty little
head was like an artists thought! Like
q golden wave, the curling hair, which
she wore unbound and floating, ripplet
down her shoulders; her eyes laughed
with the color of the clear heavens un-
der arching. delicate eyebrows that
were black against the wilderness Of her
forehead and gave . resolute expression
to her beautiful countenance. Her
small, rosy mouth was always smiling;
il was but languid smile and tinged
with an expression of melancholy or
bitterness.
Now, after having slzetched Annella's
graceful figure, it seems strange not to
be able to give it q background Of bright
colors. We know how much . brilliant
setting adds TO a gem, and certainly the
Countess Giummi's beauty gained great
ly by the luxury and richness of her
dress and surroundings. A fashionable
dressmaker. an artist in his line, dressed
her with Partisan taste; . skillful young
woman, who was maid and con6dante
together, combcd the wealth Of her dark
hair that touched the floor and adapted
to her shapely person stuffs. solors.
flowers and jewels. From their hands
the countess issued . true goddess Of
lovexa and her shrine cleaning with
silksS marbles, silver and crystal in
creased the enchantment and rendered
her marvellous to the eyes Of visitors.
Poor Amelia! 80 simple In her little
muslin gown; so timid in that rich
house. not her own, how could she con-
tend for the palm with that superb
queen? And it is no new thing that the
bright rays of the moon dim the placid
light Of the quiet stars. So the hundred
gentlemen that hocked into those gilded
rooms had eyes only for the beautiful
countess. and If they deigned to bestow
a passing word or look on the tinid girl,
that was merely an act Of homage TO the
reigning lady, homage that showed
their admiration for her charity TO de-
pendent. They all knew, and from her
own mouth, too, the countess had taken
the forsaken orphan to this beautiful
home and changed her sorrow to happi-
ness.
But was Amelia really happy?
Her young heart thirsted for love. In
her childhood she had been the one
treasure of her poor mother, and though
she had often lacked bread, air and sun
light, caresses were never wanting. She
knew the sweetness of a kiss into which
is transfused all loving soul; she
knew the dual life, the breath mingled
with another breath from q breast pal
pitating with tenderness. Yes, her moth
er's love had taught her all these things,
and taught them to her in poverty. Then
came fine times, abundance Of every
thing. new amusements every day and
every hour, noisy gayeties and the lux
ury Of carriages and dinners. Brt
strange 10 say, amid all this laughter Of
life, her heart was narrowed, closed.
She indeed no longer suffered from hun.
ger, cold or fear Of worse misfortunee
but henceforth she had no one to love
her, nor . simple object to call forth
her own love. though she felt IN over.
towering need to bestow on some one
all her warm. impassioned soul.
At first abe had tried for this exchange
of affection with hes cousin, the mag.
nificent countess. Alas. she had found
her kind, courteous, generous, bat INV
olous. full of herself and her attractions,
and incapable not only Of feeling love,
bat even OF comprehending IL.
Discounted, Amelia had looked abou.
her. and amid that array Of faces, coats
and decorations that made . circle
around her beautiful cousin she had
sought and sought. An odd grill Che
had actually found those polished gen.
tlemen empty and unsympsthetic, al
though finely clad and unexceptionable
from top to toe. How could she have
dared to raise even her thoughts TO the
heights on which they moved whica
Of them would have deigned 70 descend
to her, poor little orphan. sheltered by
the pity Of her cousin?
Thus Get apart and averse TO ell fat
teries. she lei her own life, amid the
festivities and the constant noise and