The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-10-12
THE LADY'S DREAM.

Lady Blanche Marley was the only
daughter of the Earl and Countess of Riv.
enham. She was also the loveliest girl Of
the day, but as cold and unimpassioned as
statue wrought from purest alabaster.
| Her sirenlike smiles lured Gerard Rams
| ford, young officer of hussars, to her side,
and he soon became enslaved in the meshes
| of love which she heartlessly weaved
around him.
| One evening when alone with her in the
| earl's drawing room he declared his pas
sion. She permitted him to toy with her
soft, white hand, and as she glanced into
his enraptured face smile played around
her lips Gerard imagined the smile to be
an omen of success, and his delight was
! unbounded.
On the impulse OF the moment he clasped
her into his arms and imprinted warm
kiss upon her lips.
He was the first lover who had ever dared
to press his lips to hers Soon her cold ma
ture asserted itself She extricated herself
from his arms and turned away disdain-
fully Gerard saw the dark frown upon
her brow and trembled, but it was against
his nature to recoil. therefore he determined
to learn his fate at once.
Dear Lady Blanche" he pleaded in
tremulous tones, pray pardon my impetu-
osity Words are powerless to express how
devotedly love you. Do for PHYS sake
hold out one ray of hope"
She vouchsafed no reply, but turned
from him with scorn ineffable and slowly
left the room without deigning to cast even
one look behind.
On the morrow Gerard called again at
the earl's house, but Lady Blanche refused
to receive him She sent him no message
not even a word, from which he, with all a
lovers fond desire, could manage to ex-
tract the smallest hope, and so, with head
bowed low and an aching heart, Gerard
came away.
At this time Count de Lornais, a scion of
an old and wealthy French family, made
his appearance in London society. De Lor-
nais was a handsome man, with polite and
fascinating manners, and it was soon whis-
pered that he, too, was enthralled by the
supreme loveliness of Lady Blanche.
All through one London season the count
continued stanch in his allegiance to Lady
Blanche, and then it began to be rumored
that the handsome and wealthy Frenchman
had beaten all his rivals and won the great
est beauty of the day at last.
These rumors reached the ears of Gerard
Ransford, who drew his own deductions
therefrom.
"The Sinking Frenchman's money has
won her," said Gerard, while I am dis
carded because of my poverty"
From that moment Gerard became an
altered man. His days vera now devoted
to the betting ring and his nights to the
card table. Formerly one of the most
CHEEKY of companions, he was now an
eager, greedy, grasping gambler, caring for
no pastime or amusement unless it led to
gain, which simply means the winning of
money at all hazards, and the primary
cause Of this great change was the tickle
will Of a woman.
Phryne Marland was lady of voluptu-
GUS beauty, who posed on horseback in
Hyde park and lounged in private boxes
at the principal theaters. From whence
she came or to whom she belonged no one
appeared to know, and now Gerard Rams
ford might be seen by the side of Miss Mar
land in all those places of resort where So
Getty loves to congregate.
Meanwhile Count de Lornais was gra-
ciously received by the Earl and Countess of
Rivenham, and the count himself imagined
that his success was now assured; there
fore he importuned Lady Blanche to name
day for their wedding.
After befooling the count month after
month she one day abruptly informed him
that marriage was the very last thought
in her mind.
monsieur lie Comte," she said, "you
surely are not one of those foolish moths
Of society who imagine that every lady
around whom they flutter is dying Of love
for thems"
''No, Lady Blanche" replied he, smiling
significantly. II am not moth of that
Kind" He bowed distantly and retired,
6nd Lady Blanche saw him no more.
The counts vanity was wounded, and his
ehagrin at this unexpected repulse was
very great. His belief in himself with re-
gard to affairs d'amour was unbodnded,
and as he could not attribute his failure to
any fault of his own he concluded that
uome more favored rival must have won
She lady's heart, and as he had heard that
She young English officer, Gerard Rams
ford, had been sutton for the lady's hand,
he now imagined that Gerard was the sue
sessful lover, for whose sake he himself
was rejected, and he hated Gerard accord
qngly.
lime passed away. ana Lazy Dlancne
still led cold and unsym pathetic life. end
VT last drear sense of loneliness fell upon
her, and she became spirit haunted. For
night after night by the side Of her snow
white couch 1. phantom stood and in words
IF sadness and sorrow discoursed Of love-
hnd never before had Lady Blanche listened
10 words SO sweet as those which came from
',he lips of the phantom.
This ethereal and shadowy form ofttines
assumed a vague resemblance to herself and
.,ometmesits dim lineaments reminded her
IF Gerard Ransford, but not once could she
trace the faintest likeness to any other face
sr form with which she was familiar.
The appearance of the phantom was so
constant. night after night, that Lady
Blanche grew accustomed to its nocturnal
Tisits, and sne grieved when it did not ap-
Sear.
Her heart held commune with the phan-