Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1893-05-26
NINE. DERLINE.


Prince Agenor was literally beside
himself on Friday, April 10, 1880, at the
opera during the second act Of "Sigurd."
The prince hurried from box to box, and
his enthusiasm kept growing.
"That blondl Ahl That blondl She's
a ideal, that blondl Look at that blondl
Do you know that blondY'
At last he found Palmer, the banker.
1.-THE name, the name Of that blond
In She Sainte-N esmes boxY'
'Mme. Derline."
els there a NJ. DerlineS'
"Assuredly--a notary-my notary
the Sainte-M esmes' notary. And if you
you want to sec Nine. Derline closer
come to my house to the ball next Thurs
day. She win be there"
After the opera, when people were go
ing out, the prince took a position at the
foot Of the grand staircase. He had en-
trapped two Of his friends.
Come" he said to them, 81 want to
show you the most beautiful woman in
Paris"
Just as he said that there was stand
ing within two PAGES Of the prince an
alert young man attached to II Of the
morning newspapers, a ewspape widely
read. This young man had a sharp ear.
He caught as it few the expression of
Prince Agenor, whose high position in
society he knew. He managed to avoid
meeting the prince, but when Nine. Der
line was about to pass the young re-
porter was clever enough to overhear,
without losing q single word, the con-
versation Of the three brilliant noble
men.
Nine. Derline arose the next morning
at 8 o'clock. Her maid came in, placed
a salver on q little table, lit n big fire in
the open CRATE and withdrew. There
were on the salver o cup of chocolate
and a newspaper-the same thing every
morning.
Mime. Derline touched the rim of the
cup 10 her lips and burned herself. So
she had to wait awhile. She put down
the cup, took the paper, unfolded it, and
rapidly, with a look, ran through the
six columns on the first page. At the
bottom, at the very bottom Of the sixth
column, she found these lines:
Last night there was a very brilliant
representation of 'Sigurd' at the opera.
Many Of the most distinguished women
of fashion were there-the handsome
Duchesse do Montaiglon, the pretty
Comtesse Verdiniere de Lardac, the ad.
mirable Marquise de Muriel and the pi-
quaint Baroness de Myrvoix.
1--WE have to announce a new star
that has suddenly come to shine in the
Partisan constellation. The house was
in e-cstasies over a blond with sad eyes,
with eyes like steel, and whose Shout
ders-ahl what shouldersl Those Shout
ders were the event Of the evening. On
all sides people were asking. who is
sheY Who is sheP TO whom belong
those divine shouldersT
"To whom? We know, and our read
ers will thank us for telling them the
name of this marvellous beauty-it is
Nine. Derline."
Her namel She had read her namel
She grew dizzy. Her eyes crossed each
other. All the letters Of the alphabet
seemed to dance like mad in the news
paper. After awhile they grew quieter,
stopped and got back into their places.
She managed to find II again-her name
and took ur her reading:
1T is Mime. Derline, the wife OF one of
the most esteemed and richest n~otarios
Of Paris. The Prince dc Eorins. whose
word carries authority in these matters,
said last night to every one he met,
That is the most beautiful woman in
Paris We are entirely Of that opinion. -
She finished reading, and a sudden
anxiety seized her.
Edwards What will Edward sayy'
Edward was her husband. She had
never in her life called n other man
than her husband by his first name. lie
was loved, this notary, a.d almost at
the moment she asked herself what Ed
ward would say Edward huI1iedly
opened the door.
"Why do these newspaper men med
die in what doesn't concern them? This
is an outraged Your namel Look at il
there; your pamo in this paperl'
Nine. Dorlile very sweetly and gently
set about bringing this rebel to reason.
"Wly this rage, this great vexationi
They accuse YOU Of being tho husband
of the most beautiful woman in Paris.
Is that, then 60 horrible. misfortune so
frightfulT
Reduced TO obedience, M. Derline
went down stairs to his Office to make
money for the most beautiful woman in
Paris.
A very wise and a very timely occu-
patton. because scarcely bad Nine. Der
line been left alone VIXEN q thought
game into her head that would rid the
--.--- -