Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1894-03-07
THE JEALOUS LOVER.


is looking tonight
| heard the whisper from scores
of lips as | stood in the doorway of
the mushroom, watching the
crowd, go past to the sound of the
harp and silver flute, and violin,
oddly associating in my own mind
the enhancing strains with the
odor of the fragrant dollhouse
flowers, whose color and freshness
everywhere filled the stands and
inches. | looked over toward Flora
L'Estrange, and tried to fancy how
she would appear to me if | had
met her that evening for the first
time--if, in short, she were not my
betrothed wife!
Slender, and delicate, and rosy,
with long, silky curls of that pur-
plish black that makes you think
of Spanish olive-groves-dark liquid
eyes, with transparent, dropping
lids, and face whose perfect oval
could not be rivaled by the most
exquisite statue ever chiseled. Flora
was by far the loveliest girl in the
room. Her dress, of golden yellow
crepe, seemed to float around her
like a mist, while a single yellow
rose poured forth its rich fragrance
from the jetty masses of her hair.
And she was mine-this fair,
dark-eyed creature-mine, to love
and cherish-mine, to treasure as
man never cherished woman before!
| should have been more than NOR
tai could have looked upon Flora's
face and not exulted!
Suddenly the music changed to
soft, delicious waltz. whose meas
ured movement had almost a throb
of pain within its cadences! / slip
ped quietly through the crowd to-
ward Flora, to ask her to dance
with me. There was some little de-
lay before | could reach her; and
when at last | stood at her side, she
was not alone. A tall handsome
stranger, with brown, wavy hair
and laughing blue eyes, was bend
ing over her--a gentleman, whose
gold shoulder-straps and handsome
insignia betokened him to be an
officer in the regular army.
Flora" whispered, softly, "will
you give me this waltzp"
She turned round with almost Q
start as my voice fell on her ear
Was it my fancy or did she really
blush such an ardent, vivid scarleti
mot this time, Alfred-please
excuse me-"
but you have not danced with
me this evening, Flora"
THE next time, Alfred she
pleaded.
drew back without q word, g
little inclined to be offended. The
next moment ] saw the tall stranger
draw her arm through his, and they
passed, together, into the conserva-
tory, apparently absorbed in earnest
conversation.
"Who's that gentleman in uni.
form?" | asked of our host.
Colonel Deveraux," was the an.
swer. "Quite an old friend, be-
lieve, of Miss L'Estrange. l did
not expect to see him tonight. He
has but just arrived in town, and
hearing she was here, came directly
to my house"
"Quite an old friendw / never
had heard Flora speak of him. A
keen, sharp, pang shot through my
heart. Was this jealousyp
Half an hour afterward / passed
through the conservatory, with:the
dashing Miss Desmond ON my arm,
Flora was standing under the
shadow of the orange trees, with
her hand on Colonel Deveraux's
arm, and her dark eyes turned visit
fully to his. | bit my lip, as | saw
the tete-a-tete.
"Are you willing to try to like
me littlep" said the colonel, as we
passed, all unseen by this devoted
pair.
"A little! Oh, Herbert! shall
love you with all my hearth"
Bella Desmond heard the words
as plainly as l did. Her large blue
eyes turned toward mine, with O
triumphant flash.
~ hope you don't object to q
little Irritation on the part Of your
wife-that is to bep" she laughed
maliciously.