Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-05-25
THE BEAUTY SPOT.

4
yes were bright Her complexion had the
,,hiteness of the lily, blended with the pink
If the rose. Little tendrils of blond hair
played about her forehead like swarm of
butterflies. Her manner was trifle pet
ulant. His eyes looked down; his express
sion was solemn; the pink of his checks
colorcd to carnation and purple at the
| lightest jest
She had just finished her studies at the
Abbaye-aux- Bots. She knew enough of
history not to ask if the then rcigning
king Louis XVI, were the son of his pred
ecessor, Louis XIV; enough of geography
not to place the Seine at Lyons, as Nine.
dc Talleyrand had done.
He, destined at first for the priesthood,
was Just fresh from the college of the jos
uits, his head muddled with scholasticism
and crammed with theology. Comment
ing on the fathers of the church, digging
into Ecclesiastes, he was insensible to ev
cry other pleasure. In fact, he was awk
ward, timid, embarrassed, as little an ex
pert in the art of music as he was in the
art of dancing
The grandparents had decided to unite
this young couple and the old marquis
was severely scolding his offspring for the
| lack of ardor he manifested in fulfilling
his wishes.
"Rcmember, sir, that by the death of
your elder brother the preservation of our
race devolvcs on you. Rid yourself of this
humble manner that you should have put
off with your cassock and comport your
self as worthy scion of a race that never
WINGED before blade, glass or cotillon."
Oh sir" said the young man modcstly.
"Now you are as red as cherry!
~
nary. What will you choose? The swordW
"N-no, sirl"
"Wine?'
"No, sir"
pretty girls?"
"Oh, no, sirl'
Really? And why not 1 beg of you?
because my confcssor has told me
many times they are the devils snares
that drag men to destruction, and would
seek salvation, if you please, sir. "
Tut, TUT 1t pleases me to have you do
my will. l have chosen flancee for you
who is worthy of you by her birth, her
youth her mind and her beauty. What
more do you want?"
Much less, sir. i"
"Nonsensel My word is given. You
must honor it. The presentation will take
place this evening at the ball. You will
see Mile. d Estournel at her best. Endeav-
or not to displease her"
But, sir
Enough You will find a costume in
your room more suitable than this funcr
al garb Jasmin will help you dress. Go
my SON"
A fathers orders were not to be disput-
ed, and the would be able, hcaving deep
sigh, followed the valet CO chambrc, into
Ill. Oh, |,
self Jasmin powdered and curled his hair
replaced his coarse pumps with fine Slip
pers with silver buckles, his common lin
en- with a shirt of fine fabric with lace
frill. Sylvandrc endured these attentions
with a good enough grace, but when he
saw the coquettish suit prepared for his
use he gave IL sudden start What, he
the grave thcologian, the fluent philOso-
pher the pride of the Jesuit college, to he
clothed in such Il profane costume! What
would the Rev. Father Damasc say, whose
threadbarc cassock seemed to the young
neophytc the emblem of all the virtues:
No, never, never never!
Leave me, Jasmin. l shall finish MY
toilet myself"
Left alone, he threw a glance that be-
trayed something of regret upon the hello
trope coat, with its silver cmbroideries 1t
might have been tempting. 1t might have
boon irresistible. But resisting the temp
tations of the evil one he pondcrcd over a
plan that had terminated in his brain UNI
der the skillfully manipulated comb of
Jasmin-a plan that would have greatly
rojoiced his pious director and exceedingly
Disguised the author of his being
This young woman, whom they are de-
termined to make me marry must have
some Christian feeling, since she has just
left the convent. If l could succeed in per
suading her to return there by praising
the charms of a monastc life, / should
thus retain lamb in the Lords fold, and
| should regain my independence and be
able to follow my own way freely"
He prepared a discourse full of elo-
quence. But deliver it dressed in a hello
trupe coat She would laugh at sermon
and sermonizcr. No; for this solemn occa-
sion decent but austere dress was the
thing. He then chose from his wardrobe
p an appropriate suit of immaculate black,
noble setting for his lace frill and hand
, some powdered head
His toilet finished he was tro~bled with
some doubt as to ', ther his appearance
xuoe toO iD,DOsin uo ala NOT xr.ieb ?,