Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1895-02-21

answered. L Thought that love was
dolusive song invented by poets. q"
She laughed moCkIngly as she said +:
But Won know better now, l sup
I pose, count:
Yes. | know too well. he wills
per"d pa~Sinnatelv. Il feel the real.
ity 0t tn" mngS, for | love YOU. &"
and. carried away by the varnCStncSs
OF his declaration, he stopped over
her and stole kiss
a loud, harsh di~cord on the piano.
which made the card players look
around III wonder. was the only re-
spoons" 10 This act of tcmcrity, and
Eva, offended and indignant, closed
! the piano without word and left
the room.
That kiss was "A CatuClySm, for.
according - the girls conventual
ideas To be kissed by man C0nsti
tut"d a crime for which marriage
alOu" could atone. The next dav.
therefore, III spite of her heart :
+ protcstations, in spite of her lover :
age and unattractivcneSS, she an
. nOunCCd her willingness to marry
the Count de Nalrcy without giving
any reason for her sudden detcrmi-
nation, being ashamed To confess 70
the stolen kiss.
For three years she took the ten
dcreSt care of her aged husband. who
I soon became grabbed and infirm, and
when he rendered up his soul to
heaven the poor little widow wcpt
not for him, but for her vanished
girliSh dreams
We'll. how do you like Raoul de
Melchedc;" asked Aunt Yseult as,
seated under the thick shade of a
linden tree in her park, she wound
off tho silk from the skein which
Eva was holding for her.
lies not bad. was the reply.
Not bad" repeated the old lady
Indignantly, brandishing the ball of
silk in the air. The scion of one of
our oldest families Not bad! l
should think not
Il like his friend. NJ Davanne
better.
I'VE are not talking about him,
my dear.
He Is an artist of great talent"
A miserable daubcr. l invited
him merely as Il companion for the
marquis.
The little countess broke out in a
peal of laughter and exclaimed:
ln
YOU, aunt
The old lady shrugged her shout
derS 10 express indifference, and Eva
continued tcasingly:
You said yourself that he had q
moro distinguished bearing than the
Marquis de Mclchede"-
Hush. child, don't be irrever-
ent, interrupted her nearer sharp
ly. II hope You don mean 10 allow
yourself to be cajoled by painter
when \ marquis Is counting you"
You need not be alarmed, aunt
shall not take either one or the
other. | shall never marry again -
why not, | should like TO know"
cried the aunt furiouslv, and Eva
answered III quiet tone:
Il wish to devote myself entirely
10 the education of my son. That is
enough fo:. NE 70 do and cannot
undertake the care of a husband
again.
You are absurd, my dear"
why SO? You yourself have new
er married, and Yet, aunt, you get
on very VOL
That is different thing. have
always been so much occupied with
other peoples marriages that have
had no time to think of my own lone.
liness'
We'll, try to forget mine, l beg of
you.
The marquis adores you. He will
persuade YOU.
He: / think not"
1--WE shall see; we shall see"'
The old lady. cxasperated by this
opposition, made gesture of despair
and then went into the house, while
Eva ran i'll search of her little boy,
who had taken advantage of the
carncStneSs of the conversation to
slip away unperceived.
The Young Countess de Valrey re-
manned in the Chateau Grillon for
two months, and during that time
she WAS besieged by the solicitations
+ of her aunt and the alteration, more
or less open. of the Marquis de Mel
Ch"de and Jacques Davannc, the art
lst. The former, though far from
prrposscSsing, with his angular
frame and fair, inSipid face, had the
advantage of family and title, be-
sides being an accomplished man of
III" world. while Davanne, who
claimed no coat of arms. made up for
tn" deficiency by his frank and man
ly bearing and his artistic talent,
which was universally acknowl-
edged
Eva de Ealrrv reflected upon the
respective merits of her two caval-
lcrs and found that she was incapa-
bic of making choice between them
The sultry day was drawing to a
close, and "a cool breeze springing I'D
blew softly through the leafy arches
of the great park of Grillon.
The setting sun seemed to linger
i'll its descent, bathing the whole ho-
rizon in its gold and purple hues and
ending its rays obliquely through
b The fDliuOa m the prpan MOSS ha1ou-