Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1895-07-19

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This was midway in the fiftiss, whom
New Orleans had reached tho splendid
zenith OF her wealth, and when the
peculiar color of her social life was
most dazzling and romantic, AS an
American city che stood apart, q hot,
almost tropical heart of passion. lux
nry, pleasure and Astounding hospi-
tally. And with it all went the old
freedom of ohivalrio personal courage
and the love of spectacular results in
matters OF honor.
Harding and his young creole friend
set out on foot; it was but a short
step to tho Opera House, and as they
went along Rspin was prattling on
tho subject OF fencing, always great
vogue with the jeunesse doree of New
Orleans. He was himself rich
orphan, living upon nm almost unlim-
tied income, aud had long been o
confirmed habitue of the fencing halls.
Having seon some rapiers and foils in
Harding's rooms, he was saying:
But you must DO interested in
sword play-in fencing. 1t is the
noblest of all the exercises for geutle-
men, and your physique is precisely
made up for it. You must be mas
ter, or you could be-"
u have had good masters" Hard
ing replied in an evasivo tone, "but
am losing interest in it."
Your masters were in New York ?"
"No; Paris. I had NJ. Duyal for
three years"
M. Duvnll You had NJ. Charles
Duval for three years?"
eyes"
cab, what fortunel Ho, and he
only, teaches the stroke OF ruin, the
pass which pierces across from shout
der to shoulder, disabling the victim
for life, yet never killing him" Rn-
pin spoke enthusiastically, and after
momcntspause added almost breath
lessly:
"And you learned his strokei Oh,
but nm overjoYed; and You will
teach mo to do it? All, Monsieur, 1
shall be your lifelong debtor. have
dreamed OF that incompatible thrust
l haye made two journeys to Paris to
learn it; but, you must know, Nj.
Duval is au ancient enemy of my
father. l could not go to him, and
his pupil IRE 80 few and so, 80, SO dis
tinguished and exclusive that could
not reach Que of them."
Harding laughed Mt the youths
frankness and told him PLEASANTLY
that he should be glad to give him the
secret instruction. Thereupon Rapin
almost Rugged him, and they were
just entering the Opera House.
A great curve of splendor, fash OF
fnces, jewels, laces, eyes, fnns-a be-
wildering horizon of corsagos, Golf
fures, necklaces, bracelets, rings; n
foam of airy gowns sinking and SWELL
ing gently, like surf froth against
beach of fairy land. Harding Gazed
in half-blinded stupidity, so no felt,
and could see no details, could make
out no individual faco distinctly. It
all struck him ms some vast spectacle
of barbarous gewgaw splendor, and
yet nothing that he had ever seen
could compare with it in unity of
effect. Tho boxes were oil full, and
full of beauty and qucenly costume, so
accentuated that nowhere else could
such inslstenocs upon decoration have
been tolerable. There, however, it
was the perfection of color, brilliance
and condensed, passionate bounty of
expression such rs the Greeks of Alex
andaia dreamed of i'll thoir luxurious
exhibitions.
Harding and Rapin wore the only
persons in their box, which WAS we'll
to one side OF the great curve. On
tho stage celebrated ballet favorito
was kicking neatly through ono of her
captivating passages.
"Wo will begin the lessons to NOR
row" murmured Rapin; 81 shall he
an apt scholar, monsieur"
"Yes, said Harding, absently. lie
was gazing along the great sweep of
beauty and light.
"But excuse me for moment or
two, the creole added after q while,
when the curtain was down, ~ nm
going to call at the box of friend"
Flo went, and Harding continued his
survey, which, now that his eyes had
somewhat accustomed themselves to
tho glamor, became more real and alb
sorbinglv interesting.
Presently he saw Rapin in box.
magnificent one, nenr the centre,
talking with tall, young woman
and it was she. There could be no
doubt for n moment The thrill
through Harding's heart told as much
as the girls respondent, yet, in way,
beauty.
Harding's eyes were fixed; tho
trance of that old-time love which men
usel. to acknowledge was upon him.
His strong, henlthy, boyish nature
plunged into the thick of passion
romance us fcrvid as it was pure and
sincere. And Mt the very central mo-
ment she turned from Ralpin and
looked straight Mt him. Moreover, he
could SOC n light of quick interest
come into her lace; they were sreak-
ing OF him.
The prosy fact was that Rapip, in
his enthusiastic way, had been telling
Mile. Marie de Northumberland was
her name-about his good fortune in
finding n master to teach him the
"stroke OF ruin" and he had directed
her attention to tho young man in his