The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1895-02-05

rhCuer amusing, anu ultnOuBu DE-
gallant speeches sometimes brought
q momentary flush to her satir
cheek that was their only effect
and if any one had said to her, he
hold your husband, " she would have
exclaimed with ripple of laugh !,
1T do not care for old relicsl' One
evening, when torrents of rain were
falling, Aunt Yseult and the tutor
were seated in corner of tho draw.
ing room playing bezique, and at the
other end Of the room Eva was al
the piano, with the Count de Valrey
beside her turning the leaves of the
music. The alluring strains OF
Brahms values and the little white
hands flying over the keys affected
the elderly lover to such a decree
that he exclaimed in q hushed wills.
per as he bent over her:
"Since I have known you, I have
appreciated beauty, grace, lowell
ness
And you did not do so before?"
she asked merrily.
II did not believe in them" he
answered. II thought that love was
a delusive song invented by poets.
She laughed mockingly as she said
But you know better now, sup.
pose, oount?"
Eyes, / know too we'll, )" he whis-
pered passionately. II feel the real
ity of the pangs, for / love you,"
and, carried away by the earnestness
of his declaration, he stopped over
her and stole kiss.
Aloud, harsh discord on the piano.
which made the card players look
around in wonder, was the only re-
Spouse to this act of temerity, and
Eva, offended and indignant, closed
the piano without word and left
the room
That kiss was q cataclysm, for,
according to the girls conventual
ideas, to be kissed by a man consti-
tuted crime for which marriage
alone could atone The next day,
therefore, in spite of her heart s
protestations, in spite of her lovers
age and unattractiveness, she an
nounced her willingness to marry
the Count de Valrey without giving
any reason for her sudden determi-
nation, being ashamed to confess to
the stolen kiss.
For three, years she took the ten
derest care of her aged husband, who
soon became Grabbed and infirm, and
when he rendered up his soul to
heaven the poor little widow wept,
not for him, but for her vanished
girlish dreams.
"Well, how do you like Raoul de
Melchede?" asked Aunt Yseult as,
seated under the thick shade of a
linden tree in her park, she wound
off the silk from the skein which
Eva was holding for her.
Hes not bad, was the reply.
mot bad!' repeated the old lady
Indignantly, brandishing the ball of
silk in the air. THE scion of one of
our Oldest families. Not badl !
should think not!"
IT like his friend, M. Davanne,
better" ...-...
1--WE are not talking about him,
my dear.
He is an artist of great talent. "
"A miserable dauber! I invited
him merely as a companion for the
marquis. " ...
The little countess broke out in a
peal of laughter and exclaimed:
Suppose the poor fellow heard
you, aunt!'
The old lady shrugged her shout
ders to express indifference, and Eva
continued teasingly:
You said yourself that he had a
more distinguished bearing than the
Marquis de Melchede''-
Hush, child, don't be irrever-
ent, y interrupted her nearer sharp
ly. II hope you don't mean to allow
yourself to be cajoled by painter
when a marquis is counting you. T."
You need not be alarmed, aunt.
I shall not take either one or the
other. shall never marry again. "
why not, I should like to know"
cried the aunt furiously, and Eva
answered in quiet tone:
II wish to devote myself entirely
to the education of my son. That is
enough for me to do, and l cannot
undertake the care of a husband
again. "
"You are absurd, my dear.
"Why 50? You yourself have new
er married, and yet, aunt, you get
on very well. "
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."
well, try to forget mine, l beg OF
you"