The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-07-11
THE STROKE OF RUIN

Overhung the sidewalk ana smoked SLOW
ly, with half closed eyes. He was await
ing and expecting the arrival Of his
young friend, Francois RapiA who had
lately interested him to a singular de-
gree.
Even at the moment, up the uncarpet
ed stairway, came the active creole's
feet, two steps at a time, along with a
lively tune sung almost breathlessly
through curving black mustache.
"Well, and what is it?" demanded
the New Yorker. "What have you found
out?''
Maybe she went to the French opera.
Go with me- have box. Come.
"But haven't you yet seen her?"
"Seen her. How should I knowp M.
Harding forgets the conditions. He
laughed in his atrociously frivolous
French way.
"I beg pardon" said Harding quick
ly II had indeed forgotten that 1 did
not know her name, her place Of resi-
dence, nor yet even the color of her eyes.
Yes, will go with you to the opera
Everybody goes, eh?''
with letters of introduction to influen-
tial people, but he was not seeking So
ciety. A quiet sojourn in New Orleans
with his eyes and ears open suited him
better.
What was perhaps just the thing he
would have most desired came to him
unexpectedly one day. He suddenly met
beautiful young woman face to face at
the door of Garcia's old book store.
Harding was electrified and impulsively
lifted his hat. She passed him with a
half smile, leaving breath of violets
and the rustic of gown quietly elegant
in the air round about.
A lover is great fool, but he is the
only man who knows what song it was
| that the stars sang, and to him you
must go if you would learn the secret of
heavenly happiness and the value of
dreams as nutriment for the imagina-
tion A lovers soul will treble its
stature by feeding one moment on a
smile.
In fact, Boyle Harding had felt this
sudden growth within. 1t had quicken
| ed, broadened and sweetened his spirit
ual vision, while affording a fine and
richly mysterious increment to his en-
joyment of his new surroundings.
This was midway in the fifties, when
New Orleans had reached the splendid
zenith of her wealth, and when the pc
culiar color of her social life was most
dazzling and romantic.
AS they went along Rapin was pratt
tling on the subject Of fencing, always
great vogue with the jeunesse doree
Of New Orleans.
"But you must be interested in sword
play-in fencing. 1t is the noblest OF all
exercises for gentlemen, and your phys
ique is precisely made up for it. You
must be master, or you could be"
1T have had good masters" Harding
replied, in an evasive tone, "but am
losing interest in it..
Your masters were in New York;"
"No; Paris. I had M. Duval for
three years. "
"Ah, what fortune He, and he only
teaches the stroke of ruin, the pass
which pierces across from shoulder tc
shoulder, disabling the victim for life,
yet never killing him
"And you learned his stroke! Oh, but
am overjoyed, and you will teach me
to do it. All, monsieur, I shall be youi
| lifelong debtor. I have dreamed OF that
incompatible thrust, l have made two
Journeys to Paris to learn it; but, you
must know, M. Duval is an ancient en-
emy of my fathers. / could not go tt
him.
A great curve Of splendor, flash Of
faces, throats, bosoms, jewels, laces
eyes, fans---a bewildering horizon o.
corsages, coiffures, necklaces, bracelets
rings; foam of airy gowns sinking
and swelling gently, like surf frotl
against a beach of fairyland. Harding
gazed in half blinded stupidity, so HI
J felt, and could see no details, could mak'
out no individual face distinctly.
"We will begin the lessons tomor
row, r" murmured Rapin. II shall be al
apt scholar, monsieur.
"Yes," said Harding absently. Ill
was gazing along the great sweep o
beauty and light
! "But excuse me moment or two,
: the creole added after awhile, when tn
curtain was down. II am going to cal
: vt the box of a friend.
Harding continued his survey, whicl
now that his eyes had somewhat accus
toned themselves to the glamour, becam
! more real and absorbingly interesting.
Presently he saw Rapin in a box,
magnificent one, near the center, talk
ing with tall Young woman. and
. was She There could be no doubt for
moment M
Harding's eyes were fixed. The franc
} of that old time love which men use
\ to acknowledge was upon him. And a
the very central moment she turne
from Rapin and looked straight at him
The prosy fact was that Rapin in hi
: enthusiastic way had been telling Mile
, Marie de Montmartin = that was he
name--about his good fortune in findin
q master to teach him the 'stroke c
ruin, !" and he had directed her attentio
to the young man in his box.
r But for Mile. Marie de Montmartir
we may as we'll say that she glance
mechanically, then looked again
Rapin presently returned TO the boz