The Opelousas courier., 1895-06-29
THE STROKE OF RUIN.
BY MAURICE THOMPSON,

It was moonlight and rather late in
the balmy evening, with a breeze flut-
tering along Royal street and the
sound Of a guitar coming from an in
definite distance. No street cars were
running and but few strollers-these
mostly Creoles in high-heeled shoes
tapping lightly on the banquettes-
went up and down the narrow way.
Boyle Harding leaned back in an
easy chair on the iron-railed balcony,
or gallery, which oyerhung the side
walk, and smoked slowly, with half
closed eyes. He was awaiting and ex-
pecting the arrival of his young friend,
Francois Rapin, who had lately inter-
ested him to a singular degree.
Even at the moment, up the uncar-
peted stairway came the active Creole's
feet, two steps at a time, along with a
lively tune sung almost breathlessly
through a curving black mustache.
"Ah, but here l am" he cried, isl
ing through the doorway and tripping
a gay step along the floor toward Hard
ing.
''Well; and what is it?" demanded
the New Yorker. "What have you
found out?"
"Bah!" He produced a cigarette
and asked for a light by an inimitable
pantomine with head and shoulders.
maybe she went to the French opera.
Go with me; l have a box; come"
Blu haven't you yet seen her."
"Seen her-how should I know?
M. Harding forgets the conditions"
He laughed in his atrociously frivolous
French way. i.
Il beg pardon" said Harding, quick
1y; II had indeed forgotten that l did
not know her name, her place of resi-
dence, nor yet even the color of her
eyes. Yes, l will go with you to the
opera. Everybody goes, eh?"
mot everybody; but everybody of
the best. It is the distinctions; we draw
the line in front of the boxes.'
mot the dead line, / hope"
Even that sometimes; yes. I have
known a glance of sweet eyes to cost a
man his best blood under the oaks.
Are you a good fencer?:"
Boyle Harding made no answer, but
flung his cigar stump over the iron fl
agree down into the street, where it
coruscated on the cobblestones, and
then he rose and shook himself lightly
As one does who forms an imperfect
plan or feels vaguely impatient over
delayed expectations.
The sky above New Orleans was as
blue as a sapphire, and the irregular
old houses along Royal street caught
many a stray CLINT from the splendid
moon. Harding was in a mood to feel
all the force of such a scene. He had
come south q fortnight past with let
ters of introduction to influential peo-
pie, but he was not seeking society; a
quiet ~sojourn in New Orleans with his
eyes and ears open suited him better.
He was young, however, brim full of
blood and surcha1ged with a poets inn
ag1nation.
What was, perhaps, just the thing he
would have most desired came to him
unexpectedly one day. It was a
twinkle of romance in the gloom of
Royal street. He suddenly met a beau
tiful young oma face to face at the
door of Garcin's old book store, a dingy
hole where you find the contents Of
French libraries that have been sold at
successive sales or picked up at auc-
ton. Warm eyes exchanged an invol-
untary look which seemed to have a
glow of inquiry struck out of iris
points. Harding was electrified, and
fmpulsively lifted his hat. She passed
him with a half smile, leaving a breath
of violets and the rustic of a gown
quietly elegant in the air round about.
The color of her hair, her height, the
tint of her eyes, her compassionate
could not fix n Of these in his mind,
but he knew that she was the loveliest,
the most enchanting girl that ever
Ereathed. The impression entered his
consciousness SO suddenly and set it.
self SC deep and with such a thrill of
romantic pleasure that he stopped short
in the door, and stood there, hat in
hand, smilingly reminiscently and
listening to the purr of his own blood
eweetly quickening along his veins.
A lover is a great fool; but he is the
t.nly mar 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 ii nutriment for the imagina-
lion. A lovers soul will treble it's
stature by feeding m moment on q
smile.
In fact, Boyle Harding had felt this
sudden growth within; it had quick~|
ened, broadcned and sweetened his
spiritual vision, while affording a fine
md NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. increment to his
of his new surroundings.
This was midway in the ffties, when
New Orleans had reached the splendid
zenith Of her wealth, and when the
peculiar color of her social life was
most dazzling and romantic. AS an
American city she stood apart, . hot,
almost tropical, heart Of passion, lux
ury, pleasure and Astounding hospital
ity. And with it all went the old free
dom Of chivalric personal courage ana
the love of spectacular results in mat
tiers of honor.
Harding and his young Creole friend
set out on foot; it was but q short step
to the opera house. and as they went
along Rapin was prattling on the sub
ject OF fencing, always q great vogue !
with the tennessee doree Of New Or
lsaus He Mas Almsslt 1 rich orphaa,