Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1896-08-26


And as many of the men and nearl.
all the girls wero in fancy dress, tn
scene was striking and brilliant.
Among the Henrittn Aarias, III
Amy Robsarts, Flora MeDonalds ant
other characters that filled the rooms
one girls face took my heart captiv'
the instant I beheld it. She did no
look more than seve teen, though sh,
may have been year or two older, fair
slender, with sunny hair and milky
white complexion. She was dressed
to represent the Snow Image of Hsw
thorne's charming fantasy, and th'
character suited her style OF beauty
admirably. She was pale as the snow
wreath that crowned her head, and sht
seemed almost as fragile as the icicle.
that were her only ornaments.
The girls beauty. was indeed re
markable. People turned and looked
at her as she moved here and there
and whenever she stood still she wa.
instantly surrounded by small crowi
of men eager to get their names pm
down on her programme. L noticed
however, that there was o sad, alb
stracted look in her eyes. Hel hear
was not in the ball room.
In spite of all my efforts I failed t,
get On introduction to the girl who
had fascinated me. I failed even tc
learn her name. But none the less
had fallen in love with ber-like q
fool. had fallen in love with 6
stranger-a vision that in all Iikeli
hood ] should never see again, that
would be for me as feeting and unsub
stantial as the Snow Fairy whom she
represented.
There was one other person at the
ball who attracted my attention. This
was tall, dark man, with o thick,
short, black beard, man considera
bly, over the middle height, and evi
IDENTIFY possessing n strong will as well
as powerful body. More than ones
this man approached the Snow Fairy,
and on each occasioA she seemed to
me to shrink from him, as if she il
some way had cause to fear him. They
were evidently connected, but what
the relationship between them was ]
could not be sure, for the mau seemed
too young to be her. father. Surely,
said to myself with jealous pang,
surely he cannot be her lover?
The whole evening pestered my
friends in the hopeo getting, in some
indirect way, an introduction to the
girl who had fascinated me, but wa.
quite unsuccessful. Once her eyes
met NINE. What she read there do
not know, but she suddenly turned
aside, her pale checks showing q sud.
den glow Of rose color. Yexed with
myself for making her blush, / turned
away in tho opposite direction, and
took cere not to approach SO near hel
again.
The evening wore on, and il was
evident that my ambition was not tc
be gratified. About 8 o'clock lef
the ball room aud, mufied in my
thick ulster, wes making my way along
q side street which led to the mair
thoroughfare where hansoms were tc
be found, when ! heard Q. rush of fly
ing feet behind me.
] turned, and there, close to me,
stood the Snow Fairy, white opera
cloak wrapping her from head to foot,
and her sweet, sad face looking out al
me from within o hood of swansdown.
l stood snl stared, too much sur.
prised to think or form conjecture
Sis there a letter box near? she
gasped out, for she was breathless, a.
much from excitement, it seemed u
me, as from the exertion of running.
"oh, please, please tell me. Where
shall I look for oue?" she went on
without giving me time to collect my
thoughts.
81 don't know where the neares
letter box is," 1 replied, "bat / CHI
easily find out. II you will intrus
your letter to me I will see that it i
posted"
enc, cannot; ] dare not trust i
to any one. Do try to find out TO,
me-"
The words died away on her l,rs,
for she, as we'll as J., had heard the
noise of some one running up to MS
and the next moment the man witl
the short black beard stood over US
Rage knotted the veins on his forehead
till tley seemed 20 be near bursting
Rage, for tho space of two seconds
kept him speechless. During thos,
two seconds the girl crept perceptihI,
nearer to me, and something smooth,
stiff, thin, like piece Of thick paste
board, was pressed into my hand.
slipped it at once into the pocket O
my ulster.
"What are you doing here?" he sait
to the girl in tone of Suppressed
fury; and before she had time to an
swer he turned sarageIy upon rue
Glow dare you speak to my daughter,
he demanded, advancing upon me in 6
slow and threatening manner. had
just time to see look Of mute suppli
cation in the girls eyes. She was en-
treating me not to betray her.
"Really. SIR" I said, with as much
GOODNESS as I could command "really,
you must pardon me for saying that
you seem little less than reasonable.
One is permitted to speak to- g young
lady at ball.
''In the open street? In this clan
destipe manner?"
"We were not in great privacy. to
be cure, but that might be urged il
mitigation of the offence" 1 said, will
smile.
"You shall not hoodwink me. Wha
was it that she was saying to you wher
I came up?"
"If I have been guilty of an indis
cretion, the fault is mine, and ] an
ready to answer for it; but you can
not expect me to repeat whatever
trifes may have permitted myself t.
cay to the young lady, whom I fear