Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-08-28
SPOILING A SCHEME.

The crowd grew thicker every
moment. ill it.became almost i'm
possible to move in the ball room
The charity on account OF which
The entertainment was beng held
was a popular one; some great
ladies' had taken the thing up and
made 1t success. Aud as macy
ofthe men and nearly all the giils
were in fancy dress, the scene was
striking and brilliant.
Among the Henrietta Marias, he
Amy Robssrts, Flora McDOualds
and other characters that filed the
rooms, one girls face took my
heart captive the instant beheld
it. She did not look more than
seventeen, though she may have
been a year or two older, fair,
slender, with sunny hair and
mllky.whlte complexion. She was
dressed to represent the Snow
Image OF HawthOrne's charming
fantasy, and the character SUITE d
her style of beauty admirably.
She was pale as the snow wreath
that crowned her head, and she
seemed almost rs fragile as the
icicles that were her only orna-
ments.
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 was instantly surrounded
by small crowd of men eager to
get their names pat down on her
programme. l nOtlc, d, however,
that there was a sad, abstracted
look in her eyes. Her heart was
not in the ball reOm.
In spite of all my efforts ! failed
to get an ir PRODUCTION to the girl
who had fascinated me. | failed
even 10 learn her name. But nOue
the less had fallen IN love with
her-like fool. | had fallen in
love with a stranger-a vision that
IN all likelihood | should ueyer
see again, that would be for me as
fleeting aud unsubstantlal as the
Snow Fairy whom she represented.
There was one other person at
the ball who attracted my atten'
ton. This was a tall dark man,
with a thlck, short, black beard,
man considerably over the middle
height, and evidently possessing a
strong will as we'll as a powerful
body. More than once this man
approached the Snow Fairy, and
on each occasion she seemed to me
to shrink from him, as if she III
some way had cause to fear him.
They were evidently connected,
but what the relationship between
them was l could not be sure, for
the man seemed too young to be
her father. Surely said to myself
with jealous pang, surely he can
uOt be her lOveIi
The whole evening | pester,,-
my friends in the hope of getting
IN some indirect way, An intro
duction to the girl who had fascina-
ted me, but | was quite unsuecess'
full. Once her eyes met mine.
What she read there do not know
but she suddenly turned aside,
her pale cheeks showing sudden
glow Of rose color. Vexed with
myself for making her blush, l
turned away In the opposite direc-
ton, and l took care not to ap.
proach so near her again.
The evening wore on, and 1t was
evident that my ambition was not
to be gratitied. About 3 O'Clock l
lett the ball room and muffied IN
my thick ulster, was making my
way along a side street which led
to the main thorOughfare where
handsoms were to he found, when
l heard q rush of flying feet be-
hind me.
/ turned, and there, close to me
stood the Snow Fairy. a white
opera cloak wrapping her from
head to foot, and her sweet, sad
face looking ont at me from within
La hood of swansdOwn.
l stood and started, too much
surprised to think or form a con-
lecture.
is there a letter box nearp she
gasped out, for she was breathless
as much from excitement 1t seeID.
ed to me, as from the exertiOn Of
running. 'Oh, please, please tell
me. Where shall look for onti'
she went on, without giving me
time to collect nv thoughts.
Il don't know W here the nearest
letter box is,' replied. but can
easily find out. Ityou will iusrust
your letter to me will see that it