Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1897-12-30


careful banker who balances his ac-
counts with the most elaborate regu-
iarity. | can laugh TO think OF II all
now; but then-then | moved, spoke,
and acted like human machine I'M
PEELED by stronger forces than my own
i'm all things precise. in all things IN
flexible.
Within the week OF my return from
Avellino my coming marriage with the
Countess Romani was announced
Two days after it had been maze pub
lie, while sauntering across the Largo
el CASTILLO, | met the Marquis D'Ayen-
court. | had not seen him since the
morning of the duel, and his presence
gave me a sort of nervous shock lie
was exceedingly corQial, though
ancied he was also slightly embar-
Iassed. After a few commonplace re-
marks he said abruptly:
so your marriage will positively
axe placer
Ma! certamente! Do you doubt
,.?"
His handsome face clouden and his
alanner grew still more constrained.
No; but l thought had hoped
Mon cher" | said, airily, II per
1actly understand TO what you allude.
But we men of the world are not fas-
t,dI0us we know better than TO pay
any heed % the foolish love-fancies of
woman before her marriage, so long
To, afta arn
he letters you sent me were tritles,
mere trifies! In wedding the Contessa
Romani | assure you / believe | secure
the most virtuous as we'll as the most
.ovely woman in Europe!" And j
laughed again heartily.
D'Avencourt looked puzzled; but he
was punctilious man, ana knew how
O steer clear OF q delicate subject.
lie smiled.
"A la bonnie heure," ne said
yish you JOY with all my heart! You
are the best judge OF your own happi-
/ ess; as for me-vive la nberte!"
And with a gay parting salute he
safl me. No one else in the city APP
4 lts, if he had any. about my forthcom-
ng marriage. 1t was everywhere
alked of with as much interest and
expectation as though it We're some
lew amusement invented to- heghten
the merriment of carnival. Among
Their things | earned the reputation OF
! eing most impatient lover. Tor now
] would consent to no delays.
hurried all the preparations on with
feyerish precipitation. | had very lit
tie difficulty in persuading Nina that
The sooner our weddlng took place the
better; she was to the full as eager as
myself, as ready TO Tush on her own
obstruction as Guido had been Her
chief passion was avarice, and the re-
Ieated rumors of my supposed fabu-
lCus wealth had aroused ner greed
from the very moment she had first
met ME in my assumed character of
the Count Olivia. AS soon as her en-
gdgemenJ 10 me became known in Ma
Pies, she was an object OF envy to all
those OF her own sex Who curing the
store OF destinations to entrap me in
yaiL-and this made her perfectly
happy Perhaps the supfemest salts
faction a woman OF this sort can attain
to is the fact Oh making ncr less for
tunate sisters disseminated and mis-
cradle! l lcaded her, Of course, with
the costliest giits, and she, being the
sole mistress of the fortune left her by
her late husband" as well as of the
unfortunate Guido's money, set nc
limits to her extravaganza She or
dered the most expensive and elabor.
ate costumes; she was engaged morn
ing after morning with dress makers,
tailors, and milliners, ana she was sur
rounded by "a certain favored set" OF
female friends, for whose benefit she
displayed the incoming treasures Of
her wardrobe till they were ready to
cry for spite and vexation, though they
had to smile and hold in their wrath
and outraged vanity beneath the socia!
mask of complacent cOmposure. And
Nina lovea nothing better than to tor
ture the poor women who were stinted
OF pocket-money with the sight OF
shlmmering satins, soft radiating
pushes, rich yelvets, embroidery
studded with real gems, pieces OF costly
Old lace, priceless scents, ana articles
Ct bijouterie; she loved also to dazzle
he eyes and bewiTder the brains OF
young girls, whose finest toilet was a
garb Of simplest white stuff unadorned
gave by a cluster Of natural blossoms,
ana to send them away sick at heart
lining for they knew not what, dis
Satisfied with everything, and grum-
bling at fate for not permitting them
10 deck themselves in such marvellous
arrangements of costumes as those
possessed by the happy, the fortunate
future Countess Olivia.
Poor maidens! had they but known
all they w0uld not have enyied her
Women are too fond Of measuring hap.
piness by the amount Of fine clothes
. 4