Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1897-10-05
LOVE AND ROSES.

Countess Marie Antoinette HeIyersen
was indisputably beautiful. She possessed
the rare beauty that no one questions,
not even women. When such beautiful
woman passes along the street, all turn to
look at her, just as in the morning when
their paths lead in an opposite direction
they turn to behold that spot in the east
where the sun rose clear and radiant.
Naturally Countess Marie Antoinette
had endless admirers and suitors. The
| most earnest of them were the two neigh
bors of her parents, Camill Won Leeringen
and Ernst von Prinzthal. Camill was the
most dashing officer that could be imag-
ined. He was not only a famous dancer
and horseman, but he talked we'll and
| played the piano brilliantly. His castle
was magnificent and superbly arranged
| His stables were well supplied. He had
| indeed debts, but debts are for the most
| part an evidence of riches. Ernst Won
Prinzthal was, on the contrary, quiet, but
earnest.
Both sued for Marie Antoinette's hand,
and each in his own way was filled with
distrust and jealousy toward the other.
This uncertainty could not continue Ion
ger. One OF them must yield his place II
murder or deathblow did not remove
him, but which one? The parents permit
ted to the daughter her free choice. And
Countess Antoinette? Really she had not
considered whom she would choose.
The day before the garrison ball (before
"a ball AntOinette was more radiant, more
joyous and more conquering than ever)
the two suitors came to Castle Helversen
at the same moment, and almost attacked
each other in the salon. The result was
that they urgently and earnestly begged
Countess Antoinette to render her final
decision.
'Make known to us by some token
which of us is the favored one-which Of
us you will make happy with your hand, :"
cried Camill Won Leeringen. eyes, let us
know our fate today, for only under this
condition can we give up the duel which
the scene of today has rendered almost un-
avoidable. The one whom you reject will
leave the scene Of combat. Will you do
sop
ooh, you must, indeed" cried Ernst
Won Prinzthal, "for, Antoinette, l cannot
endure longer the torlnents of this uncer-
tainty love you. Do you understand
| what that means? 1t means that I shall
suffer always if you do not say, You shall
| find new life with me. -
swell, for my part" said Countess An
| toinette, laughing, / will give my decision
| this evening. At this moment I really
| have not the time. My head is go full.
The modiste has promised me my ball
dress at noon and it is now II o'clock. 1t
| comes direct from Paris, and I have no
| idea of the style, scarcely of the color.
Then until this evening"
"And let us know at the first glance
which of us has to hope, and which of us
has to despair" said Ernst Won Prinzthal
| in hoarse voice. while his breath came
| fast. "If am the one to whom you will
| give life and happiness, then wear red
rose in your hair. Will your But if it is
| Cavalier Leeringen, them
"Then, of course, wear a white one,"
smiled the officer, showing his whitest of
teeth Crosses vary commonly in these
| two shades, as does wine"
$50 let it be, so let it be-" merrily said
the Countess Antoinette. "But now adieu.
hear carriage in tho court. wager
it is the modiste and my ball dress"
The evening came. Antoinette stood
before her mirror in all the magnficence
of the dress from Mime. Leontine of Paris.
| She was beside herself with delight. In
its style, material and shading of colors
the ball dress was a master work of Gle
gance. 1t was.of, the pnlest rose tint, not
| the t>aQered that recalls the colcr of the
hunts lcafed rose, but the shade that
suggests either the winter rose, when fully
blown, or the tip of the diamond petal that
has almost yellowish simmer
In this toilet, which harmonized Won
derfully with her complexion, her eyes and
her chestnut brown hair, Antoinette was
sweet enough to kiss. There remained
only the question of the flower for her
hair. Before her lay Il cluster of dewy
roses that the gardener had just brought.
| She must choose She thought of the i'm
| portant role tho color of her flower must
play this evening.
But did she think of the wooers them
selves? Did she love one more than the
other? She was extremely fond of both,
but of which one particularly? That sho
scarcely knew. Did she think that the
handsome officer was little tickle and
little frivolous; that he was somewhat
skeptical as well as somewhat reckless
and somewhat eytravagant? Did she re-
|
ed in the voice of Ernst Won Prinzthal; ;
that he was benevolent to the poor, and
that on this very morning she had seen
tear sparkle in his eye?
| No. Who thinks of such doings before q
ball? Who thinks of such things in the
blissfulness of a new toiletg
1t was really impossible to wear the red
rose with the blossom tint of the dress that
| shaded so softly, but the tea rose, the
heart of which softly glowed into creamy
sbade completed her toilet in the most
enchanting manner.
"Oh," murmured Antoinette as she
fastened the rose in her hair, triumph
for tho cavalier The prize is his. 7"
|
Many years after woman sat grieving
in cold back room of great house in q
large city. She was sick and suffering and
aged before her time. She was widow,
although her husband lived somewhere in
the world outside in disgrace and degrada-
tion. After he had spent her fortune, de.
ceived and scorned her. he had left her.
The deserted woman, now sick and poor,
turned the leaves Of prayer book by the
feeble light that street lamp threw in
the miserable room. Her glance was at
traeted by n dead blossom that lay dry as
| dust between the ltaves. 1t was black and
dry from age, but it had once been beau
tiful.
| 1t was the wreck and ruin Of a once
| xx,hita