Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1898-02-10
Continued.

.ta hall that night wore dresses the
~ which are seldom or never
,pt of Italy-robes sown with
81. and thick with wondrous en-
brotdery. such as have been hahueo
an from generation to generation
...,r,gb hundreds of years. AS an
.,,-Ie of this, the Duchess O.
,I.rina's cloth of gold train, stitched
-.ttb small ruhies and seed-pearls, mao
,-.r,sr.Iv belonged to the family Of
g,ranzo de Medici. Such garments
80 those when they are part of the
,rorartv OF a great house, are worr
arl[ nm particular occasions, perhaps
40 in a year: and then they are
la carefully by and sedulously pro-
tacted from dust and moths and
a,on receiving as much attention as
.,a PRICELESS pictures and books of =
famous historical mansion. Nothing
ever designed by any great modern
raiIor or milliner can hope to compete
with the magnificent workmanship
and durable material Of the fiesta
dresses that are locked previously
away in the old oaken Golfers of the
Greatest Italian families-dresses that
are bevOnd valuation, because OF the
romance and tragedies attached to
Them and which, when worn, make
all the costliest fripperies of today
look himsy and paltry beside them,
like the attempts of servant TO dress
as tastefully as her mistress.
such glitter of gold ard silver, such
scintilations from the burning eyes
of Jewels such cloud-like wreaths of
floating laces, such subtle odors OF
rare and exquisite perfume, all things
that most keenly prick and stimulate
the senses were round me in fullest
force this night-this one dazzling,
supreme and terrible night, that was
destined to burn into my brain like n
seal of scorching fire. Yes; till
die that night will remain with me as
though it were a breathing, sentient
thing; and after death, who knows
whether it may not uplift itself in
some tangible, awful shape, and con-
front me with its flashing mock-lus-
TER and the black heart Of its true
meaning in its menacing eyes, to take
it's dread place by the side of my aban-
dsaed soul through all eternity! | re-
member now how ! shivered and start
ed out of the bitter reverie into which
I had fallen at the sound of my wife's
low laughing voice.
You must dance, Cesare," she said,
with mischievous smile. "You are
forgetting your duties. You should
open the ball with me-"
| rose at once mechanically.
What dance is it," l asked, fore
ing a smile. Il fear you will find me
but a clumsy partner"
She pouted.
ooh, surely mott You are not going
TO disgrace me-you really must try
10 dance properly just this once
Tt will look Sc stupid if you make any
mistake. The band was going to play
a quadrille; | would not have it, and
told them to strike up the Hungarian
waltz instead. But l assure you |
shall never forgive you if you waltz
b8diy-nothing looks so awkward
and absurd"
made no answer, but placed my
arm round her waist and stood ready
80 begin. | avoided looking at her as
much as possible, for it was growing
more and more difficult with each
mtnt that passed to hold the mas
terry over myself. | was consumed be-
tween hate and love. Yes, love!-of
an evil kind, | own, and in which
tbere was no shred of reverence-filled
me with a sort of foolish fury, which
mingled itself with another and man
-eE craving, namely, to proclaim her
El..Hess then and there before all her
-.ad and admiring friends, and to
.7aEs her shamed in the dust of scorn,
1esHlsed and abandoned. Yet l knew
N.t mat were | to speak QUITO de-
ware my history and hers before that
.ltnt crowd should be accounted
@@4 and that for woman such as
~. there existed no shame.
'"# swinging measure of the slow
.-.~trian waltz, that most witching
."nces, danced perfectly only by
.5e Of the warm blooded southern
ament, now commenced II
played pianisslmo, and stole
N2h the room like the duttering
.A Of a soft sea wind. | had al
ueen an excellent walter. and my
Aad fitted in with that of Nina as
..'Alously as the two notes of
chord She found 1t so on this
'A and glanced up with look
-.-hed surprise as | bore her
With languorous, dream-nke
OF movement through the gilt
ranks OF our guests, who watch
adnlringly as we circled the
."o or three times.
all present followed our lead.
10 a couple of minutes the ball
vas Ike moving flower-garden