Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-02-10

you at first, bellisima, | should not
have been to you what I am tonight
A low ripple of laughter was hel
response.
Il knew it" she murmured again
half Dreathlessly, as l drew her with
swifter and more voluptuous motion
into the vortex of the dancers. You
tried to be cold, but I knew [ could
make you love me-yes, love me pas
sionately-and 1 was right" Then
with an outburst of triumphant vanity
she added, Il believe you would die
for me-"
/ bent over her more closely. My
hot quick breath moved the feathery
sold of her hair
Il have died for you," I said; ct
have killed my old self for your sake"
Dancing still, encircling by my
arms, and gliding along like a sea-
nymph ON moonlighted foam, she
sighed restlessIy.
Tell me what you mean, amor
mio,'' she asked, in the tenderest tone
in the world.
All. Godi that tender seductive ca
dence of her voice, how well I knew
lt!-how often had it lured away nv
strength, as the tabled SIRENS song
had been used to wreck the listening
mariner.
Il mean that you have changed me-
sweetest" l whispered, in fierce, hur-
ried accents. Il have seemed old-for
you tonight 1 will be young again
Tor you my chilled slow blood shall
again be hot and quick as lava-for
you my long-buried past shall rise in
all its pristine vigor; for you / will be
lover, such as perhaps no woman
ever had or ever Will have again!"
She heard, and nestled closer to me
in the dance. My words pleased her.
Next to her worship of wealth her de-
light was to arouse the passions of
men. She was very panther-like in
her nature-her first tendency was to
devour, her next to gambol with any
animal she met, though her sleek.
swift playfulness might mean death.
She was by no means exceptional in
this; there are many women like her.
AS the music of the waltz grew
slower and slower, dropping down to
a sweet and persuasive conclusion. 7
led my wife to her fauteuil, and re-
Signed her to the care of distinguish
ed Roman prince who was her next
partner. Then unObserved, I slipped
out to make inquiries concerning Vim
cenzo. He had gone; one of the
walters at the hotel, a friend of his
had accompanied him and seen him
into the train for Avellino. He had
locked in at the ballroom before
leaving, and had watched me stand
up to dance with my wife, then with
tears In his eyes, said the vivaci-
Gus little waiter who had just re-
turned from the station-he had
started without daring to wish me
goodbye.
L heard this information of course
with an apparent kindly Indifference,
but in my heart I felt a sudden va
cancy, drear, strange loneliness.
With my faithful servant near me l
had felt conscious of the presence of
a friend, for friend he was in his
own humble, unobtrusive fashion; but
now | was alone-alone in a loneli-
ness beyond all conceivable compare
son-alone to do my work, without
prevention or detection. I felt, as it
isolated from
apart with my victim on some dim
point of time, from which the rest of
the world receded, where the search
ing eye of the Creator alone could be-
hold me. Only she and l and God
these three were all that existed for
me in the universe; between these
three must justice be fulfilled.
Musingly, with downcast eyes, I re-
turned to the ballroom. At the door
a young girl faced me-she was the
only daughter of q great Neapolitan
house. Dressed in pure white, as all
such maidens are, with a crown of
snow drops on her dusky hair, and
her dimpled face lighted with laugh
ter, she looked the very embodiment
of early spring. She addressed me
somewhat timidly, yet with all a
child's frankness.
rs not this delightful? l feel as
if were in fairy-Iand! Do you know
this is my first ball?"
I smiled YEARLY.
cay, truly? And you are happy?"
Oh, happiness is not the word-it
is ecstasy! How I wish it could
last forever! And-is it not strange.
i did not know l was beautiful till
tonight"
"Ah! and some one has told you SO"
Yes; the great Prince de Majano.
And he is too noble to say what is not
true so l must be ia piu bella dom
zella,' as he said, must I not?"
/ touched the snow-drops that she
wore in a white cluster at her breast.
Look at your flowers, child"
said, earnestly. "See how they begin
to droop in this heated air. The poor
things! How glad they would feel
could they again grow in the cool wet
moss of the woodlands, waving their
little bells, to the wholesome fresh
wind! Would they revive now, think
you, for your great Prince de Majano
if he told them they were fair? So
with your life and heart, little one
pass them through the scorching fire
of flattery, and their purity must
wifher avap &c those f1~aoi1o hJoccornS
And as for beauty-are you more