The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-10-25

gage away at the horizon distant in tbs
broad expanse of blue, thinking deeply of
g George and wondering how he Jared.
Still she reflected that, after all, life was
more pleasant there than In ehe lethsrgic
Rerksbire village. Yet amid that con-
slant wbirl Of gAisty sbe never forgot the
days that were past Even on that bright
morning. as at Zertho's side she passed
aInno her sweet face fresh beneath her
cream sunshade, she remeni bered the
time when neither Nelly nor herself dare
walk there-those days of dire misfortune
when only twenty sous lay peheaoh 0hein
and starvation. -, a.asaa
Strolling on through the Weil Eues;sa
throna they presently met the Captain,
spruce in a suit OF dark grey with SOU nav
and brown boots. walking slowly, III oon,
veIsation wi tn portly Frenchmah wno
had been tho Prince S guest on the prev
GUS evening. Saluting, Zertho anu nle
fair companion passed on, and conGlnu.
ing their walk strolled leisuTely bacK 10
the Villa Chevrier.
"W by are you SO thoughtful" her com
panion asked presently, in French, nav
ing noticed her wonderful grey eyes n1eu
upon the calm sunlit sea. :.
ut is q wOman's privilege to THINK,
she replied, laughing as she turned TO
him with her clear eyes expressive OF the
soul that lay behind. II was rejecting
up on the difference between our life two
years agu and what it is today"
Eyes slightly better, isn't itf Well, 1t
is luck-always luck" he answered.
"Your father is going over to Monte
Carlo tomorro W, and I hope that fortune
may be kind also to him. He has waited
long enough for change OF luck.
Lame regarded him steadily for an in
slant, then said, repIoachfully:
sit is you who have persuaded MIN.
I,a fhis Whpn know
full well that half an hour at roulette will
bring back upon him the mani q for play,
the fatal recklessness that must be his
ruin and miner This is surely not the
action of q friend
"Ahl forgive me-, he exclaimed,
quickly. ST had no idea that my sug-
gestion to drive you both over there to-
morrow would displease you. I'll make
an excuse to him, snd we will not go,
he added deferentially.
She was not q little surprised that he
should thus alter his plans in conformity
to her wish, nevertheless his decision sat.
isfed her. She knew that her father had
but little money, and certainly he had
none to risk. Little did she dream that
dresses, which had been SO admired OF late
upon the Promenade and in the Casino,
had been betrayed by her whilom friend,
and that every sou her father was spend
ing came also from his pocket. She was
in ignorance Of the strange, inv1olapie
secret which existed between the two
men; that secret, the price of which was
her own self.
Too much of life had she seen to be
dazzled by the gay, brilliant set of which
she found herself a centre, nevertheless,
time after time she reflected, when alone,
that she was neglecting George sadly; she
had an instructive fear that her letters to
him were devoid of any warmth OF atfeo-
ton, yet somehow she could not prevent
it. Being thrown SO much into Aertho "
society he frequently asked her advice,
and she thus unconsciously became inter-
ested in the success of his fetes.
She and her father spent the day at the
Villa. as usual, and after dinner drove
down to the Place Massena to witness one
of the great annual events Of Nice, the
arrival OF King Carnival. Long before
they drove down the town was already
aqOg, for Carnival is in the blood Of tine
Southerners. The Examinations were
unanimously voted worthy of Nice.
From their stands on the balcony OF the
Casino they could see that from end to
end the broad AyenLe de Ia care W s
ablaze with red and white lights, festoons
of small lamps being connected at inter
walls with large red stars OF hanglng
lamps The Place Massena was lighted
up with gas. jets in white, blue, and green
globes, forming arabesques; the Casino
was enoircled with lines of gas-jets, and
the facade of the immense tribune opposite
brilliant blaze of colour.
Liane stood up and surveyed the scare.
The immense square was Uhronged, the
crowd being kept back by infantry. After
some waiting the sounds OF noisy music,
the blasts of many horns, and the dane
ing lights of hundreds of torches at last
heralded the approach of this Monarch OF
Mirth. Mounted gendarmes opened the
way; then came the trumpeters of the
9th Chasseurs, followed by the Heralds of
Nice in costumes embroidered with the
arms of the town., The colours of the
Carnival were red and rose, and the
shops around were gay with dominoes OF
those hues.
Madame Carnival was the first gigantic
figure to appear amid the glare of the
great braZiers of crimson fire. Seated on
what might be termed gilt throne, and
wearing q white frilled cap, silk shawl,
and clean apron she looked altogether
very smart, gracefully welding a fan,
and occasionally winking her enormous
eyes. In front of the car was her six
months old baby, held by two gigantic
hands, while in the rear, in big basket,
was the remainder of her family, turbu.
lent crowd of youngsters in fancy garb.
Following another regiment of musicians
and GOTCQ D6df6ES Chluo tilo lOIu hd0 lAdn-
ter, King Carnival, represented as peas
ant in his best white hat with tricolour
rosette, astride turkey-oook, which ..eve1
and anon moved it's head and spread its
tail.
RAmong tbs other cars which followed
was one representing a cafe concert; q
chimpanzee which moved its head and
swallowed smaller monkeys; car of ami
mated fans; and "a oharmer and her
fools' represented by beauty who sat
upon dais, and by pulling a string set
dancing her crowd of foppish admirers.
The "groupes Pied, !" too, were amusing
and numerous, one entitled Dragging
the devil by the tail, representing Satan
with tail of enormous length, at which
ali who were hard up were pulling vigor
onsly. There we're PoIkas of Hammers,
Bakers, Felt Hats, and walking alarm
clocks, as we'll as varying and amusing
panorama of single maskers. Among
these latter were represented wine-deal-
Ell. who had closed his shup in order to
Hbaptiss his Wines" Cupid bandaging
a lovers eyes; Love stopping a fair cyclist
and asking whether he had been forgot.
ten: "Hurrahl'' who had shouted sc
much that his mouth had become an
enormous size, and a drunkard stopping