Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1901-06-04

nod was filling the French opera
house with a food of impassioned
melody as we entered. A moment
later, and felt the pressure of the
colone's hand upon my arm.
mile. Marie" he whispered, and
my eyes followed his.
Twas but an instant, that thrill
Of ecstasy, exquisite, indescribable,.
which the sight of her marvellous
beauty produced; moment in which
all my youthful dreams of woman's
charm and loveliness was mirrored.
The sorrows of Faust and Marguer-
tie possessed but little interest for
me that night. My eyes, in spite OF
strenuous efforts to the contrary,
persistently followed the outlines of
graceful figure, clothed in gown
of ivory whiteness whose diaphanous
folds shone against the crimson Of
her opera cloak like a delicate white
cloud in the evening glow AS the
curtain fell the colonel arose. 4
again noticed what seemed to me an
expression of annoyance of Nile
Marie's smile as she turned to
greet us. In the dark eyes, filed with
liquid beauty, was look of almost
childish innocence and sincerity; the
touch of the Madonna" was in her
face. We chatted gayly a few mo-
ments, Mile. Marie gently child
ing the colonel, for as she said
having forgotten her and promising
forgiveness only upon his speedy
remembrance.
"And Monsieur Averell, my friepd?"
he asked, it seemed to me hesitate
ingly.
Eyes, colonel Indeed, yes, and re-
member, soon," Mile. Marie an
swered smiling and lifting her eyes
to mine with look which seemed
to echo the welcome of her lips.
An unusual silence was upon the
colonel as we smoked that night. 1t
was broken finally by trivial remark
from me regarding the opera.
"And Mile. Marie?" he questioneF
did you not find my words true moh-
sieur? Is she not beautiful"
was conscious of the penetrating
power of his gray eyes as the colonel
leaned toward me. From his manner
it was plainly evident he had some
thing to say to me. We smoked in
silence few moments and then it
came.
'I had hoped you would not
meet Mile. Marie, monsieur" he
said slowly. And as I turned upon
him a look of astonishment; You
will remember that I told you, that
she is without a heart"
/ 7 was inwardly amused at the
colonel's anxiety and waited with in
terest for him to continue.
ST should not tire you with tale
which concerns myself" he snfdt
earnestly. "But / would coneider |
was unworthy the friendship Of your
father. did ! not warn you,' and in
a hesitating way he continued: II
loved once, monsieur, n beautifui
woman, more beautiful even than
| Mile. Rosiere, and she was none
other than her mother, and fool
that I was. I believed myself secure
! in her affection. 1t is the old story
All was well until the advent of her
cousin, the dashing Victor Rosiere
who came from Paris. was them
thrown aside. She has been dead
these many years and T will speak
no i'll of her. but / warn you, mon
sieur; Mile Marie is her mothers
daughter. You may perhaps even
have hear a rumor that is current, OF
cousin who is TO come for her
some day"
! had indeed heard the rumor, from
more than one of my club acquaint-
ances, the story of the wealthy Paris
ian. an ideal gentleman. hearsay had
it, who was generally supposed ~ he
the betrothed of Mile Marie.
IAN Apollo for beauty and
Croesus for wealth, 7 suppose" lie
We're had said but why does he not
make himself visible?"
True, indeed; the only thing that
seemed to be lacking to establish 49,.
claim to perfection of this rcu'o~'-
able parsonage was the fact as
We're put il. that he had ueypr r'eT- 81
himself visible. So far as was
known, Mile. Marie herself had
never seen him and it was a
palpable fact that she did not appear
TO evince the least impatience con-
corning his coming,
With many misgivings upon his
part, as 7 had reason TO know. and
unbounded Joy on mine. the colonel
and l repaired one evening soon after
to the home of Mile. Marie. As the
colonel afterwards remarked that
was the beginning of the end" In.
spite of his many admonitions e~S'
in the face of numerous wise looAs
and covert smiles, which LeVere and
his fellows lavished upon me, pur-
sued happiness through those glori-
Gus, golden days which followed with
the abandon of butterfly for the
flowers and sunshine.
When at last ] revealed my secret
to him, when I told him of Mile.
10. - A.