The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1901-04-04

| Inc SOrrOwS OF FauSt and Marguer-
lite 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 a 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. I
again noticed what seemed to me an
expression of annoyance of Mile.
Marie's smile as she turned to
greet us. In the dark eyes, filed with
| liquid beauty, was a look of almost
childish innocence and sincerity; the
touch of the Madonna" was in her
face. We chatted gayly 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 friend?"
he asked, it seemed to me hesitat-
ingly.
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 a trivial remark
from me regarding the opera.
Nl1a ba
did you not find my words true. mon
sieur? Is she not beautiful?"
I 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.
II 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"
I was inwardly amused at the
colone's anxiety and waited with in
| terest for him to continue.
81 should not tire you with tale
which concerns myself" he said,
earnestly. "But l would consider
was unworthy the friendship of your
father. did I not warn you," and in
hesitating way he continued: 81
| loved once, monsieur, a beautiful
woman, more beautiful even than
| Mile. Rosiere, and she was none
other than her mother, and fool
that 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. I was then
thrown aside. She has been dead
these many years and I will speak
no i'll Of her. but I warn you, mon
sieur: Mile. Marie is her mothers
daughter. You may perhaps even
have hear a rrmor that is current. of
cousin who is to come for her
some day"
I 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 to be
the betrothed of Mile. Marie.
can Apollo for beauty and a
Croesus for wealth. I 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 the
claim to perfection of this remark
able parsonage was the fact as Le
We're put it. that he had never made
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 impatence con.
cerning his coming.
With many misgivings upon his
part, as I had reason to know. and
unbounded JOY on mine, the colonel
and repaired one evening soon after
to the home of Mile. Marie. As the
colonel afterwards remarked. that
was the beginning of the end" Ir
spite of his many admonitions and
in the face of numerous wise looks
and covert smiles, which LeVere and
| HIS lSIloNS lit. puI
sued happiness through those glori
Gus, golden days which followed, with
the abandon of butterfly for the
summers flowers and sunshine.
When at last I revealed my secret
to him, when I told him of Mile
Marie's love-the love that was mine
alone. the colonel refused to credit
my words.
"You are jesting, monsieur" he in
sisted. Finally convinced and partially
recovering from his surprise, he found
voice to question.
But Mile. Marie, your cousin? The
one whom you are expecting from
Paris?"
Mile. Marie's face wore a look O.
roguishness as she turned to him
She smiled, that radiant smile which
was my hearts undoing at the Frencl
opera.
"A dream, colonel, which has beer
realized" she answered. "An ideal, {