Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-01-12
CHAPTER XVIII.

happiness or heightened by sorrow,
but Leah Hatton kept an account Of
the hours. All that was taking place
was a dream to her; the only effort
she could make was to prevent other
people from guessing her secret.
He had cOme-the fairy prince who
was to wake her from her long sleep;
but the world need not know it-must
not know it. 1t would think her mad
this wary, keen, wise old world
that laughs at the sweet follies Of
youth.
She had surrendered her mind to a
host of beautiful but unreal fancies;
they had made the brightest part of
her life. To any other than herself
they would have seemed absurd; yet
she had firm faith in them. She he
Iieved in this ideal lover of hers, who
was looking for her in the world just
as she was waiting for him. She had
nursed herself in the belief that she
would recognize him the moment she
saw him, and it seemed to her that
she had done so.
Hundreds of handsome faces had
passed before her eyes, but not one
had touched her heart until now.
When she saw Sir BasiPs she recOg-
nized it; a strange, magnetic in
fluence seemed to come over her; in
the depths of her heart she said to
herself: Il have met my fate" But
now she must hide her secret, lest
the laughing wicked world should be
amused by it. She never thought Of
Sir BasiPs part in the matter,
whether he shared her feelings and
fancies; she was too much engrossed
with her own.
The day went on, and she spent al
most every moment of it with him-a
lovely day, that grew brighter and
fairer with every hour that passed.
That evening she stood in her
dressing-room, the pretty Partisan
maid looked at her in something like
wonder. Miss Hatton had most
exquisite taste, and liked always to
be well dressed; but on this even
ing it seemed as if it we're impossible
to please her. Dress after dress was
discarded; she could not choose her
jewels.
Take those diamonds away" she
said, and the superb suite of rubies
and pearls were not pleasing to her.
On the toilet table, intermixed with
crystal and silver and richly-cut
Bohemian glass, we're some clusters
of scarlet passion-fowers. She would
wear them, and not the jewels.
The Parisienne sighed. They
would look very beautiful, but they
would give her an immense deal of
trouble.
Leah had fancy that she would
like to be dressed after the fashion
Of her picture; but the black velvet
looked to warm and heavy for this
bright summer night. At last she
chose a dress of white shining silk,
soft and fine, and with it she wore
nothing but passion-fowers. They
crowned her dark, beautiful head,
and gIOWed like flames against her
white neck; great trailing sprays
fastened the folds of her dress.
'tThey look far more beautiful than
Jewels said the maid; |but will they
live, MADAME"
They will live as long as I neeQ
them" answered Leah. It seemed to
her that the flowers she wore to
please him could never die.
4 think, madam" said the maid,
as she arranged the tall Pysche
mirror, eff you will look now, you
viii he pleased"
Pleased? She flushed crimson as
she saw the reflection of her own
most radiant beauty. She was glad
to be beautiful; she rejoiced in her
own loneliness. The dark waves OF
ripping hair with their crown Of
scarlet flowers, the exquisite face
with it's fair bloom the white grace
full throat and white shoulders, the
perfect arms and hands, the figure
SO replete with sweet stately, subtle
grace gave her infinite delight She
was child enough to kiss the warm,
white arms, and to smile at the
picture in her mirror.
Il wonder" she said to herself, eff
he will find me fair?"
There were still some minutes be-
fore the second bell would ring; she
would not go down until the flush
had departed from her cheeks and
the sweet happy expression of her
eyes told less, or the duchess would
soon discover her secret. She look
ed from her open window to the run
ming river, and snatches of song rose
to her lips. She could have fancied
that even the river knew what had
happened today; the waters laughed
and flashed in the setting sun. Oh!
happy day, day to be remembered
for it stood out from her life as a
bright star in the dark sky!
''The sixth of August" she said tc
herself; 81 shall never forget the
date. I have been in the world
twenty-five years, but I have never
lived until today"
Then the bell rang, and she went
down into the drawing-roOm. More
than one present drew deep breath