The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1906-03-29
A STORY OF
THE CARNIVAL.
[Original.1
lVTISIlIdI'J
oDle who love gloom and

people who are only happy in sunshine.
winter; summer is my delight This ID
often the case with those who arc
ideal imaginative, impressionable. To
escape the cold season of 1S9- went
to Nice and took rooms in a hotel look
ing out on the quay, decorated with
tropical plants, and the Mediterranean
beyond. Going to window to take
in the pleasant view, noticed name
that had been scratched on the pane
with diamond.
have said that am of an impress.
sionable nature, but this does not ex.
plain satisfactorily the effect this name,
Marguerite, had upon me. Besides tho
curiosity natural to any one under tho
circumstances as to who Marguerite
might be, felt some mysterious link.
ing of her personality with mine.
l remained in Nice for the carnival.
When the streets We're full of merry.
makers l sailed forth to minge with
the fun. 1 walked back and forth,
jostled by the crowd, for an hour and
was about to return to my hotel when
l met two girls sandwiched between
two men. My attention was called to
them by receiving handful Of con.
fetti-bits Of paper the size of snow.
flakes and somewhat resembling them
thrown in my face by one of the
girls. Her eyes scintillated with mis-.
| chief. A few seconds was the period
| we looked at each other; then l was
again confronted with the crowd in
which had no interest / walked the
street till the last merrymaker had
left it, hoping to see her again, but
was doomed to disappointment
l went to sleep thinking of the pretty
face of the girl who had covered me
with confetti and the next morning
awoke to see the laughing eyes looking
into mine, and, to my surprise, they
did not fade away with time.
l spent the coming summer at Paris.
Whoever has been there in the month
of June will not be likely to forget the
gay throngs, the sparkle Of sunshine,
the young leaves in the Champs d'Ely-
sees, the universal brightness. While
reading my paper one morning at
breakfast l came upon an article at
variance with all this liveliness. 1t
was an account Of the case of Nine.
Thurier, who had married an old man
for family reasons, who had been bru-
tally treated by him and a few weeks
after her marriage had been accused
by him of infidelity. 1t suited his pur.
pose to get rid of her, and he hired
people to swear to facts that We're un
true. BY her adroitness she exposed
the plot and got counter divorce.
was much interested in the case, espe
cially in the ingenious methods by
which the lady proved her innocence
and exposed her husbands villainy
The article stated that she was mucl
broken down by her trying experience.
A year later / was in Paris again
One night at the opera my friend Jeal
Chapporal between the acts told M
: that he wished to present me to hi
cousin. I was about to leave to keel
an engagement and suggested taking
: another opportunity. 81 have no RICH
to say So" he said, "but she will b.
: disappointed" This was enough, ant
went with him to his Cousins box.
mile Martel, have the
I heard no more. There before me,
vision Of loneliness in silk and lace
was the girl who had covered me wit
confetti. She had noticed me sittin
in the parquet and had seen her cousi!
speak to me; hence the introduction
l. The only change l noticed in her wa
that her face lacked the roundness
had noticed when I had first seen il
and there was something in it to re
mind me Of fair landscape on whic
= the sun is shining, but over which
=. storm has recently crossed.
: 81 will leave you for few minutes,
!: said Chapporal, with Nine. Thurie
I mean He retired in confusion.
', An expression of pain came over til
:, lady's face.
% do not think" she said, chat l al
= sailing under false colors. Everybod
- :, knows that am Nine. Thurier, thong
y 1 pass under my maiden name"
- She was about to explain furtht
y when l spared her the pain of doir
20 so by telling her that l knew III
- story.
- What she said to me and l to b.
during those few minutes that 1 W;
left alone with her l have no remeI
;s brance l was wholly taken up Wi
20 great JOY that 1 had found the 81
10 Of whom 1 had been dreaming SIM
the carnival. Just before the curta
" rose Chapporal returned, and I aro
to leave.
20 'sMy cousin,'' said the lady, "w
" show you the way to our house. Wor
H. you, Jean?"
Certainly, Marguerite"
I started.
"What's the matter now?" exclail
ne ed Chapporal. 'Have 1 blunder'
It. again.
n "Mademoiselle," I said, 'were v
ever at Nice before the season duril
Of which l saw you there?'
re Eyes; several times"