Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-05-03
A STORY OF
H CARNIVAL.
tOriginal.]

winter; summer is my delight. This is
OFTEN the case with those who are
ideal, imaginative, impressionable. To
escape the cold season Of 1S9- | went
10 NICE and took rooms in a hotel look.
ing out on the quay, decorated with
lfopical plants, and the Mediterranean
beyond. Going TO a window to taxi
III lhe pleasant view, l noticed ii am
that had been scratched on the name
with Il diamond.
have said that | am of ain ;,,j,r.s.
sion'Die nature, but this In r.4 *
plain satisfactorily the effect os.3ua..r.
Marguerite, had upon me. He>..rs ,1e
curiosity natural to any one un,..v line
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 sailed forth TO minglc with
the fun. | 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
ucm by receiving Il handful of con-
fettl-blts OF paper the size of snow
nahcs and somewhat resembling them
-lhfoWn III my face by one of the
girls. Her eyes scintillated With mis-
chief. y few seconds was the period
we looked at each other: then l was
again confronted With the crowd in
which had no interest. | walked tho
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
Old 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 II 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 Il few weeks
after her marriage had been accused
by him of infidelity. 1t suited his pur-
nncn tn rnt ,sS1 90 Io~ D,1 H. I.-.1
people to swear to facts that We're un-
true. By her adroitness she exposed
the plot and got a counter divorce. 1
was much interested in the case, cspe-
cially in the ingenious methods by
which the lady proved her innocence
and exposed her husbands villainy.
The articl" stated 1i1lt she was much
broken down ly he:' ::y:ng experience.
A year itter | Wa; in Paris again.
One night at the opera my friclnl Jean
Chapporal between the acts told me
that he wished to present ne to his
cousin. | was about to leave to keep
an engagement and suggested taking
another opportunity. Il have no right
to say So he said. 'but she will be
disappointed" This was enough, and
I Went with him to his cousins box.
"Mlle. Martel, l have the
I heard no more. There before me, q
vision Of loneliness in silk and lace,
was the girl who had covered me with
confetti. She had noticed me sitting
in the parquet and had seen her cousin
speak to me; hence the Introduction.
The only change l noticed in her was
that her face lacked the roundness l
had noticed when l had first seen it,
and there was something in it to re-
mind me Of a fair landscape on which
the sun is shining, but over which a
storm has recently crossed.
Il will leave you for a few minutes
said Chapporal, with Mime. Thurier.
I mean He retired in confusion.
An expression of pain came over the
lady's face.
do not think" she said, that l an
sailing under false colors. Everybody
knows that l am Nine. Thurier, though
I pass under my maiden name"
She was about to explain further
WEcu L Sl)ufeu ueE lIe pun VI uOluS
so by telling her that | knew he1
story.
What she said to me and l to hel
during those few minutes that l was
left alone with her | have no remem,
brance. l was wholly taken up with
a great JOY that l had found the CIR
Of whom l had been dreaming since
the carnival. Just before the curtain
rose Chapporal returned, and l arose
to leave.
"My cousin" said the lady, "Wil
show you the way to u house. Wont
you, Jcan?'
"Certainly, Marguerite."
started.
"What's the matter now?" exclaim'
I'd Chapporal. Have l Numbered
ngain?'
"Mademoiselle," l said, "were you
ever at Nice before the season during
which l saw you there?'
"Yes; several times"
"Did you stay at any time at the
Hotel -"
II did"
"Did you write your name with
diamond ring on the window pane?"
4 .oL woa only fifteen when did