Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1907-07-19


nding in his honesty, trusting entirely
to his faith, I allowed the plans and
purposes of years to vanish in the
glamour Of this new Joy and spoke the
word which linked us together in
bond which half an hour before l had
never dreamed would unite me to any
man.
His imprisoned mime, mine," filed
my cup to overlooking. Something of
the ecstasy of living entered my soul,
which in spite of all l have suffered
since recreated the world for me and
made all that went before but the pre-
Jude to the new life, the new joy.
oh, was happy, happy-perhaps too
happy. AS the conservatory filed and
we passed back into the adjoining
room the glimpse L caught Of myself
in one of the mirrors startled me into
thinking so, for had it not been for the
odd color of my dress and the unique
way In which l wore my hair that
night l should not have recognized the
beaming girl who faced me so naively
from the depths of the responsive
glass.
Can one be too happy? I do not
know. l know that one can be too per-
picked, too burdened and too sad.
Thus far l have spoken only of my
self in connection with the evenings
elaborate function; but, though enti-
tied by my old Dutch blood to GER
tain social consideration which l am
happy to say never failed me, l even
In this hour Of supreme satisfaction
attracted very little attention and
awoke small comment There was an
other woman present better calculated
to do this-a fair woman, large and of
q bountiful presence, accustomed to
conquest and gifted with the power of
carrying off her victories with a GER
tain lazy grace irreslstibly fascinating
to the ordinary man; q gorgeousy APP
pareled woman, with a diamond on her
breast too vivid for most women, al
most too vivid for her. | noticed this
diamond early in the evening, and then
| noticed her. She was not as fine as
the diamond, but she was very fine.
and had l been In a less ecstatic frame
of mind | might have envied the hon.
age she received from all the men, not
excepting him upon whose arm l lean
ed. Later there. was no one in the
world envied less.
The ball was a private and very ele-
giant one There were some notable
guests. One gentleman in particular
was pointed out to me as an English
man of great distinction and political
importance. l thought him very in
teresting man for his years, but odd
and a trife' self centered. Though
greatly courted. he seemed strangely
restless under the fire of eyes to which
he was constantly subjected and only
happy when free to use his own In con-
temptation of the scene about him.
Had l been less absorbed in my own
happiness l might have noted sooner
than l did that this contemplation was
confined to such groups as gathered
about the lady with the diamond. But
this | failed to observe at the time,
and consequently was much surprised
to come upon him at the end of one of
the dances talking with this lady in an
animated and courtly manner totally
opposed to the apathy. amounting to
boredom, with which he had hitherto
met all advances.
Yet it was not admiration for her
person which he openly displayed.
During the whole time he stood there
his eyes seldom rose to her face. They
fingered mainly-and this was what
aroused my Curosity-On the great fan
of ostrich plumes which this Opulent
beauty held against her breast. Was
he DESTROYS of seeing the great dia
mond she thus uncOnsciously Tor was
it consciously shielded from his gaze?
1t was possible. for, as | continued to
note him, he suddenly bent toward her
and as quickly raised himself again
with n look which was quite mex
plicable to me. The lady had shifted
her fan moment, and his eyes had
fallen on the gem.
The next thing I recall with any
definitenesS was Il tete-a-tete conversa-
ton which | held with my lover on a
certain yellow divan at the end of one
Of the halls
To the right Of this divan rose cur
tanned recess. highly suggestive of ro-
nance, called 1.-The alcove." AS this al
cove figures prominently in my story,
l will pause here to describe it.
1t was originally intended to contain
a large group of statuary which our
host, Mr.. Ramsdell, had ordered from
Italy to adorn his new house. He is n
man of original ideas in regard TO such
matters and in this instance had gone
so far as to have this end of the house
constructed with a special view to an
advantageous display Of this promised
I work of art Fearing the ponderous
effect of pedestal large enough to
hold such a considerable group, he had
planned to raise it to the level OF the
eye by having the alcove floor built a
| few feet higher than the main one