Butte record. (Bidwell, Butte County, Cal.) 1853-1858, 1857-01-31

commenting on the discovery SHe Hdu
mado, and he was too much absorbed
in himself to notice any change IN her.
From being the most indolent Of city
bells, Floribell become the most indus
trious. She was in her carriage a
Great part of the time. driving hither
and thlther, with truly business-hke
air. Had any suspicious person watch.
ed her movements it might have excit-
ed curiosity to note h W often the mag
niicent greys stopped in certain To-
cation, where stood handsome unoc-
cupied dwelling.
All sorts of trades people were ac-
lively engaged fulfilling her behests,
and she regarded the affairs in progres.
sion with much satisfaction. Some-
times a liquid strain of laughter CUR
gled fiom her throat, as if she gloated
over plan Of paying somebody off, in
splendid com, for some little bit of
private wickedness.
Klnd-hearted, gracious Floribell,l
she was preparing delicious surprise
for her artificial lover and his charming
little wife
He came to her one day in horri-
bly, morbid mood She cndeavored in
her blandest manner to draw him out.
He confessed his one great weakness
owned his terrible fear of falling sud-
den victim 10 the disease, which he be.
lieved possessed a chronic hold on
him.
''A mere vampire of the imagira-
ton, proceeding from Indigestion and all
that sort of thing said FlorlbeIl. 81
will engage to cure you entirely, if you
will follow my directions, without ap-
peal. No partnership with medical
men remember
"What do you propose :" said Carl
quite seriously.
"Well, to begin with, you must live,
drink and sleep regularly"
'Regularity is something that my
way of life prevents me from enjoy
ing"
''That is your opinion but if you
accept me as your leech, | shall con-
trovert all your foregone conclusion.
By-the-by, have made an engage
ment for tomorrow evening, which l
must insist on your agreeing to, as the
first fruit of my power"
HBut--"
''No objection. [ shall wait for you
in my carriage at the stage door You
cannot be allowed to refuse. 1t is
part of the treatment | intend to pnr-
sue, to induce healthy action of the
heart"
He kissed her hand, and acceded
to the command of his fair mistress.
The ensuing evening they met as
Few words We're inter-
changed during the ride. The car
riage stopped.
''This is the house of my friend,'
said Floribell, They alighted and
entered the vestibule.
"Await me in this Apartment, if you
please" said Floribell, throwing open
the door of room on the first floor.
"Where are you golng'"
"To lay aside my cloak. Are you
afraid, my hero, to be left alone :"
"No-but I feel strangely somui fc,
so 1 will cen dispose myself for gen.
tie snooze during your absence; my
charmer"
And as she disappeared at the wide
staircase, he threw bsmself on couch
for a short siesta.
More than usually exhaused with
the labors of the evening, he sank into
a troubled sleep, and the misty veil of
dreams encircled him. He thought
the darkness was so dense in his IN
vicinity that he could grasp
and knead it in his restless hands, but
beyond, the wall itself seemed trans
parent, presenting mirrored surface
of CLASSY light. in which he saw reflect.
ed an infinite succession of tableaux,
fac SMILES of scenes but too familiar.
They were pictures of his life since RI
pened years had left him exposed to
the wiles of the world. He had drank
deep of dissi patton. As he recognized
scene after scene, faithfully depicted,
of his wild and ,houghties past, con-
science awoke with remorserul stings
He roprobated himself with a grcan Of
agony. Oh, eternal Oodl not one
good action, not one redeeming trait in
all this list ofevils Net one, not one
He bowed his head, and penitent tears
bedewed his eyelids.
"Look again." said sweet voice
close at his side.
Slowly he lifted his head at the bid
ding, and the magic mirror again re-
hected his image but there was a
change. 1t gave now the picture of
his earlier manhood, before the seduc
tions of fame and the adulations of
heartlesness had won him-of the days
when he had toiled in Type foundry
for the support of an adored mother
and sister But alas the memory of
their pure and tender loneliness was all
that now remained to hum of the joy
he once knew when constituting their
happiness. He blessed God that they
were not near to know how he had
now fallen, with his great gifts, from
the heaven of virtue. Sorrow Glove
the depths of his soul as the plummet
cleaves through the dark waters of
ocean, and he felt that there was yet
good for him in the dim distance, for