Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1860-11-03

as one who withdrew a blessed privilege.
Don't say that, mother; it would be a
punishment too severe" said the mischiev-
GUS little pale sister, in tones of pity, and
her face Drumming with mirth.
Everybody laughed, and peace was re-
stored.
On the third evening, misery came to
me in fancy envelope post-marked New
York -
I"MY DEAR PLovINs -
II shall be with you the night after you
receive this. Engage a room for me-
Have you seen ANYTHING ola Miss Tarling-
ford, where you are staying! You should
know her. She is very brilliant and accom-
p6shed, but is retiring. am wiling t. tell
you, but it must go no farther, that vs. are
betrothed.
Yours in hurry,
FRANK LILLIvAN.o
Ny heart was as the mercury of Their
mometer which is plunged into ice; but |
preserved an outward composure. Turn
ing over the pile Of letters awaiting owners
j came upon one, directed in Liliyan's
handwriting, to Miss A.. Tarlingford, etc,
etc.
To think that a paltry superscription
should carry such weight Of tribulation
with it.
thus discovered that my lines had fall
en- ii unpleasant places. | was fishing in
a preoccupied stream, and had got myself
entangled.
/ avoided the public table, and shrunk
from society. During the whole ofthe next
morning, kept aloof from the temptations
of Tarlingford, and took to billiards.
In the afternoon as j sat gloomily in my
room, with feet protruding from the window
and body inclined rearward, (the American
attitude Of despair,) the piano tinkled. 1t
was the same melody which had attracted
me few happy days before. Strengthen
ing myself with a powerful resolution to
extricate myself from the bewitehing infiu-
ence which had surrounded me, arose, and
went straightway to the parlor. Could it
be that flash of pleasure beamed on Miss
Tarlingford's face or was | adeluded Cos
ling! The latter suggestion seemed the
more credible, so | cheerfully adopted it.
eve have missed you, Mr.. Ployins," said
the fair enslaver; Il hope YOU have not
been unwell!"
"Unwell ?-oh, no, no"
"You have not been near me-us, t6slay,
(reprovingly,l mot even at dinner; and the
trout were superb"
A sudden hope mounted within me.
"Aiiss Tarlingford, pray, excuse me-
your first name, may | ask what it is ~
"ArabelIa is my name, and whisper
ingly) "you inay use it, if you like"
"Oh, hideous horrorl And this is what
they call flination," | thought. And the
hope which had risen blazing, like rocket
went down fuliginous, like the stick.
eMr Plovins, / viii say you are very
very inconstant, to be absent all the day,
thus"
..Miss Tarlingford, it IS not Inconsistency
it is billiards"
"BiIliardsw
billiards. / adore them. You know
nothing of billiards; women never do
They are my joy. Pardon me-" with q
sudden uprising of the moral sense,) 81
have an engagement at the billiard-room,
and | should be there"
"Dear me! I should like to do billiards"
"Heaven forbidw
"Why 50, Sir?"
mo, / do not mean that; but ladies new
err play billiards"
II suppose there is no reason why they
should not |"
"a thousand"
"Why, what harma 2"
any dear Miss Tarlingford, if your first
name were not Arabella,-alas, alas -
there would be none"
"Nonsense now you arelaughing at me-
Come, you shall teach me billiards.
at cannot be, Miss Tarlingford." Low
tragedy tones.)
"Why not!"
because your name is Arabella."
"Very well, Sir,-if you do moi like my
name, YOU need not repeat II"
II adore it; it Is not that. Forgive
me-"
..Then will get my hat;'-and her
light footsteps tapped upon the stars.
Here was a state of things. Where
were my frmness and my resolution now
Where was the Pythan probity for which,
according to my expectations, Lilllvan was
to have poured Damoniac gratitude upon
me? Was /, or was | mol, rapidly degen
Grating into villany? felt that ! was. and
FLUSHED for my family.
IF her name had been anything brt Ar
|abela, ANYTHING the initial Of which was
NOT A, then could have justified myself !
but now,-and | was about to teach her bill
lliardsl To what depth Of depravity had
come at last!
She reioined me, beaming with antlcpa-
tiop and radiant with the exercise OF run
nino down stairs. Together We entered the
| billiard-room.
Now this | declare the ballroom. with
Its flashing lights, intoxieatin- perfumes
starry hosts OF cleaning eyes, refulgenl
robes, mirrors duplicating count.e : spienior'
and esaseless whirl Of vanity, may add !,
tenfold lustre to the charm OF beauty ana
/ / know it does; the opera-box emoelusn-