The mountain Democrat., 1863-09-05

Stanton
'Never," was Agatha's reply, but il
was so emphatically spoken that Fit
Aubyn started.
And that night, when the courted
Tbeauty was brushing out her Iuxuriant
hair, she paused many a time and fell in.
to a thoughtful revery.
"Moral cournge!" she murmured tc
herself. 81 have somewhere read that il
is nobler far than the iron resolution
which makes men reckless in battle.
wonder
And there she stopped resolutely.
What glorious, bracing New Years
Day it was There had been just snow
enough in the night to form a white glis.
tening coat over everything, and afford
an excellent excuse for the merry sleighs
that darted hther and thither with
streaming furs and jingling BELLS All the
fashionable world was astir-the gentle
men busily consulting their interminable
lists of calls, and the ladies' putting the
last touches to their gorgeous toilettes.
There were not many upon that day
who received more adulation than Agatha
Milne, as she stood like young empress
in her splendid drawing-rooms, every
mirror flashing back her loveliness. Her
dress was very simple-pink silk, edged
around the shoulders with snowy ermine
and long sprays of jessamine dropping
from her hair yet she knew that she had
never been so beautiful as now, as she
listened with languid smiles to the COM
pliments showcred upon her. 1t was
nothing new.
The gilded chandeliers had been lighted
and the jewcled fingers of the tiny ala.
baster clock on the mantel pointed to a
late hour when the peal Of the door bell
announced new incursion Of guests, and
NJ. Fitz Aubyn entered, surrounded by q
gay party of young men.
GOOD evening, Miss Milne; surely
am not too late to wish you the happiest
of all imaginable New Years! Whom do
you suppose saw steering in the direc-
ton Of your hospitable mansion just now?
o, here he comes to speak for himself
the Chevaier Charley Stanton!"
Agatha turned calmly to welcome the
new conner, and the KeeneSt eye could
scarcely have discerned the deeper shade
Of color that glowed on her delicate cheek.
as he quietly came forward to greet her.
"Fill your glasses, gentlemen" ex-
claimed Fitz Aubyn, holding high above
his head tiny chalice Of engravcn Bohe-
mian glass, brimming with crimson wine,
and let US drink to the health of our
fair hostess, Miss Agatha Milne"
The imprOmptu toast was received with
general acclamationS of satisfaction, and
Fitz Aubyn glanced around second time
to see if all had followed his injunctionS,
ere he touched his lips to the glass.
"Come, Stanton, no lack of chIvalry
here; where's your glass;"
IL will drink Miss Mines health in
clear iced water with the greatest pleas
urc," said Stanton, smiling; but never
touch wine"
Never touch wine! and pray, why
not :"
Because it is against my principles,
said Stanton, with quiet tirmness.
Fitz Aubyn curled his lips in contemp-
tuous silence, that was several degrees
harder when young man leaped forward
to interpose his word.
"Otfer it to him yourself, Miss Milne !;
surely he cannot be so lost to all sense of
gallantry as to refuse it from your fair
hand.p
Agatha had grown very pale, but with
out speaking she filled one of the tiny
gobletS, and held it towards Charles Stan
ton. "Will you not take it from me ?"
Stanton looked at her with calm gravity.
Miss Milne, should be coward in
deed did | allow your perSuasions to
sway me from the fixed principles which
are the guiding stars of my whole life."
lie bowed and withdrew. The glass
fell from Agatha's hand, and shivered in
to thousand sparkling fragments; she
bit her scarlet lip until the blood started,
with strange sympathetic thrill of exul-
tation. Had he wavered for an instant in
his determination, she would have de-
spiSed him.
I" a very poor investment, those horses
of mine, and all this behavior ala, good
boy in story books" muttered Fitz Au-
byn, about four weeks subsequently, as
he strobe into the brilliantly illuminated
saloons of the Club House. "Here, wal
ter, glass Of brandy and water-quick !"
Whats the matter, FiZ? You look
as black as thunder cloud" observed a
by-stander, who was leaning against a
marble pillar and picking his teeth in a
most leisurely and cpicurian manner.
The matter? DO you remember that
magnificent Agatha Mine, the Queen Of
all the Beauties p
"Ot course do; she hasn't lost her
wits nor her property, | hope!"
No; but I've lost the latter item
pretty effectually. Who do you suppose
she is going to marry!"
% am sure | cannot guess. Do tell
your news at once, and don't keep fel-
low in suspense in this sort Of way"
"Well, she is going to become Mrs.
Charley Stanton; actually going to mar
ry man with fossil aunt, and princi-
pies that wont allow him to drink glass
of wine! Bah the humbug that passes
current in this world"
~ could have prophcsied as much be.
fore, my dear boy, if you would only
have done me the honor to listen to me, ="
observed the other, coolly unfolding the
newspaper, so as to get at the inside col
umns You gay, daShing young fellows
are all very we'll as long Us a girl wants
to amuSe herself; but when it comes to a
lifelong question, she's apt to prefer a
safe man for her husband"
Fitz Aubyn groaned deeply, but con-
sIdered his position 600 precarious to be
worth arguing.
Meanwhile little Ruth Elenwood was
as busy as a bee working at her cousin s
wedding robe of Spotless white satin, and
asking ten thousand questions, the final
of which always was -
but, Agatha, you never would tell
me why you didn't like him, and now
you are just as bad. Tell me that's a
! 4. 4