The mountain Democrat., 1865-10-28

anythlng out agreeable 70 MS feelings As
lover.
Out of the house which Arabella but
few moments since had entered, there is.
sued procession Of about . dozen girls,
ell dressed with dingy smartness, that be.
trsyed the appreciation, IL not the posses.
sion Of 6nery. They gave little run as
they LEFT the house, with an accompany.
ing litter. After these came small man
In snuGy, short cost, With little 10.
man TO match and last, but il must be
confessed decidedly the least, in HOFace'S
opinion, Mrs Arabella herself, looking,
to do her justice, anything but ashamed
Of the company by which she was sur.
rounded.
Horace threw down q half crown in
payment Of his breakage, and rushed
from the shop. Should he follow Arabel
Ia, and expOSlulate with herr Certainly
not. He might have done so once; but
nOw-never; there must be an end TO
everything between them. So he quiet.
ly made his way back over Westminster
bridge, and then to bis fathers house at
BrOmptoD. He sat himself down first Of
all to think, and then to write. His
thoughts did not result in much but he
wrote the following epistle to Arabella:
Miss Alma The sight | witnessed
this morning filled me with painful sur.
prise and unless you can give me sat.
isfactUry explanation Of conduct, which.
with deep regret, ! am bound to stigma.
tize as totally unbecoming lady, indeed
may Eay n respectable female, ! must
break Oft the engagement that at present
exists between US.
HoRAcE POPPYroN."
Horace took good deal Of pains with
his note, and was rather pEOud Of it when
finished; for although addicted to writing
scraps Of occasional poetry in ladies' 81.
buns, be was by no means fluent prose
writer. lie sealed the note with the air
oI an injured man, who enjoys the one
consolation Of having done his duty, and
put it in the poAt himself.
In the evening he went to the theatre
TO disSipate the "blues." One Of the act
Ors reminded him OF the little man in the
snuf.cOlOred coat he had seen in the
morning leave the dirty house, in the
equally unclean street, whittier business
had summoned Miss Alma 'Oyer the wa.
ter He left the theatre, returned home,
and passed q sleepless night.
In due time, the post brought Horace
a letter from Arabelia. 1t was brief. and
Characteristic Of madness, Horace Pop
pytOn thought. Who but Iunatic could
have indicted the following p
"Mr. Horace The writer begs pardon.
Horace PoPP--Sir,-the respectable ~
female declines to give you the desired
explanation. Why should she why,
indeedI-why, indeedl Does H. P.
think that poetic senHibiIity can succunb
to vulgarIty? The thoughts that perme-
etc my mind have nothing in common
with the vulgar herd. H. p. is at liberty
to break eff the engagement. Will Ara.
bella A. grieve! Break q hair-from of
the liens name, and ask the royal mon.
arch Of the jungle if he feels it. The day
is near at hand that will be big with the
events of Cato and Of Rome"
ARABELLA ALMA"
Horace read over this extraordinary
composition With intense gravity. Any
indignation at Arsbella's hesrtleSSneSs be
might previously have felt, Was now
merged. into feeling of pity for her.
1t vas painfully evident to him that
she was tOuched-wrOng in the head !;
and after little reflection he came to the
conclusion that the best thing he could do
under the circumstances, would be TO call
upon her father, and inform that gentle.
man Of the distressing state Of bis daugh'
tgr's mind.
Mr.. Alma was quiet, undemonstrative
man, proud Of his OWL common sense,
and anxious that those about him should
possess the same attribute. Young Pc, e.
pyton was bit of tavorite Of his. prin.
cipally because, in common with himself,
he thoroughly detested pStbOs. A shrewd
man of business had been Mr., Alma, and
although he had now disposed Of his buSi.
ness, he still retained his shrewdness.
We'll, Pop, my boy, what's UpY' ex
claimed Mr.. Alma, when Horace, with q
very long face and trembling hand, which
held, with a tenacious clutch Arabella's 8
letter, made his appearance.
I've called, sir, abOut-Ar-Arabella,
said Horace, piteOusly.
'Arabella I said Mr.. Alma, pleasantly,
she's just left for the country; gone to see
some friends in Kent
For the benefit of her healthY' asked
Horace.
Not professedIy,' replied Mr.. Alma,
although | think the change will do her
good. l don't fancy sh. has been quite
the thing lately. Do you know what's
been the matter with herH Lovers are
privileged creatures, eh?'
Don't know, I'm sure, sir, unless.
But then, to be candid with you, sir,
have suspicion that she's not quite right
in her head, said Horace.
'Arabella not right in her head" ex-
claimed Mr. Alma; that's good He, ha!
Why, she's no more mad than = hair
dreSser's dummy; but stay, now | think,
Poppy, sit down and let me hear what
you have got to say .
Horace told him what he had seen over
the water, and then placed Arabella's let.
ter in the hands Of her father. The old
gentleman read The eccentric production
with perplexed air, and returned it to
Horace.
at is strange, my boy said he; 4
thought the other day the girl seemed
fliehty. but then attributed it all to an
overflow of 'gush' and animal spirits
Very lemonadish stuff, that 'gush.'
Horace remained silent. Presently .
servant entered with newspaper, just de-
livered by the post.
Country newspaper, and from Arabel'
la, too!' exclaimed Mr.. Alma, unfolding
the sheet; and bless me, Poppy, what's
thisH How deuced odd
Here the speaker paused to peruse the
paragraph, the heading Of which had at
tracted bis attention.
There, said be; read that, Pop
Mr Ikitnh handed the nAner TO Horace,