Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1866-05-24

sanity developing itself in me? If you
think SO, speak it out, beseech you!"
| She was paler than ever, and tAe tears
were streaming down her cheeks. His
heart We rned toward her as she stood there
before him, distressed and imploring. The
tears rushed into his own eyes.
4 ;. Because, if you do, would like to tell
1 mother. 1t would be best. Perhaps some
! thing could be done for me. Do you re-
member, Ernest, it was only few weeks
ago that Miss Sinclair became insane? She
| was so young, so amiable-and her own
friends did not suspect it. She is raving in
the asylum now.
Unable longer to control himself, he took
her in his arms, pressing her tenderly,
again and again, to his bosom, kissing the
fair white forehead which should circle
/ only a noble brain.
s'What put such dreadful fancy in your
head, my darling? No, no, I beg of you,
do not mention anything SO appalling. Your
/ words and actions were. quite too consecu-
tive and sensible; your madness had too
much method in it. No, no. your bur-
| lesque and mimicry were not at all those of
a diseased brain; far from it They were
characterized rather by sharpness quite
acute, but not precisely of your natural
| order | do not believe come to reflect
upon it, that even were your wit exalted
and excited by wine, it would be Of that
style. think / read the impress Of another
msnd-a mind we are both Of us well &C
| quainted with. Sit down, Helen, you are
pale and worn; here, by me, on the sofa.
You will sit by me, viii you not, if | have
been cruel to you for the last two weeks %
The light of happiness which had been
quenched in her eyes, was reiit. She sat
| by him, quiet and contented, while he,
| holding her hand tight as if to keep her
| with him, relapsed into brown study.
He had CHANGED upon a train Of suspicion
which he was following up carefully in
bought. While they sat thus in silence,
Cousin Annie came, unawares, into the
room. She started upon percelving Mr..
Thornton; their eyes met; he held her
glance with his own for a full moment; then
her black lashes dropped, and slow blush.
which she tried in vain TO keep down, crept
up into her thin, dark face. She laughed,
however, saying, with a slight sheer:
81 did not know you lovers were here, Or
l would not have intruded."
"You know, Annie that yoU never in
trude, even upon us lovers" said Helen,
affectionately; but the young lady refused
10 be seated, and went out OF the room,
humming gay air.
~ am sorry Annie has such DISPOSE
tion," remarked Helen, after she was gone.
'.She is too nsitive. We try all we can
to make her feel at home. love her as
sister, and wish her to feel as if she really
were such, with equal righ $ and privileges.
But, she persists in calling herself depend
ent, and in making herself unhappy about
it. | wish she were not so sensitive"
"You are mistaken bout its being senai-
tiveness Helen-at least, of 8 noble kind.
Il is envy. She has ranking, jealous dis
position
Oh, Ernest, how can you speak SO?
know she is not very affeciionate-at least,
she does not love me as do her; but you
must remember how much she had 10 make
her bitter and suspicious. 1t must be hard
to be poor, as she was, before mother adopt
ed her
And bomely. If she were as beautiful
as you, my Helen, she would be less bitter,
assure you; 1 read her plainly"
She has always said that you did not
like her, and Pm SO sorry about it. would
wish you to be good friends. | think she
admired ) GU very much; indeed, Ernest, if
you'll never breathe u, I'll just whisper
that l believe you could have gained her
love if you had solicited 1t. Now she is
cold TO you, because she fears you do not
like her.
81 have always treated her with the most
courteous friendliness, for your sake, Helen.
She is a girl Of talent; | admire her talent
more than do her disposition. But must
60, now. Stay to dinner? Thank you, not
to-day; | am coming again this evening.
El, cb nj do 1i I
will promise to blow away this cloud which
has darkened you-blow it all away with
breath. If you, your mother, and Annie,
will all be at home this evening, l would
like to call with friend"
He kissed the inquiring look from her
face, and went away
That evening Mrs. Marshall and the two
young ladies awaited, in the well-lighted
room, back of the long parlor, the arrival
of the expected company. Helen had chosen
this room, as being retired from chance
callers, as she inferred from her lovers
manner that something connected with the
recent unpleasant affair might be brought
on the carpet What it could be-what re-
violation could be made, or explanation
given-what breath could blow away the
memory of her remarkable state and be-
havor, she puzzled herself in conjecturing.
AS for Annie, thinking that Mr.. Thornton's
friend nigh be some one of the other sex
worth pleasing, she had dressed herself
carefully, smoothing the heavy brsids Of
her black hair, and relieving the sallowness
of her complexion with warm tints, until
she looked almost handsome.
Those keen black eyes betrayed nothing
of their inward disappointment, however,
when the servant admitted Mr.. Thornton
and Mrs. Kole 0yl Mrs. Marshall and her
daughter were quite surprised: for, al
though they attended Mrs Kole Oyl's grand
parties, and she theirs, yet there never had
been any of that intimacy which warrants
social evening visit. That lady laid aside
her hood and cloak, took the comfortable
chair offered her before the glowing CRATE,
and the circle were soon in animated con-
versation. Only Annie Kirkland expert
enced an unaccountuble, uneasy sens aton.
She was more audaciously gay and glitter
ing than usual, seeming in the highest spir-
its, fiinging all kinds Of sparkling sallies at
Mr. Thornton, who sat opposite her, and
who gave her ALL and more, attention than
she coveted. 1t was the consciousness of
his eyes continually upon her, which made
her so restless; this restlessness she en-
deavored to conceal by brilliancy.
For once, the subtle, mastering spirit
had met ats master. Strive as she might,
she could not keep up the flow of gayety;
she gradually sunk into silence, oppressed
ard anxious. The rest Of the circle were
all unconscious Of the influence at work
but to one who could have read the inner
consciousness Of those present, it would
have seemed like the hawk floating high
ami silent in the heavens, ready to swoop