Litchfield enquirer., 1867-07-04
MISS. AUBUSSON.

beautiful enough to have come from some other, kindlier sphere, where the more gen ial elements favor higher degree of phy- | sical perfection than is common in this bleak, half tanned world, full of east winds and north winds, and icy cold and sultry | heat, of sorrow, and wrong, and work, and carking cares. 1 We were rather an aristocratic set at the Thornton, birding ourselves upon our deli cate tastes our genuine high breeding, our appreciation of modest genius, and our scorn of gilded ignorance. Parisian dress end an opulent purse were not enough to secure admittance into our coterie Shod- dy we utterly refused to tolerate One or two mushroom millionaires had tried to en- l ter our charmed circle, and retired in dis may from the difficult task. Of unprotect- ed women, fascinating women, unattended by masculine relatives, we were shy to the verge of discourtesy. For do not our ho- tels teem with adventuresses in search of a l fortune, a position, husband? Accordingly, when we read Miss Aubus- sons name on the register, and learned that she had taken the pretty suit of apart ments just vacated by Vignette. the artist, we shrugged our shoulders, smiled incred- ulously, and regarded it as another proof ! of the amiable weakness of our host, who in spite of frequent disastrous experiences, could never refuse credence to Q charming woman.
 Carl and l had parlor which We used in common. Miss Aubusson's apartments were on the opposite side of the corridor Carl was my half brother He was given to music; 1 was an artist in humble way; we had both passed the rough places winch guard the approaches to every profession, and had won leisure from success. And so it happened that we chanced to be sitting in our parlor after the 5 o'clock dinner while Miss Aubusson's people were bring ing up her luggage.
 | Beside the porter, who was temporarily i'll service, there was desiccated, French looking maid, who called her mistress ''Mees, and tall shabby man, who seem- ed to have the oversight of the removal The man growled as one heavy trunk after 1 another came up, and the maid scolded vii vaciously in broken English The ventilator between our room and the l entry was open, and Mademoiselle's sharp Gallic accents reached us at intervals
 "It is you, Monsieur. that is of the most shameful behavior. Why do you not go away when I do ask you? I shall tell it to ! Mees, I shall tell 1t to Mees.'' ! ''Norine!'
 It was an exquisite voice that interrupted the dlscordant French tones fine, vibra- ting, round and soft, having a flowing grace and rhythm about it as if it would fall easily into song.
 'Pray don't make any disturbance, Mo- rlne. Please go away now, MT. Cumber- land!"
 There was muttered reply-he was but h nd lo% heavily down stairs.
 "What and who is Miss Aubusson.1 won der?'' I said to Carl.
 "A lady, certainly" said Carl. 'sCan she have the gift of beauty? That voice is dover enough for one woman' | I laughed. Carl had touched upon one of his pet fancies. He was indifferent to those facial peculiarities that indicate char acter. To his misty short-sighted, Saxon, blue eyes, the world of faces was much the same. But his fine musical ear, his mag. netized organization, were curiously alive to sounds. And, impressed by him, I, too, had fallen into the habit of judging people by the voice.
 I had faith in Miss Aubusson from this time. But when we met her the next day in the drawing room her beauty surprised us. Nature had been almost too munifi- cent.
 A petite creature, she foated into the room with wonderful, indescribable grace She had an etherial face, fair and pure; lit tie rings of blonde hair curled around her wide, calm forehead; her hazel eyes lit by golden flashes at times, were always singu- larly clear and transparent. And with all her exquisite, undulating grace, there was in the carriage of the beautiful head, in the curves of the neck, Q regality, a noble plide.
 "McedHregina!" whispered Carl
 In half an hour, everybody had accepted Miss Aubusson. She was the crowne queen of the Thornton henceforth Many old bachelors, who suspected all women ot designs upon their celibacy, paid fearless | homage to that gracious sweetness which cared so little to allure The matrons were charmed with her dignity, the young girls were enchanted, the young men raved about her. The drawing room ceased to attract when Miss Aubusson was absent. And that was very often-far too often for those enthusiastic friends of hers.
 Not more than two evenings a week did she spend with us. At other times she was driven away after dinner in 8 close coupe, which the black drlver brought around punctually at seven o'clock.
 Miss Aubusson never made any remark as to the way in which these evenings were spent. She was singularly uncommunica. tive, maintaining quiet reticence which discouraged any expression of curiosity O, interest. But from the French maid, No- rlne, the ladies understood that "Mees' went into society with friends at the othe, end of the city
 Whatever was the nature of the convi
 ylallties at which she assisted, it was evi
 dent that they were exhausting in theil , effect
 She was wont to come down in the morn
 ing, her face winter and more transparent
 than ever The fne-grained skin flushed
 less rosily than at first; the luminous. bean
 tlful eyes shone out of purple hollows
 there was sharp, pinched look that tole
 of suffering.
 , What was it that preyed upon the life O
 this young, tender creature? If I asked tn,
 question with mingled curiosity and pity
 Carl had keener interest. Miss Aubus
 son had been at the Thornton six weeks be
 fore guessed that Carl Fries was in low with her.
 He was an odd fellow; quiet, undemon
 strative, capable of intense, concentrated
 feeling, aspiring to impossible heights O
 nobleness, delicate and dainty in his tastes
 Brahmin of the Brahmins, as pure as Si Galahad, and as brave and chivalric as an,
 grand knight of old; not atfluent in smal . 0roooe. ban1soma after the Morse tvpe