Litchfield enquirer., 1868-01-09
ness. cheeks and lips of crimson, ever ra- diant with hope and ioy. t"

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 maiden, with the knowledge that was be loved where loved, and that below, in my
 fathers spacious parlors, where guests were ] already assembling, one waited for me
 whose dearest hope in life was the prospect
 of claiming me in few short weeks for his
 bride. left the room to be qneen of a fes l tlval, hostess of stately mansion, my fath.
 CTS idol, and without one cloud upon my
 heart l came back at midnight an orphan hopeless and heart broken.
 Ny fathers partner had secretly appro
 priatei the money of the firm in some in
 yestment that my father considered stain
 upon its honor. On that night he learned
 this for the first time, and, smarting under
 the bitterness of disgrace upon his conner, cial name, he called his partner into the
 library and charged him with having dis
 honored the firm. High words followed,
 finally blow: pistols were called for, sec
 onds found among the guests and an hour later say father lay dead; with ball
 through his heart, his partnera fugitive
 from justice.
 The next day all A was discussing
 the story, The use of trust funds was found to be added to the list of charges against the firm, and the ignohle purposes of expenditure having failed, noth1na WAS left to meet the demands of envaged credi- l tors
 had no mother to share the grief: no 1 sister or brother to tighten it. I was all alone. l was not strong-minded girl to face the troubles, and so shut myself un l alone until the funeral, refusing to see even l Charlie. Then ran away at night had one friend in Cleveland to whom I dared confide all, and went to her. I wrote to Charlie, and told him I never should ask nm to fulfil his VOWS to me releasing him from our disgrace and praying God to bless him ever, and bade him farewell.
 For days after l arrived at Cleveland. I was utterly prostrated but my friend was kind, as l knew she would be, and when I was able to think, aided me in all my plans. l had brought nothing from home but the one mourning suit had worn to the fu- neral, and Challie's carbuncles. They were my own, bought with no stained money, and l clung to them, as one memento of the past might dare to retain.
 Mrs. Munroe my dear, dear friend was 8 widow and childless, living upon an in come that returned to her husbands family upon her death; not wealthy but occupy ing good position in society. She had been an old friend of my mothers, and had visited us more than once, always urging me to return the visits; but, unable to win my fathers consent to part with me for so long journey, for was a three days rail ing ride from my old home. As soon as I was able to undertake teaching, Mrs. Munroe exerted herself to procure me scholars and soon had class that paid sufficiently for my modest wants. For six years had 8 home in my friends house she alone knew that Miss Jane Grey was the missing Ella Thorne. advertised by her relatives, more to save their own reputa- tion than from any interest in her fate. I made, no doubt, a nine days wonder in A, and then my uncles, aunts and cousins, probably forgot my existence. Charlie perhaps, was one of those seeking me, but was resolved never to share my fortunes with his. Some more fortunate bride, with wealth and an unspotted name, l argued, would never grudge me my menl- ories and my oarbunoles.
 When the death of my friend and bene- factress was added to my list of sorrows, I was known enough in Cleveland to retain Mrs. Burgess. Need I again say that New Years day was the bitterest anniyer- sary of the year?
 was still sitting with locked door, brood ing over the past, and unconcious that Christie had been gone three hours, when Mrs. Burgess came to my room, demand ing admlttance i'll all excited voice. ] opened the door at once.
 70, Miss Jane! Miss Janer' she cried. 1 "Charles has come! Charles has come! and he wants to see you!'
 "Wants to see me?'
 ''Oh, yes! It's the strangest thing alto gether! He has been here moro than an hour; he met Christie at the party; and, l only think, he has been home over three months; part of the time in A, and part here, trying all the time to find us, so it was no wonder Christie's name struck him at once at the party. He talked to her little while and then came to me. 1 But am talking on, and forgetting we are keeping him waiting. You will come down."
 "But what can he possibly want of nae9"
 ''To thank you l guess, for sending Christie to the party. He knows she could not have gone but for your kind ness.
 'sOh, we'll, that will keep Excuse me this evening, dear Mrs. Burgess, and l will be introduced the next time he calls"
 Only half satisfied, she went down stairs, to return in few moments with the extru- ordinary message:-
 ''Charles says he must see you, Miss Grey" .s s.- ..-
 Well, will come then,',, said, think ing 1t an old gentleman's whim, not worth discussion.
 It was some moments before I was pre- sentable. The traces of weeping had to be bathed from my eyes; my hair was disordered where I had leaned my weary head against my chair, and needed some moments quiet before I was fit to face stranger. =
 went down stairs very slowly. It was painful to me of late years to meet stran- gers, feeling as did, to some extent, like an impostor; and didn't want to be thank ed for Christie's dress, and was half in clined to turn and run away again to nv own room before reached the foot of the staircase.
 went into the dining-room a moment first and there heard a little hustle of arri- val. Christie had come and was again vel now, I thought. q will go up t stairs trs again" and I started for the staircase But looking through the half closed door II