The Richmond palladium., 1870-06-25

worked his way to the circle, and,
at last, received from that lady of
Sappho like lips his discharge. She
did most gracefully and crushing
ly turn her back upon him not
three days after his removal from
the second floor.
Miss Dumoin he sought, con :
fdent that one so artless certainly
would be above the hollow hearted
crowd, and still give her kindly
greeting VAN concept on! The
artless girl was coy indeed, and
when at length he cornered her, it
was to his discontinue. She sud-
denly turned and forced her way
past him, without even one of her
downcast glanees. On the contra
ry, her eyes were fixed fully on his
face, and plainly said, Sir, we are
strangers.
Next he tried rattle headed Miss
Lamb bert. and she ratified on quite
as usual; but Watson soon discov-
cred that the rattle was not for
him.
Strangely enough the proud and
exclusive Miss Percy unbent some
what from her lofty carriage and
gave him welcome, but over it
all was q shadow, a fear apparent
iy, Which made Miss Percy shy
rather thau haughty, and Watson
soon began to catch glimpses of
character beneath all that conven-
tional veil which he had not eX>
pected to find.
OF course the wealthy Miss Oro
names would scorn his further
friendly relations. Her rooms
were near his own second floor
apartm ments-sh daily, all the sea-
son had encountered him in his
walks through the long corridor,
! and must have been one OF the first
to learn Of his fallen fortunes. In
deed, he half surmised that her
dressing maid had made special
inquiry into his case, seeing her in
special confab with the fioor-stew-
irdess and room girls. SO Wat
son, with a reserve or pride not
entertained with others, kept apart
from Miss Oromanes
On that evening of his changed
fortunes, when the Sappho Of the
Cascades annihilated him, greatly
to the pleasure of the young
.bloods' around her. Watson wan
dered away at length upon the pi-
azza, then up through the long, de
serted halls, restless, thoughtful.
digesting the notes which he had
been taking of human nature, and
trying to fix The relative value of
a man without money. 1t was the
crystalline truth he was learning
not the truth in mere solution,
som etimes clear, sometimes Opaque
. but always thin, but the precipita~
ted, hard, angular. clear cut crys-
tails of experience, mind in unex
pected places. Had he remained
upon the second floor, never would
he have obtained the gems, the
mere solution only would have re-
paid his keenest search. But that
migration to the upper spaces had
given him a wondrOus lens, his
horizon was SO immeasurably ex-
tended that, barring the fact that
his bill was unpaid, he was the
happier, because wiser for the up
ward reverse.
| Suddenly, in his solitary prom
enade, he confronted the heiress
She was walking arm in arm with
young Evans, of her 'set,' in con
fidential communication it would
appear, else why would they have
been in that long hall alone? asked
Watson, as, with glance, he took
in the situation The meeting was
a surprise 10 both parties. and the
inclination OF both men was to pass
without recognition. Evans, in
deed frowned. Watson flushed il
anger, and with head erect bore
down and passed his enemies, like
a suspended or cashiered officer ol
the line, conscious Of his soldierly
qualities, but equally conscious O
his altered circumstances.
Too high he held his head il
fact. for he caught no soft glance
from the lady's eve, and tired 81
firmly upon the trail Of her elegan
evening dress as to ca0se a per
ceptibIe cracking of seams a. th
skirt pleats. Evans turned with
sudden anger.
bolt! he hissed
Watson passed on, staying t.
make no apology, but he heard tn
lady say:
Fie, it is nothing, and he wa
conscious, too, that she was look
ing at him wonderingly.
An hour later, Watson was dow
on the Piazza again, evidently OF
the quest for some person, and b
found his man ere long Evan
was the gentleman wanted. Coin
up to him Watson said:
Mr.. Evans, what was the wor
you used at the time l trod on th
trail cf Miss Oromane's dress?
l said dolt, sir, and l say it again
We have hitherto supposed you t.
be a gentleman, and now lear
that you can not pay your bills
and he laughed, half in scorn an,
half in humor of the fact SO op
portunely given him to crush an
other.
The hot blood flew to Watson
face, his hands were clenched as
to strike. but, by strong offort b
mastered his passion.
Evans, no gentleman ever wonl
have uttered that sentence. Onl,
a coward would fling ano'her's po