Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1870-06-29


became to him sorrowiul fact.
Sorrowfu, did we say? That is, judging
q, by the usual standards of human felicity or
misery. 30 lose ones friends, to behold
your position in society gradually Slipping
away, to realize that 10 longer you are held
in coveted consideration by chosen few, is,
ordinarily, source of sorrow. But in Wat
son 5 case it was difficult to determine how
kcenly the knife cut to the quick of his sen
sibiiitieS; for, while every acquaintance was
/ given full facilities for doing the disagreabIe
Office Of giving the ',cold shoulder the
Baltimorian appeared like an interested
/ spectator, and was as unmoved. when pas
/ sed by a supposed friend without the slight
/ est notice, as it he were a newspaper repor
/ ter, anxious t2 see the act and to note the
/ fact.
lnto the parlors during the evening he
/ particularly pressed his way. IF bevy of
| gay fellows surrounded Miss Mounfioy, he
worked his way to the circle, and, at last,
received from that lady Of Sappho like lips
his discharge. She did most gracefully and
crushingly turn her back upon him net
three days after his removal from the sec
ond floor
Miss Dumain he sought, confident that
one so artless certainly would be above the
hollow hearted crowd. and still give him
her kindly greeting. Vain conception
The ariless gi.l uas coy indeed and when
at length he c6rnerel her, it was to his dis
comtture. She suddenly turned and forced
her way past him, without even Que Of her
down cast gIancos. On the contrary, her
eyes we're fxeI fully on his face and plain
i gsid, Sir, We are strangers.
Next he tried rattle head Miss Lambert,
an4 she Tatdsd Oh quite rs usual: but Wat
sen soon discovered ,hat the rattle vas not
Tor him
Strangely enough, the proud and extlu-
siva Miss Percy ul5ant somewhat from her
lefty carriage, and gave him Welcome
but o.cr It al! was shadow-a fear, appa-
rentiy, which n.ais Miss Percy shy rather
tlan naughty and Watson began TO catch
sinYpsas Of . character beneath all that
conventional veil when he had not expected |
to fiGd.
Of course the wealthy Miss Oromanes
Tould seora ais further friendly relations |
Her rooms were near his oan second floor |
apartments; sire daily ali the season, had
encountered kiEn IN his vaks through tbs |
Ions el-7iGer. and inast have been one oi |
fAc -isa5 10 learn Of his fallen fortunes In |
deed, Ee half -uFmiscd iLat her dressing |
maji had made special inquiry ioto his case.
seeing he- in confidential eonfab with the
door stewarde-s ana room girls. So Wat
sou, with . reserve or pride not entertained |
with Others, kept apart from Miss Oro
msacs.
0u that tiirI evening Of his changed for
tunes, g:ien the Sappho Of Cascades ami
hi.aiei him, greatly to the pleasure Of the
yogoa --G!ools around her Watson wan
desed arsy a; leUgth upcn the piaZzas
thea up through the long, deserted halls,
re,,less, thoushtful. digesting the notes
which lie hal teen taxing of human nature,
anL trying TO tx the relative valae Of man
wi,hout money. it was the crystalline truth ,
be vas l5a.uug-not the truth in mere So !
solution, sometimes clear, sometimes I
opaque, but always thin the precipita;ed, |
hard, angular, clcac-cGt crystals OF expert !
cuce, mind il unexpected places. Had be
remained upon the second floor, never would |
he have obtained the gems; the mere solE- |
lion only would have repaid his kcenast
search. But that migration to the upper
spaces had given him wo1drous lens; his |
horizon was 50 immeasurabiy extended that
Earring the fact tha5 his bill gas unpaid, he |
was the happier. because wiser ior the up
ward reverse.
Suddenly in his solitary promenade, he
confronted the heiTess. She was walking
arm in arm with young Evans, Of her set,
in confidential communication it would ap-
pear, else why should they have toen in
that long hall oloue? asked Watson, as,
With glance, he took in the situation. The
meeting was surprise to both parties. and
the inclination Of both men was to pass
without recognition. Evans, indeed, frown
ed Watson flushed in anger, and with
head erect bore down aud passed his enc
mics, Ike a suspended or cashiered officer
of the line, CONSCIOUS Of his soldierly quail
ties, but equally conscious Of his ALTERED
circumstances
Too high he held his head, in fact, for he
caught no soft glance from the lady's eye,
and irol 50 firmly upon the trail of her ele
CANT evening dress as to cause a perceptibIe
cracking of seams at the skirt pleats. Evans
turned with a sudden anger.
'Dolt, he Kissed.
Watson passed on, staying to make no
apology, but he heard the lady say;
''Fie, it is nothing" and he conscious,
too, that she was looking at him wonder
ingly.
An hour after Watson was down on the
piazzas again, evidently on the quest for
some person, and he found his man ere
long. Evans was the gentleman wanted.
Going up to him Watson said:
Mr.. Evans, what was the word you used
at the time trod on the trail of Miss Orc
manes's dress? ?''
81 Said ,IoJF Sir and co.. =. oc.:.S w