, 1871-12-07

mountain before dinner, said Basil,
as they got into their carriage agaia; and he
was giving the order, when Isabel asked
how far it VAS.
Nine miles, s0O6....,vr
go, then we can't think Of going with
one horse You know" she added, Tthat
, we always intended to have two horses for
going around the mountain"
"No," said Basil, not yet used to hav-
ing his decisions reached without his
knowledge. "And don't see Why we
should. Every body goes with one. You
don't suppose we're too heavy, do you y
"I had party from the States, ma am,
yesterday interpOsed the driver; "two
ladies, real heasy' ones, two gentlemen,
weighin' two hundred apiece, and stout
young man on the box with me. You'd
"a thought the horse was drawin'~an
empty carriage, the way she darted along"
"Then " his horse must be peferctly worn
out, to day, said Isabel, refusing to admit
the poor fellow directly even to the hon
ors of defeat. He had proved too much,
and was put out Of court with no hope
ofrepairing his error. 7aaara .saa
"Why, it seems pity" whispered Ba.
81, ,dispassionately, {" to turn this man.
adrift, when he had reasonable hope of
being with US all day, and has been so
civil and obliging." T ~ s,-g
go, yes, BASIL !sentimentalize him, do
Why don't you sentimentalize his help
less, oyerworked horse s-all in a reek of
perspiration.' VI
.PerspiratioR! Why. my dear, It's the
rain -
want to goround the mountain with one
horse and it's very unkiud of you to insist
now, when you've tacitly promised me all
along to take twos" =. ae55 --s,s-l s.-
=" Now, this is little too much, Isabel.
You know we neYer.mentioned the mat
ter till this moment" ----.--
IFS the same as a promise, your not
saying you wouldn't. But don't ask
you 10 keep your word. l don't want TO
60 round the mountain. I'd much rather
go to the hotel. I'm tired
q" Very well, then. Isabel, I'll-leave you
at the hOtel.' -. - .-
In moment had come, the first serious
dispute of their welded life. 1t had come
as all such calamities come, from nothing,
and it was on them IN full disaster ere
they knew. Such little while ago, there
in the convent garden, their lives had
been drawn closer in sympathy than ever
before and now that blessed time seemed
ages since, and they were further asunder
than those who have never BEEN friends.
&" l thought" bitterly unused Isabel, "t that
he would have done any thing for me-,
+" Who would have dreamed that women
of her sense would be so unreasonable"
he wondered. Both had tempers, as l
know my dearest reader has Gf a LADY,
and neither would yield and so present,
ly, they could hardly tell how, for they
were aghast at it all, Isabel was alone in
her room amidst the ruins of her life, and
Basil alone in the one horse carriage,
striving to drive away from the wreck of
his happiness. All was over; /; the dream
was past the charm was broken. The
sweetness of their love was turnedto gail ,.
whatever had pleased them in the loving
moods was loathsome now, and the things
they had praised a moment before were
hateful. In that balesul light, which
seemed to dwell about all they ever said
or did in mutual enjoyment, how poor and
stupid and empty looked their wedding
journey Basil spent FIVE minutes in
arraigning his wife and convictiug her of
every folly and fault. His soul was in
whirl, [E..fH --iaIAJ
For to be wroth with one we love tE
Doth work like madness in the brain. g.
t' In the midst of his bitter and furious
upbraidings, he found himself suddenly
become her ardent advocate, and ready to
denouncc her judgc as heartless mon
ster. "On our wedding, journey, to !!
Good heavens, what an incredible brute l
am !'' Then he said, "What an ass 1 am
and the pathos of the case having yielded
to its absurdity, he was helpless. In five
minutes more he was at IsabePs side, the
one-horss carriage driver dismissed with
a handsome pouirboire, and pair of lusty
bays with a glittering barouche waiting
at the door below. He swiftly accounted
for his presence, which he. seemed to find
the most natural thing that could be, and
she met his surrender with the openness
of heart that forgives but does not for.
get, if indeed the most gracious art is the
only one unknown to the sex.Y She rose
with smile from he ruins Of her life,