Litchfield enquirer., 1871-11-02
..well.,, said I. ..von received that so ur-

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 "What?" he exclaimed in mimic horror at my latest monnosyl lieole. SN| bo vn'
 .sThat shall ask alsot|lef 4.lestion.
 sT am entirely at y0uf iadyshlpss com mand, and will certaialy reply
 'eWhy did you never let in the sunshine before e-why did you never mntTy, Mau- rice?'
 He threw back his head and laughed again. ''Oh, see!a he said. "Little minx, you will walk into all my secrets? This answer shall be just as satisfactory as the other. Because pardon the youtn- fulness of the expresslonl have never loved. I have never realized the mean ing of that glorious phrase, fin love. I have never been plunged, and bathed, ana wrapped in that blissful tide till 1t was the sky above me, the world around me, tne air breathed, the very element ln Wnlen I lived. Of course you will NnQets.and' fair inquisitress, that ! have heQ tnree- score and ten fancies but alN1Ye, Wnen approached the wondr0us objects, tnere was speck upon the puipy plum, a flaw in the beautiful bubble.
 Trefetheness laughed.
 ssCome now scoffer, continued Mau1se. s.When you told your romance and dark ened the gay drawing-rOom | dld not ln- terfere Fair play is jewel
 ssThat, I hope, exists in the Mauritian cabinets"
 Maurice made his most expressive grim ace, that of the eyebrow, and turned agnln to me. ''The Little Mistress Of my house repeated my order concerning the plate? ?" he asked. a
 ssI told Mrs. Quincerl, l" I replied.
 ''Then the Little Mistress could have said eYes,'" and he galy ushered us to the door, and, when he had kissed mine he kissed Arria's hand. s
 and myself coH 6 5fsee m syefy deiaii exc cept one-I have color in cheek and chin, and she had not the slightest. Neverthe- less, she was far the lovelier, and had that indescribable charm which, whether it is in the the maner or in the persons, sub- dues all men at once, and is even acknowl- edged by women. Of this had nothing; and though in the twilight we might easily have been mistaken for each other, let her speak, or move, or only sigh, and she stood confessed. Part of this fascination of hers was tender appealing to every one-an unconcious art of impressing them with her dependence the yeriest stranger, who offered her hand to step from ship to shore, would make the grasp closer and stronger than for another and more beau UAAOA "OAAdAA, hAu every OA1C OO NAAOAu SAlt spoke felt as if they were already honored with her confidence. have known radi- ant women of the preceding generation, from whose beauty, as they moved along the street, unacquainted wayfarers stood aside with lifted hats, as if a queen had passed and think Arria inspired yOu with the same emotion. It was not her grace nor loveliness but she touched you with recognition of her sex: she seemed the universal feminine type, and you felt sure that, in paying her homage, you paid homage to incarnate w0manhOod. Moth ing could have been lovelier than she, as we crept down the stairs again and inn mediately before the long mirrors in the drawing-room commenced series of pi- rouettes, warbling in her childlike voice as she danced, laughing and courtesying to me and to her refecti0n All ht once she ceased, yet remained l00lin1 in the glass and saw that Maurice stood in the door of the music-rooln, looking at her with strange, grave gaze, still dressed as we had left him. She continued to look at his figure in the glass, the glad light still unbroken on her face and saw his reflection, with the morning 's smile, made hers the military salute, and hers put up her hand to sweep away the little escaping curl while making a mock feverential courtesy then heard Matrices step in the hall 4s.z
 'Here are the curls breaking out of your braids, said, with your capers. There, he is in his room now, run up and have the plait restored" aas7 lsa
 As her swift feet went trippinQ up the stairs at the head she encountered him. ''No, no, ' he cried to me, ssthe twisting rings? the Trefetheness tress Right about face, little lady, I invite the. .cnrls | to dinner" rrf4 s So down she came, and we ensconced | ourselves to the best of our ability; for I was frightened at the part of hostess which must shortly assume. CT should like | it, said Arria, after I had stated 1iiv 5er- plexities. '1 should do twenty awkward things at once; and then every one would | know what to expect, and every one would offer to assist me, and I should blush some and laugh @ good deal and every. body else would do every thing else. and should be quite at my ease. and Man rice would never think of being vexed with me-"
 ''But you would do exactly the other way, I suppose" said Trefetheness. who had just sauntered down again from the room which, as said, he had here on oc- casion. "YOu will be so dignified. and try to do so nicely, with little virtuous confusion and plainly hidden agitation, that every body will make your trouble less''
 "Approvingly, but not lovingly, as they would for Arria."
 'Arria is such a little nuisance YOU can't be cross with her," she said, c0axinqly and just then my uncle descended end the guests began to come.
 Maurice spoke very truly when he said we should not know him again: the sweet. deep smile, the careless grace and merry freedom, had vanished; he was the stately. courteous, elegant gentleman. hardly dared believe it was the same person with whom we had laughed an hour ago, and I 1 saw Arria set her little white teeth and draw in her breath as he approached me. Just then Trefetheness moved chair: i'm presenting some one my hand was caught. and before could release it the wrist quite badly sprained. saw that Maurice would ignore my antlcipatory tfemor, but before he could speak Arria had stepped quickly to his side.
 l "You have no right to two manners'' g said she, hastily; ''you have no rieht to jest with us in the morning. and kino it over us in the evening.
 He turned upon her with his large ouiet eye, so that she momentarilv auaiied. My dear child" muKmured he then. but somewhat loftily, would you intro duce strangers to the household? Shonld I take you on my knee before grave ren- tlemen and fantastic fops Should | show my hand to my opponent r And here he 1 turned toward me.
 'sArria will have to take my plaee. r said, in the same tone; s.Iiv hand is 1ame
 He glanced at the wrist and saw it's con dition, and turned away; but as he did SO, felt his unobserved pressure on it, warm and kind. Shortly aftefward servant glided in and placed in my hand an odd bracelet, with his masters desite should wear it. It held one of ihe ,Nallks fft|e