, 1871-04-27
TWICE MARRIED.

the open window 10 where Claudia Erne
sat, toying with the jewels upon her
white fingers, aud appearing superbly in-
different to the fact that Aubrey Hen
bricks was waiting with breathless impa-
tience for a reply to his impassiOned plead
ings. He leaned against the marble man
tel-piece in an attitude of unconscious
grace, his bronze bright hair ripping in
wavy masses from brow smooth and
white as a womRn's, his mobile mouth
shaded BY a golden moustache, and his
eyes, darkened now by the intensity of
his feelings, fixed upon her with a hun
gvring expression that betrayed how much
of his happiness depended upon her soft
words. The silence was becoming oppres-
sive, and the twitter- of birds. in the bushes
outside Jared unpleasantly upon his ears.
"Weil! p he demanded presently, lis
my presumption so great that Miss Erne
will not condescend to answer :"
"Now, Aubrey!" with a deprecating
motion Of her white hand. g" Come here,
you silly boy. 1 almost forgot that you
were waiting. 1 was thinking" =
THAT you love me-Only little," his
face lighting with the radiance of hope.
" Nonsense Is was thinking what q
pity it is that you are not a woman. In
feminine garb you would be irresistible.
As rule, We women look for enterprise
aud daring in the men we would marry.
Welare more apt to admire natures hardy
enough to protect uF, and so rugged that
we may cling to them fer support, than
such as are dependant on us for all the in :
spiration that makes them men. Now,
Aubrey, dear, don't be angry; but while
you make beau ideal of liver, with all
your devOtedness and debonnair manners,
you are far from being the man l would
choose for a husband"
He sprang up, With "a spot of vivid
crimson burning on either cheek.
And So 1 have been a mere plaything
in your hands, puppet upon whom to
practice your arts, 10 lavish your blandish-
mentS, to note the. effects of your fascina-
tions; and at last, when weary of your
toy, to cast aside, because am too much
infatuated with your Cheartlrss beauty.
Then why did you lure me on BY your
kind reception OF my first attentions
Why, when my love had become worship,
tantalize ne with momentary eoldness, to
be succeeded by graciousness l scarcely
dared hope fors Why keep me in such
protracted susoenseswhen my fate was de-
cided by you from the first : You mistSks
my nature, Claudia Erne, if you think j
will quietly relinquish the prize upon
which have set my heart. Notwith.
standing your pride, yon will yet be my
wife: swear it by all hold most sacred
on earth er in heaven! !"
So saying, he turned, and left her lit
tie frightened at his impetuosity, but deem.
ing his words only the idle threat of q
bafAed lover, which would be forgotten Al
soon as the keen edge Of his disappoint.
ment shodld wear of.
A stihed sob from cuItained alcove in
the room broke upon her ear; and cross.
ing the floor she drew aside the folds to
disclose a girls form. crouching in the
embrasure, her face buried in her slender,
delicate hands, and her whole attitude be.
tokening the abandonment ofdespAir.
' Rain, what are you doing here?"
Urania Lamorez lifted her head with
the leok of hunted auimal at bay but
Claudia was in a complacent mood from
having disposed OF her importunate lover,
and was disposed to be unusually lenient
with this her strange cousin, in whose
veins courSed the hot blood of her Italian
father, and whom she was wont to regard
with capriciousurss, or to ridicule for the
wild foreign ways that were iucomprehsn-
SiblS 10 her.
"Why, Rain, child. what ails your
Are you sorry that 1 have rid myself Of
an intoIerable bore in the shape of a too
affectionate suitor p
"He is so noble! so beautiful how
can you be so cruel when he loveS you -
Claudia looked down upon her with an
amuted expression; and then, kneeling,
took the flushed face between her palms,
while something akin to pity stole into
her heart.
"There, Rain, be quiet, now, and tell
me all, Do you love Aubrey Hendricks"
The swimming eyes OverAowed again,
as Rain shook her head, saying: " Not
that Way-as you mean. worship him
as l do the picture of the Madonna that
hangs in my room. But he would never
think Of me. 1 only wanted to see you
make him happy"