Connecticut western news., 1872-12-06

yVuAS 1OOlS dll Cuo CllAlV "do HI AGuoold' Well, hope you found it amusing. 1 always think society of that second-rate sort a nuisance"
 "He was really very tolerable. The whole thing rather amused me, for time until he began to take it ad grand s6rieur. When he grew dull and taciturn, talked of nothing but death and despair, of course was obliged to shut the door in his face. It would rather interest me to see him again, though" added the lady, carefully buttoning her glove. Let us send for him."
 And this was the woman for whom, one short year ago, I would have laid down my life-for whose sake had cast aside the treasure which, undeserving as was, had found nestliug in nay heart once more! Blind fool that had been? Oh, for those wasted, worse than wasted. hours! I felt, in that moment, how one burning drop of shameful memory may embitter whole cupful of present happi- ness. Else were there no justice under has never swerved, are forever severed this side the grave, from all they have best loved on earth. Was it my darling's averaging angel who had brought this couple here tonight, that my ears might testify to the baseness of her who had SC. dueed me from my hearts first allegianceG ?
 This is what I heard the husband reply:
 " Ma chere, it would be dull work for me watching you try to rehoek your fish. No doubt you would succeed-you always do. But put it to you fairly-est-ce que cela vaut lo peine ? You, who have had emporors at your feet-you may leave your poor artist in peace at last, eh, to the miserable enjoyment of his model wife. She punishes him enough for his inidelity before marriage, depend on it."
 "No doubt and should like to have seen my friend henpecked," replied the lady with smile. "It was just because he was SO different from all the men of one's own set that amused myself with him, mon cher, during your absence. l knew yow would never have tolerated him in the house-as he never plays fcart6; but as you were in Russia, it was rather an amusing change, often all the blaS@s men of the Jockey Club, to listen to this passionate sentimental painter, with his talk about Christian art, and his enthusi- asm about the color of ones hair and the turn of ones neck, and his utter absence of all conventionality. He was quite re- freshing, I assure you, until he came to be bore. By the by, you never saw the picture he did of me, in the dress l wore at the Princess Mathilde's bal costaa6 ? If we stayed here the night"
 Here the fresh horses were brought out; and in the imprecations which &C., companied the tugging at the rope harness and the showing of the beasts into their places at the pole. lost the remainder of this sentence.
 eff I have my luck, before we return to Paris I'll send to the fellow and buy his picture," said the husband; but to- night, remember that Schwartzenheim is to meet us at Como"
 "And he plays at ecarte !" will get the miniature from Valerian, however without your buying it, mon ami"
 "You shall not have long to wait," murmured; and disengaging myself from the arms of my darling, who fol- lowed me, pale and bathed in tears, I en- which stood near the bed. Among a number of other miniatures was one half-fnished, which I had not looked at for months. I seized a sponge full of water, and passed it several times across the hard, beautiful, white face, that looked out at me less and less distinctly, until nothing but the faintest shadow of face was left. Then I wrote with my pencil across it: "Valerian's last gift. :" I rau into the balcony. They were just starting. The padrone, surrounded by his satellites, stood cringing and conge- ing at the door; the postillion was al- ready in his saddle, the courier climbing deftly into his rumble. I took my aim just as the whip went "crack" and the wheels, with sudden jerk, began re- volving; the bit of ivory dropped straight into her lap. She was startled, and looked quickly up. Our eyes met. was leaning we'll over the balcony this this time, with my arm around nay an. gels neck ; and it was with no feigned fervor of passion that pressed my lips to hers. The carriage was rolling out of sight in the moonlight and the dust, but I could just catch the scornful smile on that pale sculptured face, under it's black lace bonnet, before turn of the road hid the woman from me-for ever.
 Yes, for ever on this side the grave for I learn that she is now dead. It was Q painful, lingering end some internal torture eating away her life, and with it her dcarly-cherished beauty. What com fort had she in those last hours, when her husband was playing ecarte at his club, and her admirers had all deserted her, with no baby fingers clasped about her neck, no children's voices to cheer the love forgotten silence ? Was the solitary woman haunted by the memory
 of lives she had ruined, or hearts she had
 burned up and laid desolate ?
 Why have written down the story o
 those few moments in balcony Be
 cause look back to them with thank
 fitness, as to the crisis when my eyes
 were fully opened. know myself.
 woman's beauty, I never really saw he,
 as she was But for this, there had beer
 times haply when I might have regretted
 that my little angel lacked the Athenial
 grace and brilliancy that in anothe
 exercised so fatal spell over me. As i
 is, thank God for the helpmate he ha
 given me for her sweet trusting nature for the heaven of her face, which alway brings me peace when look into fl And when see her baby curled like
 rose leaf on her bosom, and her tw' sturdy boys, who clean fathers palett and mimic fathers pictures in chal upon the studio wall-ah we'll, Isay t myself, there is nothing the Schwartzen
 helm palace contains, nothing than poo dead woman's life ever aOmpassed, tha
 I would take in exchange for the joy
 my wife has given me
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 THE STORM.-The late storm in tn