Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1872-08-31

prise, ana struck my head against the cor
ner of the piano. Mr.. Churchill rushe,
into the hall, almost upsettine the diminu
tive DE Stultus, whom he met, the yer,
picture of ef1eminacy and ultra foppish
ness.
Descending to the sidewalk where tn
brilliant equipage of De Stultus met ou
| view, we both simultaneously burst into
laugh that seemed to break the ice between
us, for we walked off together for severa
| squares. As complained of n severe pail
in my eyes from the blow / received, m,
companion said, Il hope, Mr.. Hume, yoi
will pardon my recent rude persistence il
| my fancied engagement with our fair nc
| qualntance and let us be good friends ou
OF sympathy for the den0uement. AS W,
are here at my hotel, let us enter and drinl
TO the good fortune of Mr.. De Stutus.'
II gladly accepted the invitation, ant
we were engaged in pleasant converse
tion, when a loud noise was heard in the
street, mingled with the cry Of a woman ir
distress.
suddenly starting to our feet, we rushed
forth to render assistance. The first object
that met our sight was Helen Van Horn
covered with mud, but happily more
Heightened than hurt. De Stultus was
also in a wretched plight, but too much
engrossed, as might be expected from such
a creature, with his own mishap to give al
least attention TO his associate in misfor-
tune, whom he left to struggle to her feet
unaided, and to make her way to the side
walk, where her recent visitors met her,
and where she hysterically explained how
huge truck, against which De Stutus,s IS
carriage had been carelessly driven, had
left them stranded on the muddy street,
fortunately and marvellously, however,
without broken bones.
Churchill called Il carriage and we es-
corted the wretchcd demoscle back to her
residence, at the door of which we con-
graduated her on her lucky escape, and
bid her good night.
MY new friend then proposed that we
should drive at once to the opera. where he
hoped to meet party of his friends, to
whom he would be pleased to introduce
me, and in whose society we would find
solace for our disappointment in regard to
Miss Van Horn. l assented. Churchill's
friends were met as he promised, and
among them were two beautiful sisters, so
attractive that they speedily drove all
thoughts of merely handsome girl, su-
perlicial and spoiled, like Helen Van Horn,
out of the head of Churchill as well as my
own. \ charming evening at the opera
ilpcllcu llllO IL serious attachment on the
part Of Churchill and myself for these sis
ters, which ended in our marriage, and no
one ever had juster reason for saying:
There's Divinity that shapes our ends,
Rough hcw them how we wil,"
than l have. And now you know why |
did not marry Miss Van Horn, and also
how two men, for moment about to be
made enemies through the reckless, unscru-
pulous coquetry of an inferior, hearlless
woman, by happy stroke of fortune be-
came friends and brothers.
-. .A.As for Helen Van Horn. she still lives
of her many conquests, finding her chief
qualification for some years past in recount
ing the various eligible offers she had re-
fused, including always Churchill and my
self among her rejected suitors. n heavy
speculation into which De Stultus had been
bcguiled about the time of Miss Van
Horns triple engagement for the same
evening, resulted 50 disastrously for him
that her doors were at once rigidly closed
upon that admirer, who disappeared like a
quenChed meteor from Society. Meanwhile
occurred the death OF old Mr.. Van Horn,
which, as | have said, left the daughter no
other attraction than mere physical beau
ty, that had now become so used that it
ceased to please marriageab ble men, and she
was no longer able to make three engage
ments for one evening.
Hers has indeed been n life of lost Op-
portunities.