Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1872-02-21

was exclusively Of the world. He ate,
he slept. he entertained his friends, he
read, wrote, and studied, under his own
roof, and he paid all the bills his wife
presented to him, without question or
comment but that was all. So far as
any of the usual influences of home were
concerned, he might as well have been the
eelibate of an anrhoret's cell. He had
early in his married life discoved that
there was nothing in common between
himself and the vain, frivolous woman
whom he had made his wife; for, though
the world occupied an equal place in her
regard as in his own, it was in very
different form. He was intellectual,
energetic, ambitious, while she was a
mere butterfly of fashion; far the more
selfish aud heariless, inasmuch as she was
by far the most shallow nature of the
two.
On the present family occasion, there
was as little harmony of sentiment as
usual between this Unmatched pair. As
Mr.. Blount bent over, and abscntly stirr-
ed the Goals, his face, so far from exhibit.
ing the expression of beatifed content
which his wife's countenance was bearing
about, was very clouded. His eye was
thoughtful, his brows somewhat contract
ed, and his lips compressed He was
thinking Of au appeal which his daughter,
to his great astonishment, had addressed
to him the night before; aud, as he
thought, his face grew darker and darker
for he felt that, without any fault of
his own, he occupied very embarrassing
and painful position; AMI the sense Of this
was not less disagreeable than novel to
him. He had promised his daughter that
he would consider the matter which she
had so abruptly forced upon his attention,
aud he had kept his word-having spent
the greater part Of the night revolving it
in his mind. But, look at the question
as he would he could find no satisfactory
solution of the difficulty. For once, his
keen intellect, and usual fertility of re.
source, were entirely at fault, He was
hopelessly perplexed
) While he was still ruminating the sub
! iect, there was low knock at the door
, He hesitated moment before he said
"Come in" and, for the first time in his
life, was conscious of a positive sense oi
cowardice, as he heard the door open and
shut. and slight, qnick step crossing the
floor. 1t was not until this step paused
beside him, that he turned and looked up
S A young girl, whose slender figure and
: delicate blond beauty gave her an almos
(, painful appearance offragility, was stand
: ing with fcverishly-varying color, her ca
0 ger gaze fastened upon him. AT the frs
q glimpse of his ountenance, she seemed tt
read the decision at that instant formin.
e in his mind, and the lovely half-blushes
i that were coming and going momently il
< her cheek, faded suddenly, leaving it al
$ stony white as freshly.carved alabaster.
: Papa, o papa! !" she cried, withou
e waiting for him 10 speak, IL cannot, can
: not marry him ! Oh, have mercy on me
Il and send him away! cannot, canno
e marry him ~
d She pressed her hands down one upo
k the other, on the edge Of the table b
e which she stood, as if to steady herself
If for she was trembling from head to foot
e pressed them so hard, that they were al
S most as bloodless as her face and ther
d was strange look Of terror and angus
: in her eyes, while her voice had the yer
If wall of despair in its accents.
/" my daughter" said Mr.. Bount, grave
S. ly taking her hands, he drew her tc
is ward him, and placed her on the sofa b
h his side-''my daughter, sit down an
Is listen to what have to say"
e 30 papa! o papa" she gasped hy'
l. terically, ''you do not mean-you cannc
t, he so cruel as to mean"
If "Don't excite yourself in this violer
5, Manner" said her father, whose face ha
/" become shade paler than usual "Tr
e and control this agitation--try and liste
f to me, Emily"
J. He was still holding her hands, but b
n a sudden effort she released them from b
Z grasp, and wringing them frantialy.
"Tell me--only tell me-" she criet
J, ''that you will save me from this wors
). than death That is all ask !"
e IL can tell you nothing until you ar
:; capable of listening to reason, my daugt
n ter" he answered, with the same gentl
e gravity as when he spoke first.
e Reason exclaimed she, passionate
ly. Then looking at his face, and reac
t ing its expression. she added more quie
e ly: "Forglve me for distressing you !
1t much will try to listen to you"