Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1873-02-06

same suddenness that had attended he
first affiiction, she was called upon tt
bear second.
Victor Buchanan wrote to her from
Paris letter filed with the widest ex
Pressions of grief, and telling that his
beloved Florence was no more. She haC
left a little boy, but the infant, had sur
vived his mothers death by not Longer
than a day.
Amid all her grief, Letitia could not
but feel consoled at the intelligence which
Victor's letter contained-of his pur
posed immediater return to New York. His
face and character were more familiar
than those of the comparative strangers
by whom she was now surrounded, and
it would be an inexpressible pleasure to
meet him once more and to hear from
his lips the details of poor Florence's
dying moments.
Auntie Wilkinson, an elderly lady OF
rather strict social ideas, stood by when
Victor and his young sister-in-law at
length met and it is safe to say that she
felt immensely shocked at the affection
ate fervor with which Mr.. Buchanan was
embraced and kissed by the beautiful
young creature who seemed so over
whelmed with joy to see him.
Victor, in spite of his recent widow
hood, was but man and it was hard,
during the long interview that followed
bstween himself and Letitia Atherton,
to shut his eyes to the fact of how a
year had ripened her charms into an en-
semble of such wimanly loveliness as her
somber costume could in no way conceal
Perhaps it was because she reminded
him of the Florence whom he had
adored so passionately that he now noted
her with such depth of iIl-concealed adj
miration.
Their interview, however, was of a
mournful character. He described to
Letitia the death-bed of his wife, and
told how peacefully and resignedly her
pure spirit had passed away. Her last
words had concerned the opal bracelet
given her on the day that their betrothal
was sealed.
promise me, Victor" she had said,
that you will guard it sacredly as q
memory of our life together, whatever
changes the years may hereafter bring
to you. Promise me that no arm save
mine shall ever wear it, whatever new
love time may console you with.
And Victor had solemnly promised.
The young widower's visits were quite
frequent at Mrs. Wilkinson's house dur
ing space of fully four months, and the
uninterrupted interviews between him
self and Letitia very frequent likewise.
To Mrs. Wilkinson nothing seemed
more natural than that such visits and
interviews should take place.
It was almost like the bursting of a
bombsheH when Victor Buchanan an
nounced to her one evening that he had
asked for the hand of her niece, and had
received an affirmative answer.
Drawing comments, they were married
about three weeks later, aud Letitia
found herself the proud sharer of Victor's
name and fortune.
It was not till after marriage, perhaps,
that she confessed to herself the real
truth concerning how she had loved Vic
tor at a time when such love seemed ca
pable of resulting in nothing except mis-
cry nor was it till then, either, that a
full realization of how perfectly her la
tent, though intense ambition had been
gratifed made itself clear to her.
Not long after their marriage, Mr.. and
Mrs. Buchanan were installed in su-
perb residence, and living at a rate of
expenditure that, to say the least of it,
harmonized perfectly with Mr.. Buchan-
ans liberal income.
Recent bereavement in the family" I"
as Letitia euphuisGcally expressed it,
would prevent them from entertaining
for at least a year to come but at the
end of that time they hoped to do so in
a manner consistent with their wealth
and social standing"
And at the end of the year Mrs. Bu-
chanan so far kept her word as to send
out cards for a grand ball. For many
days before it was to happen, this ball
formed the subject of countless on dts,
and wass universally prophecied to be
the most important similar affair of the
season.
On the evening when Letitia Buchan-
an, robed in n dress whose richness of
lace and needlework seemed wholly un-
surpassable, swept through the yet va
can't but brilliantly lighted drawing
rooms of her splendid mansion pride
lent a richer color to the complexion
for which many a woman would have
spent thousands, and gave, perhaps,
more volupt1ous swell to the superb bust,
whose whiteness cleaned under spark
ling diamonds and mist-ike point de
Venise.
"He loves me thoroughly" she muir
INJURED, in low, scarcely audible tones.
"He has forgotten F1orence's love, as
though it had been the merest unsub-
stantial dream. I possess him utterly
as my own" Then her lips were silent
for a second or two, growing a trifle
frmer as they continued: ''And yet, for
all that I am certain of his affection en-
tirely, still mean to test it. I shall
never rest until I receive that one
proof
She was knocking at the door of her
husbands dressing-room presently
"May I come in, Victor? You're
dreadfully late"
He opened the door and stood,
dressed in full evening costume, before
her.
'tI am lost in admiration, Letitia, -
he murmured. "No houri was ever
lovelier than you are now"
"And yet, Victor, L have fancy that
my costume needs one thing to complete
it,
"What's that ?'
She held up an arm, faultless enough
for the Greek Phryne of old, saying:
"This needs an ornament of some
kind, Victor"
Pshawl you're joking, love. You
can count your bracelets by the scores. >"
"I know it but her beautiful lips
were very close to his ear now, and those
marvellous arms of hers were wreathing
his neck" there is one bracelet, Victor,
that you will not give me. mean an
opal bracelet, which you keep up stairs
in that great, old-fashioned cabinet