Litchfield enquirer., 1874-07-30
anne of the person who shows such kind

struction.
 "A most commendable purpose" said tho interpreter, smiling and passing on. Splridlon had not spoken, but he shot one keen glance at me from under his black brows, that troubled mo again with a vague sense of recognition.
 After they were gone, I scourged my self lnwardly for the heat and futter Oi excitement Ill which found myself. Why should have l bowed low and faltered in talking to this man, simply because he was richly attired, and had gained place among men? I bethought me of the pro- phet Elijah, Ill his garb of skins, standing before the idolatrous king whom he was sent to rebuke. Should another oppor- tunity offer, I should know better how to deport myself.
 No such opportunity occurred, however. Spiridion did not again appear at tine pub lie table.
 One Friday evening, very late. I was passing great building brilliantly light ed, in front of which the street was filled with carriages, when, turning up & dark avenue in order to release myself from the noisy throng, felt sudden tap on the shoulder, and turning, saw the interpre- ter.
 "Ah, M. Gayl still at your good work? Come with me: I shall show you a field ready for you," opening a side door, as he spoke, behind him.
 l paused. The door, I fancied, led into the opera house, but could not be cer- tam, for the passages within were dark. Besides, ought I to hesitate? Did not duty clearly call me?
 "I will follow you," said, and the man with mlschlevous smile, hurried me in. discovered afterward that his sole pur- pose was to annoy his master, against whom he had some temporary grudge.
 Through one dark thoroughfare after another, until there was sudden blind ing flash of light, and I found myself on the side opening of a richly furnished room of palace, where one or two wo- men, dressed, it appeared to me, as might have been the queens of the great Bel shazzar, sat. Facing them was vast am phitheatre- upon tier of brilliant col ors. fair faces, bright jewels. But the centre of the magnificent scene was Spiri- dion. He stood within few feet of me, guitar in hand, singing.
 For one moment I was dazzled; it seem- ed to me not strange that in pagan countries a man had been mistaken for a demigod, if man could assume such grace and beauty and brilliance as this. You must remember that my idea of dress was bound ed by Squire Perly's Sunday suit, and of singing by Mrs. Periy' s praiseworthy efforts in the village cholr.
 When he turned to me with 0 ringing Figaro ci, Figaro la!' and bounding across the stage stood beside me, I re- solved the apparition into singularly handsome man, in close fitting velvet em- broidered with gold, with white plume in his cap. He stopped short when he faced me, a sudden alarm or trouble in his face.
 ''You herep' he said, in very good En- glish, and hurried past mo. I followed him. I knew the cause of my uneasy half recognition of him now.
 I pushed open the door of the room which he had left ajar. It was the cham Der Esnsed for drosning, and a man stood waiting to serve him. These singing men and women apparently have luxuries such as VIC village people assign in our fancies only to the nobly-born. He had thrown aside the guitar and plumed cap; he mo- tloned the servant out of the room as I entered It, and turned on me.
 "Why do you follow me?"
 "I know you now" stammered. The words choked me in my haste and excite ment. ''You are no signor-no Spiridion. You are Louis Vesey-Vesey from Ky deville. It was yon who courted Bessy Nuttall years ago-when an honester man would have married her-and then left her, like the villain that you are."
 He was quite quiet-did not seem to hear the angry epithets I hurled o1. him.
 ''Is Bessy dead?' he asked, looking me directly in the face, as though he had no cause to blench.
 "No."
 ''She is married then?"
 ''What can it matter to you? Of what value is the fate of poor village girl to you? You go tricked out in your jewels from town to town, and do his work" I walked up and down in my heat as talk ed. forgot that my work was to convert sinners. I only knew that was a man, and that this other man had robbed me of the only woman ever loved, and flung her off like worn-out glove. He seemed in no whit disturbed by me; his trouble, I saw, lay deeper than could reach.
 My name," he said calmly, ''is Spiri- dion. Ihad 8 right to it.
 ''Do not attempt to justify yourself in any particular" I cried. '.Bessy is here; but would sooner bring lamb into the clutches Of a wolf, than suffer you to cross her path againI'
 l have since feared that whatever dign- lty or aelf-control was on either side in this miserable scene belonged to this wretch ed dissembler. was blinded by passion. know not what reproaches I heaped on hlm, but he answered me no further. When left him the audience was thund- ering for an encore.
 ''Where is Spiridion?" heard the act DTS anxiously say to each other. "What does he mean?"
 Spiridion heard them also, but he did not move. Looking back, I saw that he stood where had left him, his face bent on his breast. If had not known him to be one of the professed votaries of vice, 1 should not have called it the face of a bad man.
 went the next day to Dr. Meade with my story. There were reasons why it was of more importance to him now than to me. confess frankly that Bessy Nut tall had never loved me. Ours was an old school acquaintance. I remember the very first day I noticed the pale, blue- eyed little girl in the class next to mine. In all the years that followed, I never had the power to bring the blood to her pale cheeks or force sparkle to her blue eyes. It was after my return from college that l heard she had another lover, a man nam- ed Vesey, from New York; foreigner, some of the village gossips said, who had been in the country for few months. I saw him but once, coming out of church with Bessy on his arm. No lack of color or light in her face nowi The quick blood rushed to answer every word he spoke: her large, liquid eyes full of innocent trust and passion, were raised to his.
 There was no formal betrothal between them, but he appeared to claim her as his in the face of the whole village.
 The day after came he was abruptly to New York, and from that time no tidings had ever returned of him. until now found him rich, prosperous. famous.
 Dr. Meade listened to my recital grave ly. '1 have heard something of this sto ry before. James" he said. "You know. suppose, that Miss Nuttall is now in the city?"
 ssYes."
 'tYou do not know. perhaps 9 with a