Connecticut western news., 1874-01-30

white silk, point lace, and diamonds, looked fair as Circassian queen. But almost before the first arrival was announcd, Willie was seized upon by Lisette.
 "Come, leetle boy" she said, cit is de hour dat you should go to ze bed. '
 "Can't Willie stay up?" coaxed the child. Papa always let Willie stay and see the people, and hear the music Please, Lisette, please!'
 But Lisette was merciless, and the sobbing child was speedily tucked up in bed, in the dismal corner back room," with the yawning ohasm of a chimney, and the bleak, uncurtained windows.
 ooh, Lisette," walled the child, cit is so cold, and Willie's throat does ache so."
 "You are one bad boy," said the Frenohwoman, threateningly; "you are always of complain.
 "Don't go and leave Willie all alone, Lisette," pleaded the little fellow, through his tears. Willie so 'fraid of the dark and the cold r
 But Mademoiselle Lisette was pining for the more appropriate sphere of the lighted dressing-rooms and perfumed stair-cases, and she was in hurry to ad- just her ribbons and join the other at tendants so, extinguishing the gas, she artfully disappeared under cover of the thick darkness.
 "Lisette Y called Willie, in voice checked by terror. "Lisette r
 But there was no answer, only the whistle of the wind down the chimney. The child covered his head with the bedclothes, while the cold drops oozed out of his baby brow. To him every corner of the room was instinct with hobgoblin life and ghostly shadows, and his little heart seemed to stand still within his breast. | Suddenly a burst of gay music from the sonorous wind instruments below sounded like a reassuring p@an. Willie crept out of bed, scudding down the stairs in his little white njght.robe like hare.
 "Mamma mamma p' For it was Mrs. Cheswick whom he encounted, coming up to her room for Q jeweled cassolette she had forgotten.
 "Willie," she said, frowning, "go back this instant !'
 "Willie's fear of the goblins was even greater than his dread of his step- moth CT he chung convulsively to the folds of her glistening robes.
 'Me so 'fraid, mamma, me so 'fraid ]"
 With an angry "Pshaw P Mrs. Ches- wick seized the child's arm, and hur- ried him up stairs oEce more.
 "There," she uttered, sternly, "go to your bed and stay there. I'll teach you to make such scene as this again."
 She pushed him roughly into. the room, and closing the door, locked it, and dropped the key into her pocket.
 He will be safe now, the little plague !' she muttered. "Lisette is too useful in the dressing-rooms to be spared, and there is no other way of silencing his noise."
 Willie, too much terrified even to sob, crept shivering in between the chilled sheets of his bed, and presently wept himself noislessly into a fevered sort of slumber,
 When he awoke again, two or three hours later, it was to the presence of grim Death.
 How little they reckoned, those gay dancers underneath, that up in the soli- tude and silence of the starless winter night, little, lonely creature was struggling in the mortal agonies of tho destroyer, Group
 At about one o'clock, slight hustle at the door announced 0 new and unex- pected arrival. Cecile glided gracefully forward, then stopped short, in sur prise:
 Richmond p she cried, as her eyes fell on her husbands face.
 "Myself, darling. thought would give you surprise.
 He greeted her with tender caress, then smilingly turned to receive the welcomes of the guests, who crowded around him.
 "And now must run up stairs and see the boy an instant
 Cecile turned scarlet, and then very pale.
 CT will send for him to be brought to you, Richmond"
 "No; there is no use in disturbing him. I can kiss the dear boy in his sleep"
 He was turning away, when Cecile laid her trembling hand on his arm, to check him.
 He is not in his usual room, Rich mond," she faltered.
 "No? Where is he, then? and why have you changed his sleeping apart ment ?"
 "He is in the back room of the third story"
 "The back room of the third story!"
 MT. Cheswick's brow involuntarily contracted with a sternness which Cecile had never before seen there-she trem- bled yet more.
 ct is onlya temporary arrangement, Richmond, while the house was full of company. Stay-I have the key in my pocket.
 %oIo hn r her hand, and sprang up the stairs, two steps at 0 time. To his surprise and horror, the room was dark and fireless. Where were the servants |? where was the childs nurse He rung the bell impetueusly; it was answered by stout. good-humored Irish girl, who had many a time stolen in, at night, reused by Willie's stifed sobbings, to soothe him to sleep.
 "Lights, here, quick p calculated her master. "What does this mean How long has my boy slept in this hole ?"
 Bridget sought in her apron pocket for matches.
 "Sure, sir, it's goin' on two weeks now-the madame's father and mother have hls room-and burnin' shame it is, bless his dear little heart He's been treated worse nor dog, sir, since you've been gone it's been a cross word here and hard push there, from the madame, and Lisette is no better. Here's match, sir-sure it's meself is glad you've come back to take his part p
 With hands that trembled nervously, he scarce knew why, MT. Cheswick lighted the gas-jet, and turned to the chill, lonely bedside.
 Willie my little Willie Y
 But Bridget's shriek rent the silence, like the cleaving of a knife, as she bent