The Portland daily press., 1875-11-08

ion, 1.-The liberty OF the poor is all mOOnShine.
It is mistake that they can be alone when
they will, tor they live in herds and cannot
afford to have privacy. 1t is certainly great
luxury to have bit of solitude when one
wishes. Sometimes, when have sent Maria
away and lain down for my noon rest, thank
God for place and time where I can hold
my tongue. Then a rich lady can always have
a good long headache, and shut herself up
without any damage to her finances; the poor
have 10 go about and work when they nave
headaches that are not sent for. You do well
to say If they are sought for they are very sell
dom sought; they merely happen to come to-
gether. But even their seeking, my innocent,
is not any more disnterested than ours. Gil
acOma marries Felice for her TObG OF locket,
two plates and knife. just as my lord mar
ries my lady for her palace and villa. As to
the smiling, it is nothing when you are ac-
customed to it. l often smile involuntarily
when anything very displeasing to me occurs,
just from habit CT self control. You are
very young yet, my dear, but after few
years, when you shall have got well fitted in
the social arrnor, you will listen 70 the ling.
ling of its little chains and buckles as to the
rafting OF pearls in your necklace or of those
lovely coins about your arm. Cinque-cento,
aren't they? and more precious than gold.
But this exquisite old armor of society is of
still higher antiquity, and, what cannot be
said even OF your coins, it has never passed
through vulgar hands. maintain that pei
feet se!fcontrol and high breeding are impos-
slble to common persons, no matter what
their advantages or their efforts to acquire
them. Then, my court-lady, with your to-
lettes the admiration OF everybody. and your
daintiness proverb, fancy yourself in din
gy gown and shabby shoes!'
AT this awful climax the signora sat up-
right and regarded her friend with the tri-
umphant expectation OF instant surrender.
Miss Fanshaw did not shudder sit
wouldn't be pleasant, suppose she ad-
mitted TRANQUILITY. The shadow of her
friends suggestion was too faint to show On
the deeper shadow Of her mood.
The signora rose with the air Of one who
abandons trivial means for serious, crossed
the room, and removed from the shoulders of
Augustus his Oriental drapery.
"Partly to beguile the dark spirit out of
you, and partly to see how pretty you will
look,' she said, I'm going to atrange my
magic handkerchief on your head as an
Egyptian couture. The moment it touches
your hair you will see peep of light, and be
fore you take ii off there will be a rainbow
over your sky. Come here, dear, aud be
exercised.
Smiling family, Miss Fanshaw pushed for
ward cushion and seated herself at her
friends knees. The sisnora commenced the
ceremony by giving her kiss on each cheek,
then bound the glistening fabric around her
forehead, stiffened it into a crown at the top,
and arranged the Ii ng fold that dropped over
each ear, leaning back to see the effect. It
was magical.
Miss Fanshaw-with her brown hair all
drawn back and looped in single braid. and
only few waves and tiny ringlets about her
forehead, with her robe of gray cashmere, so
pale as to be almost white, arranged in long
close folds about her, and no ornaments but
ruff of old lace and few cons-was FASH
ionable lady whose uncommon beauty al
lowed her to adopt now and then with i'm
punity severe style of costume; but with
that scintillating drapery surrounding the
pallor of her face and shadowing her solemn
eyes she was sibyl. Her friend had seen
her in all the splendor of court and fancy
dress, but had never thought her so beautiful
as now. r.
'Ifthere were fairy prince here he would
instantly propose to you," she said.
''Don't speak of proposalsv' the sibyl ex-
claimed, almost impatiently. 'The whole
subject is unpleasant to me. People will
persist in marrying me to somebody, and per-
scouting me about him, so that never seem
to belong to myself. Do you know, how it is
d,
and comes to the house just as others do. 1
like him well enough, but don't like that
others whose conversation should listen to
with pleasure now and then should persist in
leaving me alone with him. Even Mr.. Con-
rad does that. I thought he had more
sense.
''Se did II responded the signora hastily;
II must teach him BETTER"
''What beautiful rubyP' Miss Fanshaw
said, and turned the gem on the small haLd
she was playing with till it caught the light
to prefer ruhies. They are not so common
as diamonds. Castellani must look up some
for me. AS for pearls, will never put them
on again; Rey's limitations spoil the real
ones. But, speaking OF Conrad, aon't be-
lieve you will SET him. He sets out for
Florence tomorrow, and will go North-to
the TyrOl, st. Pe:ersUurg, perh APPS TO the
North Pole. It's a terribly frigid programme.
shivered to-day when they told me. He
called to say Iood-bye but wouldn't allow me
TO be called. Ihad gone out into the garden
minute to show the baron our violets.
i must send you some, by the way. Why
Conrad should avoid me when the baron is
present, for he is a superior man, and seldom
condescends to visit us poor trivial fashion,
able folks. l esteem Mr.. Conrad highly"
Uttering this last sentence, Miss Fanshaw
raised herself from her friends lap with a
naughty air, as if replying to an accusation
he tale beneath the words that anothers
voice would have told by faltering, anothers
cheeks by blushing, this lady told by her
pride.
1t was a sweet but sad little story, without
plot, but full of infinitely delicate complica-
tions. These two bad been drawing nearer
each other for months; the affection that
each would have ha0 for the other exalted in
the man by the thought, 'She is unspoled by
fattery and untempted by rank" aud in the
woman by perception of this thought of
bis. Their state OF unexpressed content and
unquestionine confidence was like that early
morning hour in summer when the sun is not
vet rlseD, but the sky is full Of its golden
glory, and no human being has yet marred
with speech the sweet silence. Such a state
Is perhaps more delightful than anything
that can follow it. but it is also more perilous,
for if misunderstanding occur explanations
are almost impossible. A misunderstanding
might easilv occur in case like this, where
the man lived a life of dignified quiet, occupy
ing his thoughts with art, literature and tray
ell, and the woman was the center of gay
and fashionable society, and the mark for
score of titled fortune hunters.
The signOra thought a moment. 'tDO YOU
know by what train he starts ?" she asked,
81 should like to send letter by him to Anna
Brennan. 1 could send word round to the
Cortanzi to-night-this minute"
Miss Fanshaw bent over her friends spark
ling rings again. ''It is too la.e now,'' she
said. "He sets out at half past six in the
morning."
There was a moments silence; then the
girl looked up quickly and met the signora's
eyes fixed on her in tender sympathy, and
full of.tears as bright as the diamonds that
twinkled in her ears. A swift glance passed
between them, an arrow of intelligence from
one woman's heart to the other, and Instant
ly the one dropped against the others bosom,
and the other held her close. Two or three
little sobs, s,quickly checked, few tears, quick
ly wiped away, and Miss Fanshaw shut the
door of her heart, almost burst open.
"How hysterical one gets after winter of
dssipationp' she said.
The signor did not dream Of being dis
pleased, or even surprised. Words were un-
nece ssary, and more expressed confidence
would have been embarrassing to both. She
merely held the girl tenderly, stroked her
cheek now and then, and studied what might
be possible for her to do. But before the
plan had well begun to form itself in her
mind, a ring of the door bell startled the two
out of their embrace.
Of course the reader knows VIII entered,
'Oh, Mr.. Conrad,' exclaimed the signora,
Il am glad you haven't quite discarded ali
yOur friends T hear Won are poino auav