Litchfield enquirer., 1875-06-10

- Y ssAtN BAA O-4 A1lD DMAE0uY. 4u6k6 was azklfe going on within him. love and duty, and Hsanded in the conflict, which was as deadly as the one uaesd in that quaint old book by Apollyon. Poor Pauli Cathie had forgotten him for the time in the pleasure she found Tn her new partner. Mel had a yonfhful buoyancy of spirits which some men keep through all the shocks of time. and Cathie was young. Paul had grown absfracted of late; he seemed to listen with apitying smile to her fun. as if he had reaehed higher sphere, and could not her own ground, and she felt as if she cossld talk to him forever So the visit was decided for the next day, and Mel looked arOnnd at his den that night with sudden feeling of disgust. He saw cob webs everywhere; the white curtain hung down limp and drab; everything was in the direst confusion. He was up at day. light. and woke the old servant from her beaaty sleep to set her to work. The old Beppina needed all the beauty sleep she could get too, for she looked like the old hag with the sissors who cuts the thread of life in Michael Angelo's '.Fates.'
 Fam afraid she muttered saccidenza"be tween her teeth as she hobbled about, set ting things to rights, and feeling afraid that this was precedent, and might be repeated many days. Mel, in bIissful ig- noxanee that an ''apoplexy" or something as dire had been wished him. worked away, with an inexpressible cheerfulness in lis heart which kept bubbling out m bits of song. He nailed up fresh white curtains; he trained his ivy vine about the widow; and then he rushed out to the nearest florists and expended 8 weeks pafrimony in flowers. That poor old man who had conceived the grand idea( being a genius in his way9 of making an enormous wn1 with tine twin brothers imblbing at that savage fountain the milk of life if not of human kindness to celebrate the birth day of Rome, also with the wild hope that some one would be patriotic enough to buy it at the celebration for fifteen francs, Nas now sorrowfully taking the flowers apart to make up into boquets. Like many another aspirant, he had achieved neither fame nor fortune by his venture, and he now put the lot into Niers hands sspitifully cheap" he said.
 10 the rooms really put on their bright est aspect to welcome the party; and Mrs. Despard was so charmed with the violet-seller that she ordered Cathie's picture for Paul, and after that, Paul's for Cathie. ssThere is so much of charac- terin your portraits, :" she said, with the alrOf a connoisseur; ''they are not like masks. I can almost read their thoughts in heir eyes.
 Cathie had gone about in delight. She really loyod the art, and every bit of a sketeh had charm for her.. Paul gazed in an abstracted way at them, and seemed to look beyond them atsomething painful. St. Lawrence's gridiron, perhaps, which falntly shadowed forth spiritual mean of She torture endured by some souls. ,-
 Niel felt like one in dream when he saW that dainty figure tripping about among his poor belongings. touching this saying playful word. that, which cast glamour over all, and lifted them ouz of the commonplace. Then he was so IoAely after she was gone, yet he had kzE4Nn her but tWodays. grew very we'll acquainted Mrs. Des- pard, being kmd-hearted, if rather weak woman. and seeing no danger now. Cathie being disposed of. would sit manndering gently of art and the old masters in the most ridiculous style, but with such good nature that Mel could not find it in his heart to laugh at her. Then was she not Cathie's mother? Paul seldom accompa- aied his betrothed, and when he did, was as grand, gloomy. and peculiar as ever. He had worn and haggard air, as of one who kept long vigils and lasts, some times fixing on Oathie an adoring look, then tearing his eyes away, as if such looks were sin. Mel felt an artipithy for the man, perhaps because he stood in such relation to Cathie, or because he iespised the trickeries of that religion which seemed to be fastening him in it's soils. And there seemed some crisis inn pending for which he watched and half onged. What treasures people some times pick up in wreck!
 The crisis did come. One morning Jathie missed her sitting. And that even- Rg Niel, somewhat anxiously. went to their apartment in the Piazza di Spagna. Mrs. Despard only was visible, and she sat by he window in such dropping way that Mel read some catastrophe in her very att tude.
 She frightened up little as she saw lim. ''Oh, Mir. Stanley!" she cried; "I'm glad to see you. We are all in sad way lere.'s
 '.I hope Miss Cathie is not ill?" Nell ex- claimed, in some alarm,
 ''Oh, she has headache, poor child; the has not left her room since-since- We'll 1 may as we'll tell you all, MT. Stan ley. You knew of her engagement to her cousin Paul?" 7.
 ''Yes, knew it,' Niel answered.
 Well, the infactuated fellow came last night to break it off. He Is going into ;he Romanish priesthood, going to be one ,f those fat fellows in brown with ropes lround their waists-pity they weren't .ound their necks, I say. Benedictines? res, think that's it. I -.
 Mel was astonished. And yet there had llways been mysticism about Paul. This explained all.
 "Of course the Wretches wanted his money for the Church, and they under stand all wiles. have seen the priests .oilowing him up, but I didn't know he was so weak-minded; and I know he'll be poor fellow, for he is so fond of Jathie. She thinks more about him than ,he does about herself. She says she is ,ure that he will wake up from this mad frenzy to find all lost." ..t -
 Fortune and bride," Mel suggested. It will be enough to make him q real maniac when that hour comes.''
 'sWell, here we are, all adrift, as you may say." sighed Mrs. Despard; @eyery plan destroyed, Catbie with spirits for nothing. For my part, have decided to go home at once-or at least, if Cathie consents, we might spend month or two 1t the Baths of Lucca, and then go. Home $ the best place for the sorrowful. And. Tou see, it's not as if Paul was stranger: le's my own sisters son, and been brought ID most evangelically." gI
 Mel was hOrror-stricken at the idea of their going so soon,
 "And Miss Cathie's portraita' he sug- gested. ss fo 4 "Oh, well. perhaps you can finish that rom memory" said the mother. "Pm 'ure l never could persuade poor Csthie 10 sit again; and it would always remind her of Paul. Still, finish it, and I can put 1t away for happier days"
 know her face by heart. and will fin- sh II at once. sald Mel. .sYou will be here . week or so, suppose?'
 esOh yes. yva cannot r-,k ,.o. a- L ;,