Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1875-01-16

was making acquaintance with hin
anew, he was so different from wha
he had appeared to her ignoran
girlish eyes in the days when h
first came within reach of her quie
life. No brother could have beel
kinder or more thoughtful; still a
the weeks went on MilG grew fret
ted by Il certain impalpable barrie
which seemed to keep them apart
and which no efforts of hers sue
cecded in breaking down.
"l suppose he thinks Pm silly ant
frivolous" grumbled Milly to her
self, "and my bead turned by this
change of fortune, and all the non
sense of these ridiculous men: Il,
ought to be ashamed of himself mo-
to know me better"
Then, won,anlike, she made her
self appear more carried away thar
ever by worldly pleasures, got her
self the name of being an intolera
bic tlirt, was more worshipeed il
consequence, and so all the sooner
exhausted the small excitements OF
her youth sovereignty.
A rich Bostonian dared his fate
and was refused; at least half /,
dozen brother Americans followed
suit; and when each was discarded
in turn, people said that the heart
less creature had set her mind Oh a
title and coronet.
at certainly looks like it," Miss
Southbrooke observed to her broth
er one morning, after repeating for
his benefit quantity of gossip and
advice which had been poured in
her ears by sister spinsters and jeal-
Gus mothers with daughters to be
provided for. II declare, the charge
of a young lady is a more serious
business than l anticipated"
"Milly must choose for herself,'
Laurence answered. "s'he is gen
tie and affectionate with you-al-
ways good-natured, careful not to
make us trouble. I think it is all
we could have right to ask"
He spoke so calmly, even uncon-
cernedly, that the old maid wonder
ed to herself if lie had really gotten
over his fancy for the girl, but she
asked no questions; that was sub
ject upon which there had never
been the slightest confidence between
them. l suppose away down in her
heart Miss Josephine must always
have guarded a shade of rancOr
against Milly for having brought
Laurence pain or disappointment,
but the wonderful woman never
showed it by word or look, and Mil
ly had long since decided that the
spinster was entirely ignorent of
his temporary infatuation.
1t had ended thoroughly enough,
Milly thought, and was a little in
dignant thereat. Before he joined
them she fancied that little affair
would make their first meeting dit
ficult, and dattercd herself a good
deal. Her trouble was wasted, and
he did the elder brother so success
fully that she was inclined to I've vex-
ed, for all she had beforehand been
so full of remorse at the thought of
having caused him suffering,
One night, at grand ball given
by Prince Torlonia, our little Amer
can was 50 much admired and sur.
rounded that it really might be con
sidered her browning triumph, and
in the midst of it she came fa ce
to face with ghost, as most of us
have done one time or another in
the course of our pilgrimage. The
drea riest ghost, too, human
eyes can ever see-tllat of dead
love! She was in the midst of a
waltz when she caught sight of it,
but made no sign, though she was
that the eyes followed her
every where, at first with an express
sion of incredulity, which changed
to wonder and admiration-those
dark eyes whose passion
ate light had so often thrilled her
soul in the old time.
Miss Josephine was not we'll this
evening, and had consigned Milly
to the care of a friend, and as the
girls partner led her back to Mrs.
Walworth ut the conclusion of the
dance, she found that lady gayly
converSing with the phantom, who
looked handsome and melancholy
enough to have been the shade of
Hamlet himself.
envy DEAR" cried the widow at
once, "here is my most abominable