Connecticut western news., 1875-02-12

and perfume 0f rare flowers 1n the par1Ors just as they say wine warns up the wits and fancy does love at times. All things would be brighter, fresher, more sparkling, just now, thought, or rather l vaguely felt, the woman who had just began to know her heart right, and thought she knew another's. r s' 'F She stood, in her rich dress of lace and silk, flowers in her hair and on her bosom, before her guests arrived, before her grate fire in the parlor, when some one tot1ched her on the shoulder, and, turning, she saw Charles Rokewood.
 Her face was a little paler, her eyes more, earnest in their look than usual, and Q. sort of happy terror hung upon her as she guessed why he had come so early. s'i'l .' 7' '''
 "Iknew I should find you alone," he said, "and [ have something to say to you-something ''- = +.-..,. -;
 There she stopped him. "Don't say it now" she pleaded. Ihaye an even ing before me which calls for all my calmness. If it is anything agitating, I T must ask you to wait. After these guests of mine are gone-or- to tomorrow, l will hear you; not now" Charles Rokewood bowed. "Your will shall be my law," he said, and took her hand and kissed it. She let him do it, blushing all the while, not caring now to look at him. ... .'... l- .~
 All the evening, after the other guests were there, her thoughts wandered back to that moment. She knew what she would say, and she could answer only in one way-only one-she liked him so we'll. g :! --.. .. .ta~
 "And I have felt so sure I could never like any one again, thought Hetty Armstrong. There is fate in it. ]"
 But she danced and sung and talked as usual, and no one guessed that was what she was dreaming even Mr. Rokewood, who, with 8 chosen friend, had slipped away from the parlors, and was smoking and talking in the dressing room. He was little out of sorts. Hetty, conscious of her duties as host ess, insisted on being public property, and could not be lured into tete- -G-tete, and the women who were ready to be talked to he did not care about. En- gagged men are generally known by their boorish conduct to ladies generally Rokewood, although not engaged, be- ieved himself far enough on the road to forget suavity, and fell back upon his cigars and his masculine friends when ever his lady-love could not be whis- pered to or gazed at.
 Consequently darnsels who thought Rokewood charming were wondering what had become of him, when the wait ress mysteriously beckoned her mistress into the hall, and, in an awful whisper, said "more spoons were needed for the crame." - ,s. .->-'
 "Of course there must be" said Mrs Armstrong. "Where was my poor head to so forget it2 I'll get poor Aunt Martha'Is set from my upstairs china closet. Please wait on the stairs until I come to you" "@
 And away ran Mrs. Armstrong to the second floor, where she plunged into Q long, old fashioned closet, and brought forth legacy of silverware left her by maiden aunt. Counting the spoons over, a murmur of voices from the next room fell upon her ear. At the same time she caught the perfume of a cigar. She knew that Charles Rokewood had the richest voice and smoked the best cigars of any man in his set.
 "You dear old fellow," she whispered to herself, 'tI have been so cross to you tonight that some day I'll be as kind to you as can to make up for it.
 Then, with a loving woman's wish to see the face that is so dear to her, she stepped forward and peeped through a crack in the door of the china closet opening into the little sewing room, de- voted for this evening to the gentlemen s toilet. Every word was plainly audible when her pretty ear approached so closely to the crevice, and the first word riveted her attention. The men were talking of matrimony.
 "It's deuced bore," said his friend. "You are tied to a woman's apron strings for life. You can't say your soul is your own. Take my advice and keep out of it altogether, Charley" "Look here, old fellow" said Charles, taking his cigar from between his lips, |" that sort of 8 thing is all man $ fault. Now, when I marry, my first act will be to prove myself master, As you begin, so you go on, and, before the honeymoon is over the woman who takes my name shall know that my word is law, and that hers must yield to it."
 The spoons in Mrs. Armstrong's hands tinkled together just then, but no one heard them. Charles went on:
 My wife, if have one, shall have no chance to show her temper. If she does not like my orders, she must obey with out liking. I'll break her in just as l I would horse-bring her down at once to the frame of mine mean to keep he1 in; purposely thwart her for while contradict her; object to style of dress make her alter her way of doing he1 hair; refuse to dance attendance at church; make her send regrets to party invitations when she wants to accept them; show her at once what she may expect. After a while might yield 8 little more; but because, you understand not to please her,
 "Y-e-es," said the friend, doubtfully "but you can't think how hard you'll find it; and if you stay out late they they make such row-sit up for you i1 a night-cap, and cry when you come in. ,
 I'd manage that" said Rokewood ''by staying out every night until day light. The one rule I should put il practice would be-never let the woman i have her own way"
 The spoons tinkled little more, anc Mrs. Armstrong's face was terribly flushed, but she listened still.
 "Of course you yield great deal te the woman you are in love with, saiC MT. Rokewood, evidently brushing the ashes from his cigar; "but that's be cause of the romance and all that sort o. nonsense, which dies out with the honey moon. You can find women enough to write poetry to, and to talk sentiment with, married or single. AS for you wife, she's the woman that keeps house for you, and the sooner you make hel aware of the fact the better. When marry, Jones, my dear fellow, it will bt with no idiotic idea of perpetual court ship in my mind. I'll begin as intent to go on, and be master, depend upo1 l it. |"
 1 "But not my master" whispered