Connecticut western news., 1875-02-05

No reply. MT. Kennedy shook the door, then hailed the chambermad.
 Where's MT. Courtenays"
 "Gone down town, sir, half an hour ago." .t
 "Gone down town! The deuce he distractedly for hat and gloves. say r" to the chambsrmaid-"w where's the nearest umbrella store?''
 Right round the corner"
 "Run out and buy me an umbrella, will youa There's good soul Take this bill, and keep the change, and get remember that) with an ornamented ivory "An right, sir.''
 "And hurry-do P
 The maid vanished, and MT. Kennedy began to make himself irresistible as far as haste would allow. He met the re- turning chambermaid at the door, in spected the umbrella in the hall, and then triumphantly marched across the street. He rang the bell, inquired con fidsntly for ' Miss Armstrong;" and was ushered in With umbrella still ill hand, he walked into the parlors, but was ar rested on the threshold by the sight of his chum, Ellis Courtenay, who, also holding an umbrella in his hand, occu- pied an easy-chair by the table. MT. Courtenay was dressed with suspicious nicety, and the umbrella he had was ap- parently new.
 The two occupants of the parlor faced each other in blank surprise, which, in MT. Courtenay's case, changed to amuse- ment. As for MT. Kennedy, after utter ing explosively his favorite "By George p he subsided into chair, and began, fesbly:
 "How-how in '-
 "Sh Some one's coming! r
 Miss Armstrong, opening the parlor door, had to hide her face behind her handkerchief for moment ere she could advance with requisite gravity. Her two knights of yesterday" were con siderably embarrassed, but managed to present themselves, their excuses, and their umbrellas.
 By George!'' finished MT. Kennedy ; "being on the car, you know, felt, as might say, interested, you know"
 "I'm much obliged to you, I'm sure. D
 "And this isn't the umbrella2'
 "Im sorry to say, it isn't"
 Mir. Courtenay ose to go.
 II should have been glad to have re- turned you your umbrella" he said, politely. "As it is, can only hope 1t may be restored" ...
 "As l do myself, I assure you" Miss Armstrong responded. "Not for the umbrellas sake, but for the sake of fifty dollars and some photographic proofs, which were screwed into the handle"
 Constraint was forgotten in the sud den surprise created by this statement. Before half an hour had passed the three were quite at ease together. They passed from speculation about the fate of the umbrella to the weather, and to locality and season, to amusements and to music When they left, it was with the understanding that there might be future visits. 2E men had his cup of satisfaction full to sentence did either utter as they crossed the street. In the upper hall of the clearinghouse at last MT. Kennedy broke silence
 "I say, Courtenay, when did you see blldL hON0T blS6In0Ilt
 "tAbout eight this morning. was the laeonic response, as the one addressed fumbled with his key.
 "And you went down town and"-
 '' always go down town"
 "Oh, pshaw! Don't be high an6 mighty You went down and bought ar umbrella Oh, oh, oh, oh l" And Mr. Kennedy's voice grow fainter as he re tired into the depths of his dressing room. Presently he emerged therefrom and shouted across the hall.
 "Well, we neither of us won the ci gars. Both got introduced the same minute, by George! We will go halves on box"
 It was noticeable after this that the young gentlemen both cared very mucI for two things. They cared for thei1 front windows, and they cared moro ye for the owner of the lost umbrella, tho lady of No. 8. .-.. .. The umbrella was not returned. | became thing of the past.
 Now the state of feeling between Miss Armstrong's two cavaliers was anything but cordial. To say that they avoided each other is mild description. They insisted on being apart. Instead of hay ing social cigar together, they, when ever they spent an evening in, sat apar in moody unapproachability. Toward spring matters grew still worse, and MT ! Kennedy became oblivious of his fsrmel l friends existence. He, moreover, ceased going to No. 8 entirely, and, to MT Courtenays s amazement, appeared to have ! made up his mind to 8 course of dissi patton. Probably this did not agreo witt his health, for toward the middle O. March he became invisible for severa days, and 1t was reported that he was ill So it happened that, one windy Marcl evening, neuralgia and lonesomenes l conquered pride, and he sent messag, to know if Courtenay would "com, over"
 1 Courtenay was really shocked at th' change in his friends appearance, an. was so cordially sorry for him that Mr Kennedy's reserve utterly, relaxed. "You're good fellow, Corrtenay but it isn't neuralgia altogether that i using me up. There are things wors than neuralgia, by George!"
 His nearer replied: "Of course-o course there are"
 "There's nothing," resumed the in valid" nothing in this wsrld, and hope nothing in the next, as bad @ women!
 "Women9" echoed his surprised com panion.
 "They re the coldest- -the-by George never saw a woman who had heart Did you2" ;.t... ....... E..
 MT. Courtenay wondered wildly whetl ! CT the ladv across the street. DOssesse