The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-01-09

beauty, and making fools of themselves
|generally over her, he contented himself
with showing her that aggravating kind
OF politeness that man might show his
grandmother, and daring to criticise her
style by insinuating that touch of rouge
would be a great relief to the opaqueness
of her complexion.
This policy was good. 1t won him,
first, federation; next, consideration and
lastly, pique. At first she found bis
presence tolerable, because he did not
tend her good taste by exaggerated at
tentions. After a little, his not falling
in love with her, being departure from
her usual experience, set her to studying
him much as she would have studied q
natural curiosity not mentioned by Gold
smith; and, lastly, his lack Of apprecia-
tion, imperturbability and utter sang
frOid put her upon her mettle, and the
cup was won, although the home-run had
yet to be made.
One day when the air was heavy with
languorous heat, even in the mountains,
Constance went out along narrow,
winding pathway leading to a little
grassy plateau, closed in OH three sides
by The almost perpendicular walls Of
stone forming the mountainous peak,
and overlooking an almost fathomless
lakelet lying many feet below. The
Aerie, as it,was called, was favOrite
retreat of hers, and, absorbed in her own
beautiful thoughts, she needed never the
fight of time. None but Adria knew
where she had gone that day, and she
was lost to things terrestrial in the indus
trious perusal OF ''The Gates Ajar." A
thick fog settled down over the noun
tain, and, driven by it within doors,
Travis and Templeton sought beguile-
ment of the hours in the society OF the
ladies. Finding Adria, Templeton made
inquiry for Constance.
"She went out to The Aerie three hours
ago, and has not yet returned," was the
reply.
"My God! she can never find her way
back through the fog" exclaimed Travis,
while Templeton, with something like a
gasp for breath, rushed out through the
night of gathering mist. .-
Adria, now thoroughly alive to the
danger, f1uttcred out, like a demented
magpie after him, as far into the gloom
as her prudent lover would permit.
"Oh, dear!' she sobbed. II can't shut
my eyes and see her grouping her way
along the narrow rocky path, with death
yawning on either side" s.
"She would know better than to at
tempt return until 1t cleared away"
suggested the comforter.
'1No, she wouldn't! Perhaps even now
she is drowning, or is already a cold,
Oh, Con-- Good Lord there she comes;
or Is it ghost~
About half way to the plateau was q
place where loOsened earth looked as if
some one had slipped, struggled to re-
gain his balance, and gone over the prec-
ipice into the sullen waters below.
Constance stopped, reeled as if she
would have fallen, and, in a voice that
sounded distant and strange, moaned:
"Roy-ob, RoyW
She had thought him forever beyond
the reach of her voice; but instead there
he was coming towards her, with out
stretched arms.
. "My own dear Constance, safe! Great
God! thank thee!"
Sure enough--wct. draggled, and look
ing like some pale Peri wandered from
Paradise into unaccuStOmed places
from an opposite direction. Adria ex-
claimed: +...t
"Ob, Constance, he has gone to The
Aerie after you."
"Who, childr Speak, quick-who?"
"Roy Templeton."
sGone to his death for me. Oh,l GOdw
she groaned, and raised her eyes TO heav-
en-, despairing, appearing, rebelIious. No
other word escaped her lips; but, like a
figure cut in marble, she stood gazing
with frighttul intensity into the impene-
trable curtain of mist that enveloped the
path. 1t was a long, terrible
watch; but as the day faded the wind
arose, and, lifting the veil, carried it high
over the mountain tops. Blessed wind!
Like some winged spirit Constance sped
along the clearly defined tootway, tol-
lowed by Fred and Adria.
"Ips awtully damp outhere-the crimp
is all going cut of my hair; let's go in"
whispered Adria to her beau cavalier.
mot until you promise to marry me as
soon after Constance becomes Mrs. TEN.
pleton as the length Of the ceremony
will permit" answered Fred.
81 shall catch my death staying out
here, and as Pm not prepared to die, l
suppose might as well be resigned, and
say--yes. Thank goodness did not lose
my byzantine setw
''Pertinacity and matchmaking hath
it's reward" suggested the irrepressible;
and so ended this new ''Much Ado about
Nothing"