Litchfield enquirer., 1876-11-23

 I s'What is 1t that the moon plays traitor in, Mir. Steele?" said Mrs. Ford a
 s'In all your faces, Madame. . he an- swered. five been entertaining Tanning with the aspect of your characters instead of your facesp
 My gracionsn giggled Miss Marian, .swhat dreadful ideal"
 s ''Never mind, my dear. rcurtly remark ed the widow, sswe're not to be looked at in that way. on the best authority; don't you know men think that
 s.sWemen have no characters at all'"
 'You misquote, Madame" interposed Mir. Steele; 'sit is, Most women, and most women are not here to-night-only a few. :" . The little equivoke puzzled Mrs. Ford into moments silence, and before she recovered MT Vernon remarked, cleri- cally. Women have done too much for the Church to have Pope''s islander ac- cepted. :"
 s.Women have done too much for their children for a woman's son to have writ ten it r indignantly seconded Gratia. Steele took off hls hat; l knew why, for l knew his mother, and what she had done for him.
 "Pope was poor, crooked devil l" con- descendingly remarked Mir. Ledyard. .'Women didn't like him; so he revenged himself by abusing them"
 Gratia's face grew cold, but she did not speak.
 "There is nothing true in this world,' , said Mir. Grifiing, in bland aside to Ma rian Hall. ''Men are swayed by such paltrY motives that the hiss or laughter of the crowd are alike worthless
 Marian looked puzzled and pityipgly on this child of affliction who suffered for want of sympathy Gratia Henningsen laughed: the quiet of her face broke into one flash of amusement that lit even those intricate eyes, but subsided before any one but Steele and perceived it. could feel him shaking in concert as I leaned against his knee. -... ....
 ''He might have had the respect of wo- men. if not their affection" grimly satir- iZed Miss Hall.
 Hang respect!' heartily groaned Mir. Ledyard.
 "Amen!" said Ben Steele, with broad grin. -H..
 "Really. gentlemen" began Miss Hall, in lady-1ike rage.
 T beg your pardon, Miss Hall with all my heart" said Steele. irresistiby good humored. "I never can hear Ledyard make ferVent remark about any thing without adding my benediction to it. It's such sign of grace in the fellow!"
 '''Look here, Steele" began Ledyard. "Never mind though, old fellow, now; wait bit Miss Hall, I beg your pardon, too. The fact is, do sometimes speak my m1nd before ladies, from my extreme impulsiveness of nature" cslmpulsive ness of ginger-pop!" growled Steele, under his breath, parenthetically) )-"when ought not to. Understand me to apolo- gize for the manner, not the matter, of my remark. The poet must ever prefer sym pathy 10 admiration; the shelter of the valley to the cold glory of the mountain peak. Love is life; respect is"
 Sunday clothes" interrupted Steele Every body but Miss Hall and Gaius laughed. Miss Hall coldly said the even- ing was growing damp, and presently rose to. return to the hotel. Marian, of course, followed; MT. Clark and MT. Griffng at- tending. I could hear the sharp nasal tones of the latter youth spouting Carlyle and Byron as he receded along the beach, facing the south wind, that brought his voice back to us; and in the intervals a pretty little giggle, or an interjectional "How perfectly sweet!' "Isn't that beau tiful?" from Miss Marian.
 We sat still for a moment after they went. MT. Vernon fdgeted little,. and cleared his throat twice, but did not speak. Ellen Bonds keen eye visited him and fatbomed his intention. For her own reasons she broke the silence with her clear, fluent tones, tinged with artfully innocent wonder:
 'sWould you really like better to be loved than respected, Mir. Ledyard ?"
 ''I really like brandy better than skim milk. Miss Bond" ....
 Gratia turned her face and looked at him.
 "Why don't he curl right up ?' said Steele, softly, to me, seeing that I saw and understood the look.
 Fl don't know how a woman can love a man she does not respect" said Ellen Bond, with thoughtful and vestal ex- pression.
 .'Wh-ew!" muttered Steele, to himself.
 MT. Vernon turned his approving face toward Miss Bond. whose dropped eyes did not seem to perceive him, and beamed upon her with very sufficient and admir- ing regard.
 "Indeed you apprehend the question from the right point, Miss Bond. Your feminine instinct quite silences our mems arguments. You have vindicated your sex nobly." .-s a~ss
 ''Ohl MT. Vernon" replied she, with the perfect mask of sweet modesty, Gall women think as do on that subject, am sure."
 F ''Do you think so, Miss Henningsen ?'' said Steele, in very audible voice.
 "No," said Gratia, simply.
 Mir. Vernon looked shocked. He had been evidently much interested in her. as. indeed, every body was who ever met her. Ellen Bond knew it: and she had fixed on MT. Vernon for her own prey, waiting pa 'tiently for time to spread her net not in vain. I believe she knew Gratia did not care for him; whether 1t would have made any difference if she had, can not tell. Miss Bond was not cruel naturally, but she was not magnanimous-few women are-and she saw no good reason why she should give up good match to any body else, merely because they wanted it; nor. to do her justice. had she feeling enough herself to understand what might have been the bangs of sensitive woman in losing even such man as Mr Vernon. Now she spoke with 6 nice tone of polite and virtuous indignation:
 "Gratial You could not love bad man, am sdre."
 "I think it's very possible could and should" 1" said Gratia, with calm honesty.
 Mir. Vernon coughed-he really sighed, but was ashamed of it; so he coughed.
 Well. am sure L never could" said Miss Bond. .'The very idea is revolting. don't believe you could either, Gratia. J = Mir. Vernon smiled with deeper admira- tiop upon the charity that dropped so balm-like from those beautiful lips. saI
 rBut could, '' said Gratia, in a very steady and self-reliant voice. Fl don't thlnk love depends on respect. or even admiration" F Ea .sThen you think it quite an irrational impulse, Miss Henningsen ?" said Mir. Vernon.
 "Nonsense!' interrupted Mrs. Ford. till just nowsunaccountably silent. ''Have not you lived long enough, MT. Vernon. to know men and women are always fools when they're in love?'
 Gratia disregarded this remark, as she had right to, and went directly on to | QnSwnr Mr Uoroov,Sr <,,1Ak;o,,.