Union and American. [volume] (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1875-1877, 1876-01-06

statement.
She drew ont some note paper
cogitated awhile, and then dashed
off the following epistle:
my DEAR MAJOR: Having read
the terrible financial Developments
of this morning in the papers, you
may be prepared to receive thi:
hurried scrawl from me. Were you
not speaking OF a wealthy friend
desiring to purchase a handsome
house, and cannot you aid me SC
far as to direct his attention IA
mine? Perhaps, after paying all
debts there nigh. be a pittance're
naming, on which | could exist IN
obscurity. rely ON your goodness
and am, "a,
Yours, disFactedhr,
JULIET ATHERToN."
"Now fu Mr.. Aubrey" she cried,
becoming excited with her task
81 must beg his legal advice in my
miserable downfall from wealth"
She wrote:
"DEAR Mr.. AUBREY: The papers
have told you the worst. Was it
not too dreadful? All! how could
my guardian have invested every
thing in the firm, without a thought
of the ruin-the utter, irretrievable
ruin-it might one day involve me
in? But. you have skill and knowl
edge in these terrible financial af-
fairs, and may be able to advise me.
l shall be able to have a pittance
alter everything is settled, but
what a change!
Your unhappy friend,
JULIET ATHERToN."
When she touched her next sheet
of note paper, the expression OF
her faced changed. ITS excitement
faded out and she became strangely
pale.
"Dare | trife with himY" she
asked herself. Suppose | rue the
result? Am | sure of my own
hearth"
For a few moments she fingered
irresolute, and then rushed boldly
into the letter:
"MR. MARCUS DEAN-Dear Sir;
Shall | presume on your kindness
by begging you to give me some
particulars concerning those little
cottages at Chenille you were tell
ing me about. Would not one-at
them he suitable for cousin Jane
and me to retire to when this place
is sold, and everything settled out
of the wreck made by the fearful
financial crisis? | can write no
more. You will understand it all
better than | can explain. Give
me what information you can, and
oblige your poor friend,
JULIET ATHERToN.",
"There = she cried, as she soaked
and directed each note, 81 1nst
send them at once or my ouIage
will fail and Bridget's glorious test
be lost to me forever
She used all possible dispatch
in doing so, and then linging her.
self on the sofa she thought.
what an odd prcdicament-two
proposals IN one evening, and from
gentlemen it would be utterly i'm
possible to decide between, were |
obliged to marry either. In both
cases we were interrupted, so that
my answer was deferred until TO
day-the Major saying he would
call at twelve, Mr.. Aubrey an hour
later, and neither in the least sus-
pecting the arrangements of the
other. Left to myself shouldVl
have said mo- to both? | can't tell.
Oh, why does not Marcus speak?
Why does he even at times avoid
me, and humiliate me in my own
estimation hy the consciousness of
thinking Of a man who tries to
convince me of his indifference"
She got up and moved about her
boudoir uneasily, and was twice
reminded by her cousin Jane that
it was time to dress for callers, be-
fore she gave any attention to the
warning.
At last she descended to the
large drawing-room, in one window
of which Miss Briefly and her
poodle were e%nsconced; the hall
clock struck twelve as she passed
it, but Major Farnsworth's ring at
the bell did not echo the chime,
though usually the major was the
promptest Of human beings. Just
before / o'clock came two notes on
the same salver.
Juliet glanced with swift alarm
at the writing, but discovering it
to be the majors and M. Aubrey S,
opened each note in turn.
The majors was short and con-
fused.
only DEAR Miss ATHERToN: I am
unspcakably shocked and sorry for
rnnr misfnrtnnn IL is M nn;vnr.