Litchfield enquirer., 1876-04-13

willingness that he had then no present need for. 1t. But 1t was not commodity of this kind, unfortunately, Howard tug ged at the reins, flushed, and grew paae.
 "Why-why, Clara" he stammered, live done my best"-he nearly, in his excitement, said level best-''to please you. It's confoundedly hard to expect too much you know. What with your presence, the the extraordinary kindness of your father, and the happiness of it all, l haven't been up to the mark, know; but have really done the best I conld."
 And he.had, poor fellow-there was no doubt about that but under the circum- stances, we couldn't expect Miss Arm strong to be satisfied. .
 '1 want to take last look at that wa ter-fall, said Howard, turning his horses little from home to rally from this sud: den blow ''I'll have to start tomorrow, and that water fall is thing to talk about. I wish friend of mine, Jack Springer, could see it. He'd have it down with "a pencil in less than 20 tlme." .
 II have sketch of it at home, said it to your friend Jack-Jack-what do you call him ?" .s..
 Springer, said Howard. "He's cap. ital fellow
 Then he launched into panegyric of Jack that lasted till they reached the mad, leaping, foaming cascade. The very whirl and dash of it took the heart out of Howard. The probability was that Jack Springer himself would not have held it's grandeur and beauty in higher respects, but Howard could only stammer out that cit was very fine indeed" and feel that he might better have turned hls horses in another direction. and wish ti- nally that he either had little of Jack Springer's eloquence, or was dead. Then he drove madly home, and Clara went to dress for dinner That night he had Q long talk with his proposed father-in-law on trade, Eastern and Western markets, financial prospects, and the commercial outlook and he really talked very we'll i indeed, with a modest assurance, an easy yet deprecating sense of his own standing in the market, the profits that might ac- crue from change in his position, and every word haracterized with that grave, weighty, and profound importance that attaches itself to the most trivial of con tidences among dry goods magnates, The old gentleman was delighted with him. He made up his mind that night to start a new jobbing house, and put half mill- | ting trade. But Miss Clara Armstrong sat coldly by, the classic outline of her 1 features becoming more and more rigid.
 :'She might by love, as we'll have been chiseled out of marble along with all the other fgu, es in the drawing room" said Howard to his friend, when he reached New York again. ''The fact is, Jack, she's spoiled for any thing that money can buy-a tine establishment, diamonds, silks, velvets, laces-pooh !-as useless to amuse or interest her as the dust under her feet. Nothing would do for that girl but a irst-class Al soul, shipped in good condition and at once"
 Then he went on to tell Jack of that last ride, of Clara's sweet pleading vehemen- ce, of his own wretched inability to pro- cure for her the only thing she coveted in the world. =
 Il love her to that extent, Jack, said. poor Howard. "that when l saw actual tears in those splendid eyes of hers, those roses in her bosom tremble, I'd have cut my heart out and laid it under her little feet. But a heart-pooh she'd have kicked it out into the dust. Nothing would do, I tell you, but soul three hundred leagues away Just imagine it, Jack, if You can p
 
 again, till it became dangerous, 1ntoxi- ard gave him the little sketch of the wa ter-fall that Miss Armstrong had sent him, it shook so in Jacks trembling hand that Howard declared he must be ill.,
 Our confounded old tread mill is using you up, Jack, be said. ''When that new jobbing house is started that Armstrong has in his head, you must take a po- sition there that Il give you rest-a sine cure, by love, Jack-till you can pull lup little. l don't forget. you know, that l owe my happiness to you"
 Jack felt like Judas a blush of shame leaped into his cheek.
 Thirty pieces of silver will make it all right, he said, in the mocking way that always mystlfed Howard.
 Nevertheless, a yearning impulse led Jack to attend the grand ball given in the holiday season ty Mir. Grlmshaw. This gentleman was little exercised ill mind 1 by few state secrets that had reached I his ears connected commercially with the matrimonial project between his favorlte salesman and the great Western trader. His shrewd perspiuacity led him to the conclusion that half million dollars would be much better added to the capi-' tai of Grimshaw, Grind and Go. than the profit of a hundred thousand dollars in trade taken therefrom. But all these things must be managed delicately; there fore upon the arrival of Mr. Armstrong and his daughter, Mir. Grimshaw issued these invitations In their honor. He threw open hls palatial residence on the Avenue he. caused the corridors to be lined with exotics, the dining-hall to be 1 wifi oE soms for the banquet he invited untold wealth, beauty, and style, and even lit tie intellect to scintillate here and there.
 The crystal chandeliers shed rivers of light upon silks and laces, velvets and diamonds every face was radiant but that of the beautf Miss Armstrong, and MT. Grimshaw, who had not been taken into Howard Hastings confidence, and could not be expected to know how ut terly in contempt this Western princess held these sordid treasures. Mir. Grim shaw wondered how 1t was that Miss Armstrong looked so cold and bored and wearied, as, leaning upon her fathers arm, she walked the expensive and nnusu- al length of the parlors He was afraid there was something wrong in the enter talnment, and tormented his poor wife and magnificent daughters till they were | upon the verge or distrac6lon.
 Mrs. Grimshaw couldn't think of any thing amiss. There were all sorts of nice people there; even the blue-biooded Van Tassels and VandervooHs had just enter ed the parlors; the stringsd instruments discoursed divine waltz of Strauss. all was luxury, melody, light; and presently even Miss Armstrong, to the great relief of Mrs. Grimshaw, yield to the allure ments of tho scene. That poor lady aaw her seated upon low ottoman in one of the bay windows, listening to the. conver- sation of dark, pale, distinguished look Ing young man, her face flushing and pal ing hy turns, her eyes glowing, now and then a low musical laugh from her lips l falling upon Mrs. Grimshaws delighted l ear. ts
 "Shes found some one good enough for her at last, sighed the hostess. ''Who is that scornful- looking Young man ?' she