Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1876-08-17

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daughters husbands; and he was in
vited here and invited there, and Civ
!, en- to understand great deal more
than he chose to understand. Proud
as Lucifer, as it was previously stat
ed, he was going to marry no heiress
of them al and be the thrall of her
money: he would not marry a rich
woman, he could not marry a poor
one. When he married, he was 60
ing to give, not take, and at present
he had nothing 10 give Perhaps he
would have been noS er person II
he had not been quite so strenuous
in this matter of obligation; bnt
then, as Mrs. Barnetta said, he would
not have been Lucian Malvin, and
Lucian Malvin was very good fell
low after all, and there are but few
of us but have our faults.
1t was among these people that he
happened to meet Rosa Mercier.
She had come from distant place,
and was visiting her pleasantest ac-
quaintance; and Gel tainly the house
was pleasanter still after her sun
shiny little presence dawned on it.
1t seemed as 4, for instance, there
never had beer any flowers in the
house before, although it had always
been overfiowing: it seemed as il
there had been no music there, no
light or cheer; and now the place
seemed too dangerously delightful
for young man who did not want to
marry to frequent She was such a
lovely little thing, not exactly beau
tiful, that is. she would not have
been beautiful in a picture, but flesh
and blood, and in Lucian Malvin's
eyes, she was exceedingly beautiful.
with her soft color, her clear. dark
gaze, and her bright hair that broke
into cloud of sunny ringlets about
her sweet face; such gentle gayety
went with her wherever she did, such
a tender grace, too, in the intervals
of her buoyant spirits, her voice was
such a warbling voice, her ways were
such winning ways. Lucian Malvin
felt that he must forswear her pres
ence unless he wanted to make life
burden to himself; and he ceased 60
ing to Mrs. Barnetta's, where she
was staying, almost as suddenly as
the day forsakes the horizon in that
dreary season when twilights are
not.
But il he could shut himself out
from the Barnettas, he could not shut
Miss Rosa out from general society;
and go where he would, he met al
most nightly. laughing gayly, sing
ing sweetly, dancing lightly, till ne
declared to himself that IL this was
going to last he must indeed cease
going out at ALL But this was a lit
tie too much; he did not know how
positively to deny himself
the mere sight of seeing her. Yet
things were growing very precarious
when he could not take a book but
he saw that blushing, gold-enringed
face slide in between the pages, when
he could not make out writ without
being in danger OF slipping her name
in the blanks, when he heard the de-
licious voice murmuring when he
walked. and walked all night with the
little spirit when he slept. He made
a compromise with himself-it was
all he could do-and declared that at
any rate he would not dance with her
again. 1t was an idle effort. He
might as well have danced with her
as to have stood looking at her, quite
unconscious of his general air, and all
the lover in his glance. Mrs. Barnet
ia beckoned him to her side; he stood
there just as Rose came up from her
promenade and left the arm OF one
cavalier to be carried off by another.
You are not dancing, Mr.. Malvin,"
she said @Oh would you hold my
fan and handkerchief" He followed
them with his eye as the music
crashed into dashing galop.
What right had that other man
with his clasp about this darling?
Why did she suffer it? What de-
cency Was there in the society that
commanded such sacrifice? In
his whirling wildly to this
wild music.
"You do hate him, don't you?" said
Mrs. Barnetta, in his ear. If looks
could slay-" He started. Was
he carrying his heart on his sleeve,
for DAVIS to peck? ~Oh, don't pity
you a Bit" laughed Mrs. Barnetta,
low-toned; and, putting out her hand
she took Rosa's fan and opened it as
she talked. Anybody" said she,
with such power of making misery
ought to enjoy it,"
II Deg your pardon. Mrs. Bar
Meta, but il you read me riddles j
must ask you also to be their
sphinx"
"Oh, no; it was the function Of the
sphinx to PROFOUND the riddles, not
to solve them" And Mrs. Barnetta
laughed her low, pleasant laugh.
"You do not come to see US any
mOre," she said. @And 1 used to be
in your confidence before you de-
serted me, can imagine the reason.
do not like to say that it is very
shabby treatment of an old friend.
or course. cannot say that it is rude.
But IL you do not dance with Miss
Mercier this evening shall be fear
fully offended. / am not going to
have my little treasure made unhap-
ipy for the sake Of the prince OF good
fellows himself"
Lucian changed color so suddenly
that Mrs. Barnetta put out her hand
In alright, half expecting to see him
fall; but i'm a moment he was himself
again. sa...
do you-is Miss Mercier--" he be-
gan, and paused half way.
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