Mexico weekly ledger., 1876-11-23

| quaintance with Aurelia, who moved
in SO entirely different a sphere, I did
not at first see clearly. But in an in
slant I remembered her earnest and
impressive manner, as she bade Ray
mond adieu that morning, and a
great light irlumined my mind. I was
more than ever determined that MIS-
Mountjoy should not succeed in this
pernicious scheme of hers.
But Raymond! And here a doubt en-:
tered my mind which I had onceaor
twice before entertained. He was a
man of noble intellect, of a quick per-
ception of right or wrong, but of the
strength of his moral principles l had
then and even now entertained a sus-
picion. If Mrs. Harold Mountjoy, with
her insinuating graces, and the strong
bribe of her powerful patronage, should
throw herself too much in his way, how
far would he yield himself to her infu-
ence, and, while he thought himself &C
cepting of her homage to his intellect,
become in reality the victim of her
Vaccinations? For several rea-
sons the question was an interesting one
to me.
RAYMOND called that evening.
Aurelia happened to be up stairs at the
time, writing a latter, so that | enjoyed
the wished-for opportunity of a tete-G-
tete with him.
ga friend of yours called here to-
day." I said, "who, it seems, is also an
old acquaintance of Aurelia's-Mrs.
Mountjoy. She is an interesting char
acter; do tell me about her."
Raymond smiled the peculiar smile of
q man of the world.
eyes. She and Aurelia were rivals
once, 1 think. That is, after Harry's
engagement with Miss Leslie, he met
Mrs. Mountioy. That was before her
marriage, and she was near breaking
off the match. What a schemer she is!
And yet | like her."
"What is it that you like in her?"
"Her smartness, her cunning, her
utter incapacity of being sincere make
her exceedingly amusing, | assure you.
So she called on Aurelia, did she?"
eyes. Expressed a great admiration
for her, and a strong desire to renew
the old acquaintance; told me of your
eulogies, and of her entire credence of
them. Aurelia wouldn't see her. Do
you know, Mr.. Raymond, I suspect the
woman of sinister designs upon you?"
Raymond smiled, and then for a mo-
ment looked serious.
81 can tell you," he said, "what I
dare not tell Aurelia-that she herself
has been my salvation. [ met Mrs.
Mountjoy in society in the most
casual way in the world. The result
was an acquaintance which time, her
acts, and my indifference to conse-
quences were fast ripening into an in
timacy. | do not know what her OBJ
ject was, nor do | care. 1t might have
been simply the pleasant sensation
which such natures undoubtedly feel in
the exercise of their peculiar power.
At any rate, her signs, her eager ques-
tions, her half-confidences were
doing their work when Aurelia's noble
countenance and pure, child-like heart
awoke me, by a sense Of contrast, to my
danger. What do you think about sec
ond marriages, my friend? Do you
share Aurelia's opinion that a person can
never be twice happy in married life? ?"
"Not altogether. With some weak,
or narrow, or idiosyncratic natures it
may be so. But for a woman with the
large heart and overlooking sympathies
of Aurelia it is different. Undoubtedly
she will never forget her Harry; but in
the years which are to come / doubt
not she may be won to bestow equal,
or even deeper, tenderness upon an
other. And why not? Her nature is
deepening day by day."
"And that other would be the happi-
est man on earth"
elf you think SO, persevere, and win
the prize"
Raymond's declaration which fol-
lowed but a short time after the above
conversation took Aurelia quite by sur
prise. I was not disappointed-nor,
think, was he-that she gave him an
unqualified refusal.
He told her his story; confessed the
weakness of which he had been guilty ;
showed her her power, not SO much to
sway him from any purse which he
had deliberately chosen as by pure as
sociations to influence his choice !;
pleaded his earnest love and reverence
for her, and then left the case in her
hands.
"Such assurance, said Aurelia, with
a smile, ''tO make even his faults plead
for him."
eat least, it proves his sincerity" l
said. "A courtship based upon such
candor is free from many DANGERS"
81 can not forget" she said, "that
that sweet picture once lay warm and
pure at his heart. | know he must, at
the core, be tender and true. l am
willing to be, nay, l am proud and hap
Ply to be, his friend, his sister even; but
| have been a wife once, and it is over
i can not be again"
1t was nearly spring, and Aurelia re-
turned to her quiet home. MIR. Ray
mond came often to see me. and know
he had not forgotten Aurelia. Mr..
Harold Mountjoy died that spring, and
left his widow free in the exercise of
her peculiar talents. She f~requented
Raymond's studio more than ever, but
to no effect. Her spell once broken,
Raymond was too clear-sighted to be
caught again.
Aurelia wrote frequently, and I saw