The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1877-02-23

CHATTER VII.
Il was Ethels last night at, Crab
Orchard. She declined to go into the
ball.room, and still wearing the soft
black grenadine she had worn at sup
per, she sat down in a honey-suckle
arbor just in front of her window.
The weather had become so cool that
Mrs. Darling felt obliged to remove
her infant to chamber with fire.
place and the change had been made
while most ofthe guests we're driving.
They were now just below the main
building where ladies scarcely ever
took rooms, and Ethel had objected a
little to the locality. For one night,
however, il could be borne.
Sitting alone among the leaves, on
ly her golden head and snowy should
er., cleaning through their light COW
ering, betrayed her to the casual pass
err; and here she unused upon the
events of her lite.
The stages were rolling in and guests
arriving when a tall, distinguished
figure passed down the main walk with
a firm, quick tread.
As he neared the solitary occupan,
of the nrbor he involuntary stopped,
peered into the darkness, muttcred
"Pshaw! Tn n fool" and hastenet
by.
Ethel hall caught the sound, start
cd, and, unaccountably disturbed, raj
into her room.
Here she read some letters tina
were very precious to her and ther
retired early, fatigued with the dissi
patton of the past two weeks.
Mrs, Darling noticed that the plas
tering was knocked off for some inche
between her room and the next, ant
warned Ethel to be very discreet il
her condolences lest she might he over
heard. .Ef
1t was some hours later when the,
were aroused by peculiar sounds from
th, adjoining room-something lik'
groans of agony. Ri.ing to listen,
voice spoke, then another, then tn
rolling and moaning in the more dis
,ant part OF the room.
Then voice was heard which thrill
ed Ethel with a swift and mighty cur
rent of fet ling almost beyond control
"Be quiet, Hampton. I'm in m
mood to listen to your love-sick moon
ings. There's no faith to be placed il
womankind."
you are about right, Charlie. Blu
what on earth possessed you to go run
ming after that fast set and desertinI
US in that cavalier fashion,"
"What, indeed, but the same haun
ting misery that has sent me for
year any where to flee from mysel
and forget the pasti But have pai
dearly in this case in more ways tina
one. l did not make beast of m,
self over their champagne bottles; bu
they enticed me into a race at Shake
Town. My horse ran away, brok
the buggy all to smash, they fined m
several hundred dollars, and dismisse
me a poorer aud wiser man."
"Charlie-rm just bound to hay
that girl. She's the loveliest creatur
that ever crossed my path. Why
man, YOU are a connoisseur. On
glimpse of her hue eyes and goldeI
hair would run you crazy
"Nonsense." and voice was bitter
"give me black eyes and raven ring
lets every time. Did you happen I
notice Miss White here the other day
II you want to see a heartless, ic
woman give her blue eyes and goldeI
hair"
Ethel turned so pale that her moth
er said, "Bear it II you can. Their
is no escape"
"But who is that fool bowling o
the bedy"
THAT ;Jol, is no other than DO
Randolph, half seas over at the reius'
of my adorable mistress TO crown b
puppy love"
"IIumph! another victim, is he? 1t
always the way with those blonde VI
men. am not sorry he is so IA
away from his mothers cottage"
That's a fact" said Hampton, 9
suppose I ought to have taken bette
care of him. III tell you what Cha
Iiel IN talk to this Kentucky 81
about my cotton farm. She cant =