The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-05-23
A GAME OF HEARTS.


AS had been saba creature OF Intel
iect, one who required not, and wished
not. the most precious of all life's bless
ings-love. Rather a difficult question!
and her beautiful, queenly counGenance.
with its lustrous brown eyes ana dell
cately chiseled features, did not serve |
to satisfy bis doubts.
He was accustomed to be favorite |
with tue gentler sex. Wealthy, intel
lectual and handsome, he was very
naturally appreciated by maneuverlng
mammas and manageable daughters.
Clara Vaue was unlike the women with
whom he had been thrown in contact.
Although among, she was not of them,
and her indifference hurt him much
more tnan ne cared TO confess, even to
himself. So this evening, as tney wall
deied together through the brilliantly
Illuminated rooms of fashionable
deyotee, he asked carelessly, albeit his
eyes rested searchingly upon her lace:
"Mlss Vane, do you believe in loVeW
Sue laugued-and, although her dusky
cheek crimsoned a little, ulsplayed not
the slightest discomposure as she an
sWered:
"No-at least not as you do"
That sentence implied a certain
amount Of SOM 4thinlg tuat the gentleman
scarcely liked. How should she know
whether their beliefs were similar?
Indeed" he commented, somewhat
drily, "W ould IL be lmpertinent in me
: TO inquire what your beIlei really is?'
She pit her lip.
81 make no pretensions TO understand
ing any ones IDEAS upon this or any
oIuer SUBJECT better than they them
selves do. l only know that my own
opinion of love is very different from the
| iatter-Iay sentiment which is now dig
nIfl4d by that name"
He smiled provokingly.
$50 Is mine We agree thus far, at
any rate. Perhaps, were we to compare
notes, the similarity would exist still
Iurther."
scarcely probable" she answered,
calmly. But it is not an Interesting
| loplc, and as it is OF no consequence
whether we consider it in the same light
or no, propose we discuss some otner
| subject"
| OF course after that the conversation
was changed.
| nConlUund it'll what's the useW he
murmureu, sadly, that night-or rather
that morning-aiter returning home.
| Here l am, fairly beWitched after a
woman who, if report speaks truly. is
not capable OF feeling a particle OF atfec-
tion tor any man, and who has demon
strated beyond peradYenLure her utter
| indifference to me. Iu love with an icp-
| berg! Tna1s what's the matter! But L
swear l WON'T make fool of myself any
longerl She can 80 her way, and pll 60
mine!"
| Whether this resolution would have
been kept OF no, is question that must
for ever remain unset Vlled, as The nexL
| day Miss Vau0 had left town-gone, no
one knew where; to remain, none knew
how long.
| But we, being wiser than the majority
| of folks, may follow her away from the
| crowded metropolis to beautiful coun-
| try seat down in Kent, where, disguised
alike with the world and herself, she
nad sought refuge for the summer
months with her young married friend,
Mary Thurston.
"Now, Clara" said this young lady, as
they sat together some few evenings al
ter Miss Vane's arrival, "of course you
know how glad am 10 have you here,
and all that sort of thing; but what in
the world possessed you TO come? For
when l saw you last you gave me no en-
couragement to hope for this visit"
"Well, Mary, to tell the truth, hadn't
the slightest luea Oh paying IL TWO weeks
ago; but"
| 'pub Wb''l O"SSAAJ oohOu hOh CO"-
panion. you were not involved in any
love affair, were YOU? l heard some
thing Of serious Kind OF fllrtation you
were having with somebody. 1t dIdut
become COO serious-did itT
eyes, it did!" answered her guest i'm
peluously, startled out OF her usual retl-
lcepce by that strange longing for sy NJ
patny which sometimes selzes the proud
est OF US. IL became acquainted with Il
man endowed with extraordinary gifts
of mind and person, and l undertook 10
teach him lesson. But, alas tor hu-
man yolitlon! l learned the lessouW
.sDoes he know up Interrupted her
friend anxiously.
know lt?' she repeated in scorn.
"Nu!-nor ever will! And that is the
reason l have come to you SO uneX-
pectedly."
The conversation was here put an end
TO by the entrance of captain Thurston.
"a letter tor you, Mary. From Nor
ton. l fancy" he said, carelessly tOss-
ing it into her lap.
Tne quick blood rushed into Clara's
face. Even the name caused her heart
TO futter strangely; but neither OF her
friends noticed her agitation-both be-
ing engrossed in their missives.
IOh, dear!' sighed Mrs. Mary, halt
unconsclously.
Clara and her husband looked up in
surprise. Her lace was glowing joyful
lly, albeit her eyes were full OF tears.
"Whavs the matterp they asked in a
breath.
"Oh, nothing muchp she replied.
"Only Pm SO giad. Clara, never knew
that you were acquainted with my half
brother, NJ orton LeVyllian."
Poor Clara! Her face, even to the roots
of her hair, was scarlet; but she made
no reply, and her friend continued, re-
morselessly, "He is coming to pay US a
visit, and we may expect him every
moment"
All the col or fed swiftly from Clara's
cheek.
SNOW, don't be goosew whispered
Mary softly. "Just read this"
So Clara read AS loliows:
, "MY DEAR SISTER, am sick of the
sGreaL Metropolis sick Of life, and sick
. of myself; am fast becoming, in tact, a
misanthrope-sick Of everything. So,
10 improve this w0ful condition Of al
iairs, shall start tonight for your sweet
pretty country home. For the last few