Connecticut western news., 1878-05-23

| would turn away with upIfted hands when it was known he was disinherited, with no home but room in the house of widowed aunt ekeing out her nar- row income by taking boarders. It would smile at his biting sarcasms, his brilliant conversation, his cynical sneers, if he was reinstated in his fathers favor, but how rude these would be in poor l man. .'
 Leoalie, from thinking of society's opinion, quite unconsciously glided into considering her own. This dark-browned man had made fair portion of her sum- mer pleasure for three months, had been her cavalier in many country walks, drives and sails, had quoted poetry under trees, sung in a superb baritone upon murmuring waters, looked into her eyes on moonit porch, and whispered deli cately-worded Aattery. No more than many another man had done. A beauty | and rich, Miss Cameron had looked upon more than one languishing suitor, and forgotten him when her amusement wearied her. Scarcely hirt-for she encouraged no downright Iove-making, but beautiful, fascinating woman who wounded hearts with merely careless grace. ..... Musing in the sunset it was impressed upon the proud heart that unconsciously she had poisoned life that was already sinking. There were capabilities for better things than dissipation suicide in John Furber, and she shivered as she thought he might be upon some dan gerous precipice, waiting for the clasp of the hand to draw him back, or its repulse to thrust him over. She passed in review her host of male friends, and found none who had wakened her heart to hours of such keen pleasure as John Furber had given her. She tried to re- call one mind whose grasp of intellect had dwarfed her down as his had done, who had met her fairly in so many argu- ments and worsted her, and she could only remember soft fattery of her i" won derful mind" Ea
 Finally, lifting her eyes with soft sigh, she saw him leaning against tree opposite the low window, looking at her. A vivid flush stained her cheek as he said
 "What can you have been thinking of You have not stirred for half an hour. Only that your eyes were open, I should have thought you asleep" 1 "Your powers of observation are mar vicious" she answered, lightly. -sI was dreaming"
 'sOf what p
 "The world in general, my world in particular. It is almost time I returned there."
 She was prepared for some polite show of regret, but not for the ghastly change in his face.
 She shuddered, remembering his aunt's words.
 Going away Why, of course you would be soon, 2 he said, trying to speak carelessly, while his eyes hungrily de- Youred her face, and his white, parched lips were drawn as if in sharp physical pain.
 s'I have been here three months" she said, feeling her own heart ache at his misery.
 "Yes, yes You will go, certainly"
 "And you," she said, very gently, "you will be in the city, presume. I should be glad to welcome you to my house." .... .-.--..--.
 "No," he said, harshly; 1T will not take such advantage of your kindness I am man your friends would tell you to shun, Miss Cameron-a man who has wasted his life till 1t is too late to take up the threads again. You do not know, perhaps, that my aunt keeps me here from charity ?' -..-
 "I know you have offended your father" she answered ; "but you are man, scarcely thirty, and it is cowardly to talk of despair at your age."
 Her words cut him like whip-lash. The dark blood mounted to his forehead as he repeated
 "Coward I might fight the world yet, but" and here his tone was bitter, and yet strangely pathetic, :" the battle IS scarcely worth winning. What would I gain? Money? I do not value it. Position? have thrown it behind me. I have played the fool, and I must take the fools wages. @
 "I will not have you say so," she said, reused by an earnestness she never had intended to betray. You shall not uselessly throw away your ife.''
 A hope sprang to his eyes, new there, lighting them to dazzling radiance.
 "Miss Cameron-Leonie,' he cried, "were there prize to win, were ones hearts hope centered upon me, would trample down these demons of tempta- tion. I would prove myself man if I had any motive"
 There was no mistaking the prayer in his eyes, the pleading in his voice. Only for one moment, close now to the low window, before g hand like 8 snowflake fell upon his shoulder, a his ear
 Be man, for my sake y
 She was gone before he spoke again, and he wandered off to the woods to muse upon possibility of this new life. The next day Mrs. Tollman lost her summer boarder. Society, languidly contemplating Miss Cameron for the next three years found her eccentric. She was gay and grave~by flashes, fas- cinating in either mood, but she was mysteriously unapproachable.