, 1879-05-01

The taste OF that fruit on his lip"
"Mv sentiments exactly What say
yen
81 say this" replied my friend, Dick
Gage, irately. "Ifyouw would throw Owen
Meredith out of the window, pack your
valise and go down to my sisters
month, you might learn thing or two
about .woman's love- that you don't
know yet. It's abominable for hand
some, wealthy young fellow like you to
throw all women over and take to Byron
and Owen Meredith just because Lucille
Davenport Tilted you. did think you
had more sense; but it's nearly three
years since you vowed that all women
were false, tickle, hollow-hearted; ETC.,
tore off to Europe, and"
"Hold on Dick" Interrupted |. "Take
a rest now. l wasn't aware that Owen
Meredith was not to your taste, or l
would not have inflicted his poetry upon
YOU; and / didn't know that Mrs. Aims
lie had invited me down to her place for
a month"
"Nonsense You didn't know You
read my letter from her last week, say
ing that we must both be there for the
holidays"
~ did not.
'eThen / forgot to show it to you.
Well, it's Just the same;" philosophically;
4 meant to; here it is now" taking the
document from his pocket and handing
it to him.
"GOingl Of course" he replied.
"Alice Logan will be there, and where
she is there is your humble servant also,
accidents excepted. Beside, there will
be lot OF pleasant people there; Nellie
knows exactly whom to invite together
Then my cousin, Clara Vernon, is spend
ing year with Nellie, while her father
is in India; her mother is dead. Will
you goF"
'Yes, + think 1 will" L replied, eff
for no other reason than to demonstrate
to you that l am still in the possession
Of portion, at least, Of that sense which
you intimated while ago had taken to
itself wings"
Good2 Next week Wednesday is
Christmas; we had better 90 down to-
night, and we will take trunks instead
of valise," said Dick; and so it was ar
ranged. \
1t was New Years Eve. We were
gathered in Mrs. Ainslie's drawing
room, listening to Miss Vernon's rendi-
tion Of Mozart's requiem. have never
heard it played better. This lady had
from the first puzzled and interested me.
She was tall and stately, fair as lily,
eyes neither blue nor black but violet,
and hair of o strange, reddish yellow,
like the color of sardonyx. Her beauty
was enchanting because so rare, while
voice like music added to the charm
which she threw around everyone. We
were the best of friends apparently, but
there was reserve in her manner that
was imperceptible to anyone but myself,
and it was barrier which l could not
cross. This reserve puzzled me, and per-
haps wounded my vanity little. "Wo-
men usually are not so cold toward
me" thought, with the egotism that is
more or less part Of all masculines.
The music ceased, and we began dis
cussing our plain for the evening, which
had been originated by Miss Vernon.
Not far from Mrs. Ainslie's residence
was mansion built after the style Of an
English castle. 1t had not been occupied
for years and was said to be haunted.
In the round room, an apartment for
merly used as picture gallery, situated
In the north tower, we proposed to watch
the old year out.
"Why the round room particularly Z"
some one suggested" And Clara Vernon
replied,
because they say the ghost is never
in seen any Other part of the building"
1t was approached by long corridor,
at the southern end of which, facing the
round room, was the library. Mr..
Ainslie had sent some of his servants
over before dark to build fire there
and carry some refreshments; they
could not be induced to enter the
grounds, even after dark. About IL
o'clock party Of fourteen of us set out,
four young couples, and three married
men with their wives | had Miss Yer
non end Mr.. and Mrs Ainslie in my
double sleigh. 1t was bright, moon
light night, and not uncomfortably cold.
We found the library well warmed upon
our arrival, and, after lighting our can
dies and lanterns, We repaired in sol
enu procession to the round room. We
laughed and chatted for half hour, at
our luncheon. and when cold warmed
ourselves nv the library fire.