Connecticut western news., 1879-08-20

covered. This brilliant, popular artist, so like the whilom slave girl Then she talked to Dorothea in her soft, pur- ring way. Dorothea answered her se- renely.
 This was shortly before Dorothea's marriage. During the in terval of her fame-making the war flame had swept over the land. She had had many lovers none of them, how ever, called Barnes but she reserved her choice for what at the time appeared to be the most brilliant match among them. This was a dashing cavalry general, who was the idol of the hour, and who besieged Dorothea with the same ardor and de- termination which he had shown in as- sailing other defenses. Dorothea al- lowed herself to be touched, to be won yes, allowed herself. It seemed as though she might this time. This bril- liant marriage would ftly crown hel other successes. Therefore, when Gen. eral Alleyn asked her to marry him, she accepted him.
 She had no misgivings at all as to the deception she had practiced upon him. She composed little story of her par. entage and early life, which she related with charming simplicity. She repre-. sented herself as being the child o1 French and English parents, who had died during her early childhood, and that she had DO relatives in this country. General Alleyn was glad to be assured that she had no objectionable Bohemian connections. As for herself, she stood on her own merits. She was queen in her own right.
 After her marriage she left the stage. Her husband was ambitious and enter. prising. He abandoned the army. II became his aim to distinguish himself now in civil life. In this his wife sec' onded him heart and soul. She was his wife; his glory was her glory.
 One day her husband showed her a letter which he had received from po' litical ally in the South, recommending to his notice colored man who had es- abolished newspaper in Natchez, and who was coming North to look up sub' scribers. General Alleyn tossed his wife copy of the paper. The editors name was given Aaron Floyd. Ahl Dorothea recognized the quaint Chris tian name, with it's surname-orjginally assumed by Aaron's father as token of admiration for the Floyd family-at once. She glanced over the paper. "1 don't think much of it," she said ; "wishy-washy."
 els it ?" queried the husband, whose confidence in his wife's critical acumen was unbounded.
 The words were scarcely out of her mouth when Aaron presented himself, or rather was shown in by strange servant without giving due warning. General Alleyn went forward cordially; Mrs. Alleyn gathered together her silken skirts and swept away. She had only happened by accident to be in the room where her husband received his business visitors. Aaron paused in his salutation to General Alleyn to gaze transfxed at the beautiful retreating vision. It a0as, it WAS, it VAS Dorothea!
 "My wife," explained General Alleyn, good-naturedly.
 Aaron sat down stupefied. He did not doubt for moment that he had seen Dorothea. He mastered the situa. ton in flash. Slowly all these years, indeed, he had learned to read her-hel coldness, her worldliness, her ambition. He believed that she had played him g trick. So she still lived. Good God It were better for him were she dead This man, humble, of a pariah race loved her; he had loved her all his life with every breath he drew. And now she had looked at him with those cold cruel eyes of absolute unrecognition.
 General Alleyn talked to him, and he answered at random. What did he care now for the miserable position he haG won for himself? What did he care fol the good he had meant to do for hi people? A disgust and bathing of his career swept over him it filled hin with shame to remember the paragraphs that were going the rounds of the papers describing him as the literary coloreo blacksmith, very much as one nigh describe literary monkey. He cut hi' visit short. He could stand it no longer
 Afterward General Alleyn spoke O. him to his wife as poor creature "He seemed to be half-witted: really, ] made up my mind he is coached to ge off the remarks they say he does get of sometimes, and that some one else edit that paper for him." To which Mrs Aleyn responded, Very likely" witt her tranquil smile.
 But there was manhood enough il Aaron to survive the shock, nevertheless Duty had been his queen paramount al his life; he did not desert her now Nay, she did not desert him. She pu strength into his soul. She made possible for him to go on living.
 Kingsley says somewhere, in effect that the story of life is never finished Therefore, as Aaron Floyd and Dorothe Aleyn still live, it is impossible to con clude the recital of their fates. Thei paths have never crossed since. I fanc
 they never will. Aaron would not desir
 it. His is a simple nature, not ove1
 flowing with imagination. Perhaps yo
 could not put into oswords the sentimer
 he-cherishes, but to some of the rest (
 us the notion of a grave in heart is | not unsuggestiYe one. There is a pra1