Litchfield enquirer., 1879-01-30

to myself Fanny in her trouble, comforting herself in my affection, and the disiliusion had rather chilled me. E~ LEFsf . L b Bridget broke ont as she showed me to inc door, Had she served two generations Of tbe Hazlewoods, to see them robbed by bit of q French hussy But she'd have the thing sifted to the bottom and the Lord Advocate himself should see to it., But Bridget came to see me next day in more hnmble mood. <$ A
 '.Ye'll never desert Miss Fanny now she's so sair in need of friend, Mir. Phip?"
 replied that I should be true to her if she were true to me; and then Bridget went on to say that her young mistresses, would beuna5le to see any one till after the funeral, and that they hoped I would be present to pay the last offices of respect to Lady Hazlewood
 After the funeral was held family council, to which I was invited in my professional capacity, as was given to understand When everything should be sold-the old-fashioned furniture, the family picturers, the ancient valuables-there would perhaps be couple ot hundred pounds left, after all deductions. Could they possible keep together as family, Bridget included and earn their bread? It was difficult to see how. "One way suggested itself," whispered to Fanny. .1f she would marry me at once, the others could find home with us Perhaps had too benignant an air when I said this-possbly my manner was too cold and matter-of- fact-anyhow Fanny re- ceived my suggestion with an utter refusal. All that had come to an end," she said. '!Would please never recur to the subject She could value me as a friend-but nothing more"
 Fanny spoke so harshly and cold that l felt myself rasped' completely the wrong way, Fanny, felt sure, had only made use of me for the family ends. had been hardly used, any if my honest affection met with no better return, then let there be an end to everything Fanny celdly assented; before 1 left she brought down a small bundle of letters, and a few presents in the way of jewelry.
 Everything was there, she said, except the last letter had written, which she had searched for everywhere and that had been addressed to the sisters generally. and one of the younger ones had lost it." ;. .< <fE. '
 There is no situation under which man feels more foolish than in walking away with bundle of returned love-etters under his arm. They had been made up for me, too. before e-hand and the idea of that provoked me.
 And there was Jeanne at home as gracious and winning as an angel. She had subjugated them all My rather, with his old fashioned gallantry-the mother with. her dignity of British matron, and her French, of the almost forgotten Clapham m Academy-both were her unressting victims. My sisters were charmed with her-the two cubs, my brothers were her most devoted slaves; Jeanne had made herself loved by us all. Our house had never been very solemn, but now it was like a grove full of nightingales. Jeanne sang always, gay, light airs, with clear, fresh voice.
 But she was very sad when told her of her cousins and their poverty. She would write at once and ask when she could see them, and of course she would put them at their ease as to the future. But when she came back from her visit to HorntOl- -'trcet, sine seemed quite unhappy. SEe could not make friends with her cousins and they had most indignantly rejected her offers of service. Jeanne came to me to ask, could suggest any way in which she could help her cousins unknown to them? could not suggest any plan at the moment, but no doubt opportunities would arise.
 In the meantime Jeanne and went about everywhere; she, gracefully chidlike and pleased with everything, with her native tact in keeping ones masculine susceptibilities all rubbed the right way; I,becoming every day more and more fascinated with the charming stranger. My heart had been caught in the re- bound. Our lawsuit, too, progressed capitally; all the proofs were satisfactory before long we had decision in our favor, and on her twenty-first birthday we were able to congratu- late Jeanne on coming into possession of her fortune.
 Fl is to the owe it, my dear friend" she said, putting her hand into mine with a pretty gesture of grateful friendship; 'and now, Monsieur, you must name your reward"
 '''This IS the reward 1 covet," 1 exclaimed, as pressed her hand, and looked passsonately into her face.
 She cast down her eyes with sort of half smile upon her face, thoughtful and content, and yet without elaton. .....
 "lf such reward contents you, how can 1 refuse it P
 Yes, 1 was a lucky fellow, with 30 much suitability and good looks joined to a fortune qnte enormous, considering my position. But 1 did not feel entirely easy in my mind Jeanne was so like Fanny at times, and them thought of my former love--poor, struggling deserted. Yes, had deserted her. She had given me my dismissal, indeed, but ought to have taken her at her word?
 Jeanne contrived, after all, to help her cou- sins little. For about six months after their grandmother's death they kept upthe house in Hornton- street. Then there was a sale by arlc- ton of all the effects. Jeanne went to the sale got up as an elderly lady. She came home tri- umphant. Never had such a sale been known in Kensington. Messieurs the brokers had been routed utterly. She had bought up almost erything at frightful prices, and the auctioneer was to dispose of them secretly for what they would fetch. Only two artices she retained the bust of Sir Randall, which she seemed to re- gard as something of household divinity, and pretty little escriteire, in sandal and silver, that had belonged to one of the girls.
 This was only the beginning of her extrava- ganceS. Once having broken out, she display ed afine talent for spending money. She would have everything at once. She gave me beau- tiful park hack, and bought another for her self, and insisted on riding with me in the park. She had set her mind upon a tilbury until she saw one, and then she did not like it. But she would have some phaetons as soon as we were married, and britschkas, and one or two lan- daus. She had magnificent costumes from Worth;sent hansome presents to her old friends. She would have that dear Monsieur such aone tO paint her portrait, and he should have fivo hundred guineas ;in the meantime, she would have herself photographed continually.
 One day 1 went with her to place in Re gent-street to get finished and tinted photo that had been promised her. There was some one in the artists inner room, whom he was scOlding well. The work was not well done, it was hideOus. How could he show such q vile travestie of a really beautiful face to his sitter? Let her take it away. No, he would not pay her, or even employ her again. A girl came put presently in tears; portfolio un- der her arm. Jeanne did not see her, but rec ogniZed her at once-it was Fanny. stretched out my hand, but Fanny brushed past me with with a face hard and set.
 4 few days afterward I met Bridget, who looked sour and fUrbiddng but she did not refuse to answer my questions. Miss Hazel wood had come down to coloring for photog- raphers and was not succeeding at that No, they were none of them doing just very we'll, Mister" said Bridget, giving me fierce little ssab. with the handle of her umbrella, 'I know Jeanne all ng ans gRg Nas fa O pity tsha sha would see her own lawyer--Jeanne had her own special lawyer, of course to see all fair between us-and she would insist on some provision for her cousins. She would write to him at once with her own hands Jeanne hated wri- ting. and she had never yet used the dainty lit- ile escritoire of sandal wood she had bought at the HOrntOn- street sale. Now it was locked and the key lost. and sine brought me the desk with a penitent little moan asking me to open it. This lock was not very strong, and man aged to open it with my penknife. Jeanne dropped me a graceful little curtsy with a.