The weekly clarion., 1880-04-21
ST. MARIE.
New ork Observer

exactly how it came about. My be
trothed was high-bred, beautiful, be
| longed to aristocratic circles, and de
clared by those who had become suf
GENTLY acquainted with her intellectua
development to be wonderfully intelli
gent. [ had never become intimate
enough with my lady to make any sucl
discovery. My mother said il was N,
fault. Perhaps she was right.
Marian Cathcart was her name anC
although We had been engaged severa
months, and | had made d point o
spending at least two evenings Of eacl
week in her society, | had never We
progressed beyond the formal Miss Ma
rian and she did not seem inclined t,
invite ME to any less conventional plat
form. | used to wonder if, after W.
were married, | should simply chang,
| the Miss to Mrs. and Mrs. Marian hel
| through our matrimonial pilgrimage.
! Nv mother declared | had choseI
wisely. | occasionally felt like suggest
ing that she should take all the credit
| to herself, for | certainly had had Nc
choice in the matter; but argued thai
women must, Of necessity, have more
opportunity for judging Of the virtues
of their own sex than we masculine bi
| peds, who half the time are not able tC
discriminate between false teeth and
natural ivory, or sham hair and the
original article. So [ pinned my faith
on my maternal parents stout sleeve OF
! judgment, closed both eyes, took every
thing for granted, and event it blind" >"
| occasionally caught myself wonder
ing if there really was such a thing
in the world as love. From boy
had been a great lover of sentiment and
sentimental poetry-had formed an ideal
Of my future partner, as most boys and
girls do. | fancy-believed that
Love is the striving
or two spirits to be one
Sweetness lingering after sweetness,
Want that thirsteth for completeness,
Planets twain decreed to be
EacE others clear necessity
Each from each its light deriving,
Till they melt into a sun.
| was quite sure that my spirit didn't
strive in her direction. Ny soul had
no want that she could satisfy, and the
prospec, was that ''planets twain" we
should Temain-hadn't the slightes in
tention of rhyming then-to the end OF
the chapter.
1t was respectable to marry. Old
bachelors were held in almost as much
odium by the public as old maids and
none of our family, ON either side OF
the house, had ever been known to sci
aside the conventional custom of mat
rimony; and they had all married well,
too--that is, in their own set, as far back
as we could trace.
Love was Il myth" my mother de-
clared---simply a something to fascin.
ate schoolgirls and college youths, but
which disappeared when the years OF
discretion rolled around.
| was possessed of $50, 900; my aft
anced would have as much more when
her father died; and so our financial
| future was assured.
Sometimes, as | looked into the mir
-ror, and surveyed the features which
appeared as if there might be a soul
| behind them, | was tempted to some
sort of understanding with myself; but
family lies, society's restrictions, and
the absence of real, Independent, manly
brain, kept me in that narrow, con
| temptible groove of prejudice in which
| had been born and reared.
A few weeks before | had proposed,
and been accepted, my lady mother en-
gagged new governess for my two
young sisters, Minnie and Annie-the
first y, the second IA years of age.
The reader, judging by the majority
of stories, will of course imagine, the
moment this new individual is intro
duced to their notice, that the writer
fell Immediately in love, as is the gen
eral custom in such cases-but the
| reader is mistaken.
Marie de We're (that was her name,
was beautiful talented and accomplish
ed, and exceedingly attractive, on ac
count of a womanly reticence which
was modest and captivating TO the last
| degree.
| had always admired shy women
Mariar-eXcuse me, Miss Marian
had no such beauty. She was as self-pos
sessed as a woman of 40, and as smooth
as frozen lake.
1t would have been singular had
not looked with feelings of pleasure
upon the little woman who gided st
| gracefully through the house, attending
to her duties with thoughtfulness anC
| patience which seemed to me almos
angelic. | found myself calling her St
Marie. Rather a strange name for {
woman; but it came as natural to M
| lips as ''Sis" and Dear" when speak
ing to my sisters. Not that ever call
ed her so. By no means. We scareel,
ever exchanged a word.
Our governess (of French extraction,
was my social inferior and my mothe
never allowed any approach to intima
cy, or conversation even, with sucl
members of her household. The frs
time ever had the pleasure of cha
with the dear little creature l shall
never forget. 1t was bitter cold even
ing, and my mother and sisters were out
| When [ entered the library, after din
ner, Miss de We're was sitting at tn
table, writing
do not let me disturb you" en-
treated, as she commenced to gather u
her papers, in order to depart.
Il can write in my own room as well ,
she replied. 'sOnly it is a little warme
here"
Every well, them" I made answer
you must remain. If you consider
absolutely essential for one of US (
leave, will depart Immediately"
The little lady turned upon me tn
full light of her beaming eyes, while al
expression of fearlessness and determi
nation dimmed the shy look for a mo
ment, and replied, '.One of us mas
Leaue That you know sir! And the rea
son for such necessity you also under
stand. IF you prefer your own room,
will remain here. IF not. the Hbrar,
is at your service !"
The reader will agree with me,
think, that this was decidedly cool
There she stood, her pale face a ittl