The weekly clarion., 1880-04-21

/ AS YOU Will, Miss de ere, | replI-
ell. But ana at a loss To understand
| why, when. without tiattering myself. /
/ trust, | think we shall De mutually
/ pleased with an evening together in the
| library, We may not enjoy ii like sensi-
ble folks. | am lonely, and desire
yes, really need entertainment, and Of
| Ike not to be had from books You are
| tired with your school-room duties, and
should have change and recreation.
Please be seated, and lets converse a
while Ike Christians"
She evidently did not hear the last OF
the sentence. Her ewes took on fair
away, wisJ1ul look. and te3rs-I could
plainly distinguish the little pearly drops
-trembled on the fringed lids
For a moment she stood, silent and
wistful, then turned away with sim
pie Good night, Mr.. Sinclair"
would have detained her even then,
but she closed the door, and, in a mo-
ment after, | heard her light step upon
the stairs.
An extremely pleasant position for
a social man" l said to myself.
''What sin has this beautiful and intel
lectual woman committed against So
ciety, that she Is not entitled to its full
privileges ?'.
And when my mother entered the
library, dignified and urbane as usual,
just a least bit enthusiastic over the
brilliant assembly she had just left, l
was deep in the question of womau's
rights, and had decided that, whatever
the risks, whether socially and political |
" ostracized, | would direct my ener-
gies toward the total demolishing of all /
cOnventionalism, which prevented a
decent mans enjoyment There was
nothing selfish, of course, in this view |
of the case.
What do you imagine, mother, to be |
the reason" | asked of this august indi- /
vidual, as she stood warming her feet at /
the CRATE, that | could not persuade /
Miss de We're to spend the evening with |
me in the library? She ran away like
frightened tawn.
''Do you mean to insinuate, Frank, !
that you extended an invitation to Miss
de We're to that effect" inquired my
mother, looking straight into my eyes
with her keen black ones
''Insinuate No, mother. But |
distinctly declare that did extend an
invitation of that character to Miss de
We're, which invitation she declined"
(Which distinctly proved that the
governess had more correct idea of
propriety than a gentleman, born and
bred, whose education has been conduct
ed with the strictest regard to the de-
mands of society. This only adds
another proof of Miss de Nere's fitness
for the position, and furnishes the first
testimony ever received Of my sons un-
fitness for the company Of his equals and
superiors."
And my mother, without another
word, sailed majestically from the room.
''Knocked my head against rock
Might have known it, was my inward
ejaculation as the door closed between
us.
The next evening I spent with my
betrothed. She was as cold, dignifed
and formal as ever. Some way | began
to be iii isfied with the manner of my
reception. Strangely enough, | found
myself unable longer to relish two hours
on the same sofa with woman who in
variably withdrew her hand from my
clasp as soon as it was taken, and insist
ed that Il kiss upon the cheek at coming
and going was all the caressing allow
able between engaged parties.
''ls this the way lovers usually be-
have, Miss Marian2" | ventured to in
quire, after several Intellectual attempts
to keep my arm around her waist.
81 presume So" was her reply, with
out the least heightening Of color AL
well-bred and refined persons agree in
regard to the requirements Of propriety,
| presume ;" and then adroitly changed
the conversation; but | was not to be
driven from the new platform had
taken my stand upon by any such ar
tihce.
And you are positive that all we'll
bred and refined persons, as you call
them, are able to conjugate the verb
aDlo, to love- and thoroughly under
stand its moods and lenses and that all
engagements between well-bred and re-
fined persons are founded upon love,
are you? | am to judge from your be-
the individual now addressing You2"
II can, l think, refer you to some
philosophical treatise on the subject, if
you like, was the reply of my lady.
But" she continued, Il trust you will
see the propriety Of leaving the discus.
sion of this extremely disagreeable topic
until some future time-after we are
married, if you please. | scarcely think
your mother would approve of such a
conversation.
"Humph probably not" was my
most ungallant reply. But what bust
ness is to her how | make love?"
1t seemed to me that night, as l laid
my head on the pillow, that my position
was anything but an enviable one and,
to save my life, | could not help con
trasting the cold and passionless face Of
Miss Marian, with the SOULFUL, earnest |
expression Of the little girl | had named |
St. Marie. Moonlight flooded the apart |
ment but the rays were cherries, and |
served only to remind me of the rigid, |
ice-cold, society-fettered woman | had |
just left. Sleep came at last-blessed |
relief, In dreams, the saint only was
visible. Strange, how near she seemed |
to me | heard her voice in every con- |
ceivable tone-now soft and melodious, |
now earnest and thrilling, now stern and |
commanding. 4 dreadful weight |
pressed down upon my chest, I could
hardly breathe
rang out in terror-stricken tones, and |
With SucH Il wealth. OF TENDERNESS L0aJ i |
longed to open my arms and infold the
saint; but was powerless to stir hand |
or foot.
| felt myself forcibly lifted from the
pillow, and held in sitting position
Frank Sinclair, the house is on fire |
VIII you not awaken? For Gods sake, |
get up quickly! They are all out but
you and T. The hall and rooms below
are all in blaze."
For a second l gazed at the rapt
countenance, then commenced to realize
the situation. The cries of the fremen,
the Kissing and sputtering of the flames,
the earnest pleading of my saint, fell
upon mp ears with strange commin-
Cling of emotions Good Heavens how