The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-08-25

much. But he wheeled about angrily.
as I ought to have known he would.
Pauline p he cried, ado you dare
to say such a thing to me? Do you
think life would be worth farthing to
me-" he went on, more softly, t'or to
Amy either, without my sister Polly in
the house?" L
" You would not miss me, Harold
dear, so much, after you had that little
sunbeam in the house," I faltered.
"She is sunbeam" he said. "God
bless her But you are the light in the
window, the fire on the hearth, Polly.
Don't let me hear any more such stuff
I've trouble enough now, God knows,
without feeling that you are turning
over such thoughts as that"
Time fed, and Harold still plodded
on. Sometimes, when I was well
enough-and I had been gaining lately
he dictated an article to me; sometimes
l went to the libraries and gathered him
data for his work, that brought him
much praise and little pay. We lived
in our three rooms; we studied Spanish
together for the sake of some Spanish
records Of use to him; we found a GER
tain quiet and healthy pleasure in every
day. Ny only dissipation in these
times were my evenings with Mrs.
Manchester, seldom going on those of
her grand receptions, but on the off
nights, when some cluster of distin-
guished people dropped in, or when she
had music of rare sort; and if there
were only herself and myself, then en-
ioying the time all the more, for the
hours that spent with her alone gave
me glimpses into her nature that were
like travelling in unknown regions. She
knew my circumstances, but, of course,
she could offer us no such indignity as
to urge upon us any other assistance
than her friendship, although she did
more than once beg us to give up our
little rooms and come and share her
lonely splendor. But that would have
been Harold's surrender of independ-
ence, and was out of the question.
"Well," she said at one time, cit is
absurd. 1t deprives you of comforts
and enjoyments, and gives you no pleas
ure but the qualification of your pride.
Still, 1 like your pride; it is healthy.
Au reste, shall be of use to you when
you little dream it," And she sat think
ing moodily for awhile, and waving to
and fro her feathered fan like the dark
wing Of some dream. Often, then, when
she sent me home in her sumptuous
carriage, I half wished that Harold were
not so healthy in this matter Of pride,
for house and equipage were all exactly
to my taste, that loved surroundings OF
state and beauty.
was gong down to the McNeils to
spend day, when I bade Mrs. Man
chester goodbye one morning.
"Take me with you," she said, impul-
sively. ST should like to see little
Hop-o'-my-Thumb again, which was one
of the names she had given Amy, varied
of late With Her High Flightiness and
Miss Hoity Toity. When we came back
that night Mrs. Manchester brought
Amy with her for a visit. And such a
visit as it was Mrs. Manchester seemed
resolved that the child should have all
the gayety she could take, and there
was no doubt that the little beauty could
take a good deal,
1t was all new to her, just from he
country town. At first it dazzled and
then it delighted her. She had the
world at her feet, for she was fresh as O
dewy wild flower where one tires Of
wilted exotics. At first, too, she would
have none of it without Harold and my.
self; but at last one person or another
it seemed to make little odds. Perhaps
this was somewhat due to Harold's open.
~ expressed objection to her waltzina
repeatedly in one evening with young
Peixotto, who seemed to clasp her more
closely as they whirled by Harold,
standing near, and to glance with sort
of insolent triumph at the lover with
his love in another's arms; and to hel
morning rides with Mr.. De Maury
through the woods beyond the city; and
to her appointment to meet Captain
Merriam in the gallery, and all the rest
of it. Then Amy would accuse him o.
trying to prevent her pleasures, and
would pout little, and perhaps cry 8
little, and then laugh little, and enc
by dancing away to get ready for an af-
ternoon stroll and call at Mrs. Gen
eral Vance's with somebody else.
Great heavens p Harold said to me
on coming home one night-for | die
not go to the routs after little" how
this business rubs the bloom off girl
What did Mrs. Manchester mean by ask
ing Amy into this inferno"
But l knew full soon what she meant
She meant that Harold should see how
little it takes to strip the down from the
wings of butterfly. But" l said tc
myself, /" it is useless, for there are none
so blind as those that won't see."
One night Harold had it out with Amy
after fashion. We had gone up to dine
with Mrs, Manchester and small com
pany, and I fancied that Harold hoped
for quiet &our or two with Amy after
ward. How lovely she wasl Judge
Mcneil had given the pretty spendthrift
check-book, and bade her use what
she wanted; and his money was never
spent to better advantage, inappropri
ately splendid as some of her attire was
That night in her close-ftting, long
trained robe of purple velvet, with one
yellow rose in the knots of creamy lace
at her open throat, with her yellow hair
her apple-blossom face, she was so beau
tiful that one looked again to make sure
But it was no quiet hour or two that she
wanted that night.
"Why, what nonsense, Harold !" she
laughed, at something he whispered az
they stepped into the conservatory to
gether. GAS if we shouldn't have all oul
lives together, for you to be grudgine
me this first and last outing !"
"Of course I do. This is the world
"But, Amy, it is no world for you