Litchfield enquirer., 1881-11-24

dream over, not to read In Brides frame of mind all the lines were one blurred mass, | all the words were indistinct She sat down l in little arbor that had been built at the edge of wood, hanging over an extensive view of heathery moor, and there, till the dressing-bell rang, she felt she could weep and think in peace-at least, so she hoped ; but quarter of an hour had scarcely passed eway when she heard a mans footstep ap- preaching the arbor, and she almost sprang up with little frightened cry. ' Not Lucius; mo-, not Lucus; there alone 1; she could not bear it.
 l It was Percy, and she sank back into her seat as though relieved from great fear. Not that she wanted Percy's companiopship-far from it and had he been a man of the world and gentleman her monosy llabic replies | would speedily have induced him to pursue his way to the house. But Percy. like his sister wss noe easily daunted: he could not under stand the word ''no" unless it was written in very plain letters before him, and he actually had the audacity, though he had never receiv- at anytime the most remote encouragement, to make Miss Verulam formal tender of his hand and possessions, looking quite surprised, too, when she got up and told him that she re- gretted he had made so great mistake, such an alliance being impossible Impossible 7" he repeated; Impossible that you can ever care for me ?" And Percy. whose belief in himself was | immense, looked at her in absolute astonish- | nent.
 Under happier auspices Birdie would have 1 laughed; as it was, she turned from hlm with sort of disgust, merely saying very quietly ; Please leave me; would rather be alone"
 | A hot flush rose into Percy's face as she | spoke. This son of the people imagined that l Birdie, being the daughter of great house, was f1outing him, and he resolved to be re- venged
 Poor Birdie Of the social chasm that lay between them she never thought only of how utterly incapable a man like Percy was to supplant Lucius in her aching heart.
 Bitterly angry with himself for evoking it, | and with Birdie for offering what he was | pleased to call an insult, he left the arbor without another word, walking rapidly along the path toward the house. When he was about halfway some sound attracted his at- | tention and he looked round. Lucius, stroll ing back, sun in hand and alone, had reached | the arbor and stopped another second and he passed inside and out of view. "So-so, my lady! Please leave me: l would rather be alone!' Of course yon would. But you will not carry on your little games at Abbotscraithie if can prevent it" In less than five minutes Amelia forewarn- ed by Percy, was creeping along through the brushwood to the back of the arbor, in order to learn, if possible, herself unheard, some | thing of what was going on between her hus- l band and Birdie Verulam.
 Fl would never have come if had known :; but, oh Lucius, Ithought could have borne it. Why did you let her invite us?" My darling, did my utmost to prevent | it; but she was very positive, and I-well you bade me marry her, and I-well, you see, did not think you would care 80 very much."
 .'.Oh Lucius, should have made no sacri- 1 flee for if had not really cared. but fthought be persuaded to take me home"
 ''My poor, poor, sweet love, Birdie !" was | all the man could murmur.
 There was no consolation to offer now. l You must not kiss me, Lucius-well, only this once, my love. Now go. 1 cannot bear it if you stay longer-I cannot indeed. Be- sides it is not right to yourself or her.'' He took her in his arms for moment, left on her lips one more forbidden burning kiss, and was gone-not toward the house. but down the hill on to the moors, where, with nature reigning in wild beauty all around him, he could fight unchidden with his raging | love. ....lf .-. zss. & n n. -,.,s
 In the arbor, for long space, the soft, bug zing, lazy Summer sounds were disturbed by Brides sobs; while outside, with nothing be- tween them but the thin, bark-covered, wood 1 en partition, sat Amelia on the ground among the underwood, her head on her knees, which were surrounded by her clasped hands. She had heard it all, and was thinking it over bit by bit.
 What should she do ? The future, which but an hour ago had seemed so bright to her as she believed in Lucius Fitzgerald's love, had suddenly become dimmed by mist which looked eternal. She could not see through it {; it was thick as that which gathered about the summit of her own north country hills. Still she must try and find her way through it.; and as she sat there motionless, listening to the sobs within, and thinking more earnestly than she had ever thought in her life before, a depth of feeling was awakened in Amelia's heart for which no one who knew her only in the light comedy of life would have given her credit. She was the first to move-very care fully, lest Birdie should hear-and to go slow ly to the house. She met Percy at the door. l Well, what was up in the arbor?" Nothing. l believe you purposely sent me on wild-goose chase. Lucius has gone down toward Raeburn's farm.'' q
 What an invaluable article is stupidity in the proper place! .....3 ... ... -.- l Two hours later the husband and wife met at dinner. Birdie had one of her usual bad headaches. No one could have guessed that Amelia had learned the truth; only perhaps Lucius noticed that she was evsn more tender and womanly in her manner than she had ever been before. .. =.
 For many days Birdie lay Ill up stairs in a darkened room. Amelia never intruded her. self unbidden into the sick girls presence; but all that love could think of and attention car ry out she gave to Birdie, and with DO demon- strative outbursts. Nor did she ever tell Lu- cius that she knew ought of the past, but helped him quietly, with soothing tenderness
 to bear the anxiety and irritabiiity produced by Brides illness. Amelia had seen her way through the mists and tue road along which she bad elected to travel was that of patient sympathy. ~
 As months passed on, and time cicatrized the wound In Lucius's heart that destiny had made, was not much of it's healing due to the woman who loved him well enough to bear silently and unmurmuriBgly her share of the burden with which he was so heavily 1 weighted.
 Birdie Verulam has never married She went abroad with Lady Constantia for awhile, on her return she stndiously avoided all meet ings with Lucius, and pointedly refused to pay another visit to Abbotscraithie; but she is al- ways on friendly, almost loving, terms with Amelia. who scarcely ever undertakes any scheme of importance without first consulting Birdie. .- IiaasIeys Magasine. x l E--.s.. P .-F