Middletown transcript., 1881-09-02

Al my Slull6, SIG dlOoC anu Ct'Li0 = =
to my chair, and, although never DEM
onstrative, she leaned down now, and
kissed me. Then she knelt on the
cushion at my feet, and, leaning across
my knee, she looked at me with such
strange, sad eyes.
"Dear Joan, let me tell you" she
began. But, before she could utter
another word, the doors swung open,
and Parker's sonorOus tones announced:
& Mrs. Leighton and Miss Pauline
Leighton, " and before the sound OF his
voice had died away, Viva had slipped
silently from the room.
The next afternoon, l was reading,
listlessly, in the great room, that was
part drawing-room and part boudor,
and where we always assembled, in
our informal moods, and we were an
informal house. Viva had gone to
drive with Mrs. Laurence, and although
| found g Italian Journeys very fasci-
mating, Vivia's troubles held me more
fascinated still.
What Why? When? revolved,
endlessly, in my mind. What should
change her so 3? Why had her happi-
ness eluded her, and slipped by I? When
had it left her embittered =?
L was 50 absorbed in my reverie, that
l did not perceive was not alone, un-
til two merry, dark eyes glanced over
the back of my chair, two hands held
my own captive, and gay voice eX-
claimed, laughing
g Dreaming, as usual, aunt Joan
Will younever overcome this pernicious
habit ?''
"Percy, you bad boy, when did you
return ?'' 1 said, rising, my book fall
ing unheeded t. the floor; for this
Piercy Thorn, my husbands nephew,
was great favorite of mine.
I came back last night, and, aunt,
here is my particular friend, Norman
Thorson, of whom l have written you
so much"
His companion had stood back in the
shadow, and I had not perceived him
until that moment-this tall, fair,
handsome man, who looked like a
Viking.
g "A friend of Percy's is always well
come, but, more particularly, this par
ticular friend, - 1 said, with smile.
And, as the stranger bowed over my
outstretched hand, and the purple-dark
eyes met mine for a moment, l thought !:
+" here is one of the kings of the earth,
who must only wish, to have. y
As the thought flashed through me,
my eyes fell, mechanically, on the firm,
white hand that held my own and |
noticed peculiar ring on it-an odd,
antique jewel, that was an opalescent
gray, with a vivid streak of scarlet
through it +; and l wondered what@ifl
was, as one does wonder of such things
hardly conscious that it has place in
the mind; for I had never seen: any
thing like it before, though my husband
had quite large collection of curious
rings. Perhaps, EgyptiaR,-I I thought.
Halbert said his store of Egyptian rel
les was very scant, as yet. And then
forgot all about it.
Percy began to talk, in his eager,
boyish way, about the changes that had
taken place, in his absence; how glad
he was to return and, yet, how he
hated to give up the old Bohemian life,
that had such infinite variety"
" Norman had actually almost ac-
cepted chair in that musty German
University, when pounced upon him,
and coaxed him to come home with
me. =
Chow very dreadful p 1 said, smil-
ing across at the grave, silent man,
who yet seemed to hold this careless,
rafting boy, in tender esteem.
l looked at him again, noting the
calm, white brow the grave, perfect
lips, the deep, masterful eyes; and
wondered at the power that made itself
speak through his very silence. But
there was a shadow in the eyes;
sadness in the smile; touch Ofpathos
every now and then, in the voice, that
aroused all the sympathy and curiosity
in my nature and some women, you
know, are capable of good deal of
both.
I heard Viva pass through the hall,
just then, but knew she would be
down as soon as she had changed her
crrriage-dress, and went on with my
conjectures.
This man had a story. What was
it Was it love story? Could any
woman be wild enough to reject such
love as that soul could lavish ?
Then he spoke.
Mrs. Caruthers, are all the Ameri-
cans so warm and cordial as this boy -?
He takes my Northern heart by storm.
He carries me wither hewill. He bends
me, and sways me, and makes me his
Slave.''
Percy's face lit up, brilliantly.
. Norman, dear old man," he said,
g it is | who am the slave-a miserable,
abiect slave and you ride over my
PROSTATE body. A proud, triumphant
slave, who kisses the foot upon his
neck. Aunt Joan, have resigned
myself to eternal celibacy, since can
not marry this solemn professor.
We were laughing at his earnestness,
when the door swung open, and Viva
crossed the threshold. Some soft,
gauzy, gray fabric, floating about her
like cloud cluster of carnations,
red and fragrant, at her throat and in
her dark hair. Out of the cloud-like
drapery, her pale face and great, shad-