Connecticut western news., 1881-01-12

doing half the week, and thought noth- ing of it. And all at once Q shriek of countless voices rent the air there was a shock and an explosion, as if the bot tomless pit had broken through the bed of the river. The air was full of flying beams and falling men and women the river was full of them; and they were two among them all, afoat but alive.
 Afioat in the branches of a huge tree that was sailing and swirling down the river, and in no immediate danger of destruction, but exhausted, and unable to do more than keep the breath they had for a while. If others had been saved, they had reached one of the banks or had been picked up by the Charon's boats. The quick southern dusk was upon them before Adele had done more than open her eyes and close them again. Neither she nor he had been seriously hurt, but they were ab- solutely alone in the thick night and the rushing river. What else could they do but comfort one another, poor chil dren, sitting side by side in the cradle made by the big branches, and trembling at all the dark, unknown tumult of the torrent, till suddenly, with shock that might have wrecked them had not their clothes been caught on the branches, they were anchored on a mud-spit, and the stream was sweeping by?
 The morning dawned redly over the great sea-like river. Flat-boat and raft and steamer went along; but no one saw their signals, or seeing, no one needed them. Another weary night famished and faint, but keeping each others courage up and at noon of the next day they were taken of. But in the two days and nights Maskelyn had learned that she loved him. And when, | in turn, she learned that her love was in vain, it was only by force of arms that he h1ndered her from seeking the watery death from which he had rescued her. The poor little passionate tropi- cal creature
 He saw her, however, no more for a month after the time that he left her at her fathers door, in New Orleans, where he found the black-robed pa- rents, who had themselves been saved, but who had thought their child lost and received her as one raised from the grave, and would have given Maskelyn their all as her preserver. But Maske- lyn did not present. himself there again :; and it was not till his return from trip through the neighboring region that Adeles father was able to find him, and to beseech him to accompany him if he 1 would save his child second time from death. And he found her on the brink of madness.
 Compelled by their kindness and their grief, he could do nothing but re- main, and add his efforts to theirs. It was superb home wealth and art and climate could hardly do more to make it perfect. Perhaps the sense of its ease and luxury were delicious to the tired and almost penniless young man. And then there were always flowers, music, pain tings, servants moving like l UlSSS1uR. and the lovely young creature whose trouble his presence was beginning to tighten. An, yes, you see I am excus- ing Maskelyn-trying to make you ex- cuse him. But it was all to be foreseen. Three against one? It was the world against one. For here at home was an obscure young woman, with her barely comfortable support and there, on the other hand, were beauty, wealth, distinction, and all the promotion and success that come in the train of such things.
 But it was none of these that weighed sufficiently with Maskelyn. It was the one thought that his own action, his thoughtle ssness, his imprudence, ha6 stimulated the passion that was driving the pitiful young girl to a mad-house' He felt that the sacrifice of his OWL dreams of happiness was trife in tlit way of expiation. And for me-pray dc not smile at the idea he sometimes fell that he and l were as one; that I conlC only desire and urge him to absolye himself from any wrong-doing in the affair that it would be my wish as il
 was my wish--that he should not suffer a life long burden on his conscience
 whether that conscience was morbidly sensitive or not, for the mere sake o4 our own present content, which never would be content, in fact, while he was restless under an accusing spirit and ] 3 was wretched in his want of ease. And so he married Adele.
 Perhaps it would have been better haf he written me the story of it, and no
 have left me to my imaginings. But he thought the course kindest to me WAS tt let me think him villain, and he healed my hurt the sooner. And then, too l you must not think i'll of me for saving ) it-I appeared to him so altogether lovely and to be loved that he could no , but believe, cost him what pang it might that should speedily be happy in tn, love of one should hold to be bette, man.
 And from that hour his career began the career of no commercial traveller
 but that of the son of a rich and power full house, put forward for fresh honor
 all the time, now Governor, now Senator
 and when war came, unwilling to talk, arms against either his native North O. his adopted South, going with tn, others to the villa on the Mediterranean : where life was long dream of idlenes and ease. He was good husband,
 oro rrIo1 &o lr~o-r uo ,,o,,o.