Connecticut western news., 1882-08-30

started, stopped, and, without attempt ing @ salutation or advance of any kind, stared at her. For the instant the sit- uation was embarrassing. Was the man going to faint, or was he off his head, or what? There he stood, stock still, facing Mrs. M, till in a severe tone I said "A--, this is our host ess. Mrs. M, allow me to introduce MT. A." This appeared to rouse him little, for he made sort of back ward movement which might do duty for bow, though very poor apology for it, and said "I-I-I beg your pardon" retiring immediately into the background. If this was bashfulness, it was curious form of it, thought, and certainly new in my knowledge of A.. This little incident over, had leisure to look round the room. There appeared to be about dozen people in all. MT. M - introduced me to re- lation of his, a Baronet, whose name I forget; to parson, who assured ne in Hibernian accents that troops had been down here ''repeatudly;' and to 8 niece, whom I was to take in to dinner. l caught momentary glimpse of A, and saw to my surprise that he was furtively but intently watching the lady of the house from an obscure corner. I was quietly slipping up to him to ask what it all meant when dinner was an- nounced.
 At the dinner table found myself on the left of our hostess, the Baronet opposite me. A-was placed some distance down on the other side, so that I could keep an eye on him, which I soon began to think must do. had now an opportunity of noting more particularly Mrs. M-'s personal ap- pearance. Her age I should judge to have been somewhere about eight and twenty or thirty, considerably under her husbands. Her figure was fault less; neck and arms of that nameless tint one has so often seen imperfectly described in novels as " creamy white;" 8 corona of hair of that deep auburn red which so sets off fair woman; and a face of singular beauty, of which you forgot everything but the eyes the moment you looked into them. Such eyes they were. Their particular s1ze, shape, this or that color, would never occur to one; it was their strange, almost weird, effect when turned on you that one felt. It was as though they divined what you were thinking of and could answer your thoughts. Yet it was not satisfactory or restful face. I can recall certain half-disagreeable sensations I experienced as her eyes occasionally rested on mine while we talked, and once or twice flash as of something malevolent seemed to pass out of them. ..-.s.4l-z
 One incident I recollect. We were discussing pictures, and Mrs. M, pointing to some fine family portraits hung round the dining-room, said, '' My husband and are distant cousins, Major P--, so that you see we are mutually represented here; and wonder is lady of bygone days, supposed to have been very wicked, and to be like me-" I looked up, and sure enongh there gazed down on me from the can- vass woman's face strikingly like the speaker's-so like, that except for the quaint costume, the portrait might have been taken for her own. It was finer specimen than usual of the formal yet fascinating style in which our great great t-grandmothers have been depicted for us-a stately attitude, regular but immobile features, and exuberant charms sumptuously if somewhat scantily draped. The lady's figure, as it chanced, was turned toward our end of the table; she held fan in her hand the lips had disdainful, almost derisive smile and the eyes, which in such pictures usually appear to be con templating the spectator and to follow him about, seemed directed full on oul hostess. "There is certainly a like ness," said, "but the lady on the wal is entitled, I feel sure, to an entire monopoly of the wickedness." Mrs M laughed, and winged glance al me, and. the smile and the eyes were those of the portrait.
 Another circumstance I remember discovering in looking round the table which, had been superstitious, nigh not have added to my comfort. w.
 were sitting thirteen. Mrs. M,
 rather think must have noticed m'
 counting the numbers, for she mad
 some remark as if in reply to my though
 -''So sorry we were disappointed c
 one of our party at the last moment" | Meanwhile A--was again attractin
 my attention by his extraordinary be
 havior. His partner, pretty. looking
 lively girl, was evidently doing her bes
 to make herself agreeable, and he wa
 answering her in an intermittent fash
 ion; but could see he was eating yer
 little, and erumbling his bread in
 nervous; preoccupied manner, whil
 every now and then his eyes wandere to Mrs. M, with curious ike
 stare that was positively ill-mannere
 and altogether unacoountable. Instinc
 iyely I turned to the same quarter
 see what could be the object of this pc
 sistent scrutiny, but in vain. There
 indeed, was beautiful woman, dresse
 to perfection, and with those wonderf1
 eyes; but what right had he to gape 8
 her like that I began to wonder
 she Or any other of the guests woul observe As rudeness. l tried catch his eye, but without success. ]