Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-12-14

The companion Of this remarkable per.
aonage was even more singular than he,
for hei appearance combined more strik.
ing contradictions. His white hairs and
vivacious luvenili!y Of eye seemed dis.
crepant hat her face, where the delica-
cy of youthful womanhood was united to
IN expression OF fixed and passionles-
calm, which doiied hope or fear hate or
love to rullle 1t again, presented dis
crcpancy far more painful and perplcx-
ing
| Cecil looked ut the white-rose petal
akin, unlocked with the least touch of
red the broad, low brow on which thick,
fair hair lay straight and smooth the
frmly-closed, beautiful lips, and the
large gray eyes, heart piercing alike in
their clearuess aud their sadness, and
wondered what mystery could uuderle
such an extraordinary appearance.
At the close OF his lecture the young
man was seized upon by host OF admir-.
ing friends, aud the torrent of their con-
gratulatory speeches caused him to for
get to look after the singular pair.
But he often found himself specializing
about them during the week that inter-
vened between his first and second lee
lures.
When he mounted the rostruIn on tho
seventh Of February he felt no nervous.
ness, and being anxious to zee how many
OF his former hearers were present, search
ed the hall with an unembarrassed gaze.
His glance of inspection had not gone
lar before he recognized, IN the same
seats they had previously occupied, the
majestic gentleman, who might be sixty ;
and the fair beautiful woman, who could
not be more than siX-and-twenty.
They looked so altogether unaltered,
that whimsical fancy that they had been
sitting Just so, and had never moved since
his first lecture, fitted through Cecil's
head.
The lady wore tho same black dress
and velvet hat, with dropping feathers,
which at first made her alabaster white
ness look 30 startling and received, with
the same calm unresponsiveress as be-
fore, the solictudes of the gentleman,
who leaned in the same easy attitude he
originally assumed, with one arm resting
affectionately on the back Of the lady 8
seat.
1t was an odd picture.
Cecil-he knew not why-could not
help being disturbed by it.
When he tried to make up his mind
that the male part was venerable old
gentleman, who had had good time of it,
and had retained his pristine gaiety, he
would catch furtive flash in the bead
like eyes that was too sinister for mirth
and when he tried to dismiss the lady
from his head as a heartless beauty, un-
deserving thought or confederation, he
would find her translucent eyes fixed
upon his face, and they told different
tale.
He had never seen such clear eyes in
his life. They had all the grave inno-
cence of n childs, but they had pathetic
appeal in them, too, which was not child
like.
Cecil finally decided that she WAS very
unhappy. But what about? 1t could
not be the old gentleman's fault /; he was
SO tender and fatherly towards her.
Perhaps Ter lover was dead, Or worse,
untrue, ii man could be untrue to such q
face us that
All the while lie was delivering his lee
ture this undercurrent of curious specu-
latious went on and distracted him, though
his hearers did not perceive it.
II hope they will not come again they
worry me, WAS his inward thought as he
made his bow at the end OF the second
lecture.
TO be Continucd)