Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-09-14
CHAPTER XIII.
''That thrilling voice how often creeps
Its cadence on my lonely hours,
Like healing sent on wings of sleep,
Or dnKy to the Unconscious fiOMersD

''That thrilling voice how often creeps
Its cadence on my lonely hours,
Like healing sent on wings of sleep,
Or dew to the unconscious flowers"
Several DAYS were passed pleasantly in
receiving visitors, and elab-
Grating plans for the party which was to
come off.
AS yet Glare had not seen the one per-
son of all others she most desired, yet
most dreaded to see. He must, of course,
know that she was there. 1t was very
that he did not call. 1t must be
that he was avoiding her on purpose.
Could she have offended him in any posi-
BILE way? He had left her with touching
expressions of regret at their separation.
He had told her that the hours he had
passed with her were the happiest of his
life, that he had never found such affinity
of character in man or woman as he had
found in her, that while he lived he should
cherish the memory of those bright days,
that it had been to him like a dream Of
bliss, he could hardly believe it to be real,
and from that day to this she had never
heard one word directly from him. She
could not have offended him, tor they
parted warm friends, and not word or
line had passed between them since.
Again and again she said to herself,
How strange it is, and why was it that he
did not come to see her? Mr.. HoughtOn
had told him of the arrival of his sister
and her daughter the day after it oc-
CURED, and invited him to call and see
them.
Mr.. lie Verrier dared not trust himself
to do it. Every day, and many times in
a day he was attracted towards the house,
but he resisted. He argued with himself.
She belongs to another, and l must not
trust myself within the influence of her
witching charms. When the shades Of
evening fell upon the city, and he could
do so without being observed, he would
walk out past Mr.. HOughton's house and
look for her figure in the lighted parlors,
or on the open galleries which already the
warm evenings were tempting people to
frequent. He could distinguish her in
any light, however subdued, and among
any crowd not too dense to destroy indi-
viduality. She looked as beautiful to
him as ever, if possible more so, but he
did not approach her. He asked Mr..
HOughtOn one day when he expected his
son in the city again. He was sure that
Clare had come down to meet Frank, yet
he thought he would ask. As well as
sured as he had felt that Frank would
come too, now that she was there, he
was chagrIned, and although he did not
own it even to himself. he was disap-
pointed when Mr.. HOughton replied:
''He will be down next week to party
which my wife is going to give to my
niece. | suppose he will stay two or
three weeks, for it is so far for him to
come. 1t is hardly worth while for him
to go right back"
cit is all arranged" Mr.. LIE Verrier
said to himself, and he was more de-
spOndent than ever.
Clare was quite surprised one day by a
call from Miss jamie Thompson. She
had not heard that she was in the city.
Miss jamie said her mother was very
much better, and she had come to finish
out her visit.
lis not this a charming place" she
said, 'ior my part l am perfectly infat-
uated with it. L suppose you see MIR. lie
Yerrier daily"
81 have not seen him at all since l
came"
you have notI Well l shall take him
to task the very fist thing. l will not al
low him to neglect his old friends that
way because they are country people,"
'EThat cannot be the reason" replied
Clare, nettled beyond endurance, "fOr it
seems he gives you plenty of his time.'
sob, [ have spent so much time in New
Orleans that l claim home here as much
as in the country. Mrs. Hall, the friend
stay with, says no one would ever take
me for a country girl. Will MIR. Frank
be down soon to see yOuW
Not that L know off, replied Clare
coolly.
all a lovers Impotence when he found
you had come this far to meet him."
''You know very well, JAMIE, that l did
not come here to meet him."
"You take it so seriously, dear. You
know l did not mean any harm. l was
only thinking what people would say.
Don't be angry, Clare. What splendid
style your aunt lives in! l could spend
month examining all these beautiful
things, and then not do them justice; but
that is always the way with people who
visit Paris. There are so many splendid
things to buy there, and everything is so
cheap"
''Uncle HOughton has no misery propen-
sities," replied Clare. "He never con-
suits expense in the arrangements of his
home. He is abundantly able to do as he
pleases."
II often heard people wonder that
he does not retire from business" replied
jamie, unruffled by Clare's evident dis
pleasure. che goes to his cOunting-rOOm
as regularly as any poor man, while
every body knows heis immensely rich. Is
all the house furnished in style to cor
respond with this roomr
''If you knew aunt HOughton you would
know she would never furnish her par
lors elegantly at the expense of the rest of
the house."
81 should like so much to go all over it.
Which is your rOOmY
''The left hand front room up stairs,'
without noticing her evident hint for an
invitation to go to it.
''Have you had many calls since you
came? and who all have called upon
your"
''Auntie keeps the list; if you have a
a. Al IL
her. Most of her friends, L believe"
''What gentlemen acquaintance have
you fOrmedY'
''None, as yet. / can scarcely be said
to know people whom l have met but
once, and then for only ? brief CALL"
'Mrs. Houghton's house is called the
gayest in town; she has always a crowd
of young gentlemen about her at home
and abroad. You can tell her carriage as
far as you can see it by the bevy of gentle
men about it on horseback
This was said in a tone which meant
you need not take all the visits to your
self which young gentlemen make here.
cit is almost night and time l was GO
ing, but | will come again soon. l do not
intend to be formal and hope you will not
be" she said as she departed.
81 would not be sorry thought Glare,
sit / was never to see her again. She
becomes more and more distasteful to me
every day."
Miss Thompson often protested to make
cOnfidants of people, counting favor as she
was among the rich, but there
was only one who was truly her confidant;
this was her maid. She opened her heart
fully to no other. She had told her before
leaving Mrs. HalPs that morning that she
intended to fish for an invitation to spend
4 week or two at Mrs. Houghton's.
FlOra's first question to her on her return
was:
''And did they invite you to pay them a
ylsit?'
"No; did not see any one but Glare,
and she was moody and had nothing to !
say. l had all the talking to do. Mrs. |
HOughtOn was out, at least not at home, |
was the message l received when l asked |
ror her. Mr.. LIE Verrier has not called on |
Clare yet, and / will see to it that he does |
not. | will break that off effectually. If !
[ cannot have him, she shall not, that is |
certain. / have made him believe that |
she is engaged, and that will keep him |
rom visiting her, and if they are occa-
siOnally thrown together she will be pretty |
apt to treat him cOolly, for l have led her |
10 think he is devoted to me. 1 want you |
TO go and see Rosie and Oracle tomorrow |
and tell them Mr.. lie Verrler is in love |
with me, that he is half distracted on the |
subject, but that do not fancy him and |
that he does not hang about me half as |
much as he did, because / have sighted |