Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-03-02

bury, iiml wltii Instructions to ask If she was well enols. to icseive Lord and Lady Mont barry and Miss Lockwood on the morrow. In weeks time the two households were on the friendiest terms. Mrs. Carbury, confined to the sofa by spinal malady, had been hitherto dependent on her niece for one of the lew pleasures she could enjoy-the plea sure of having the best new novels read to her as they came out Discovering this, Arthur volunteered to relieve Miss Haldane at inter- vals i'll the office of reader. He was clever at mechanical contrivance of all sorts, and he introduced improvements in Mrs. Carbury's couch and in the means of conveying her from the bed chamber to the drawing room, which alleviated the poor lady's sufferings and frightened her gloomy life. With these claims on the gratitude of the aunt, aided by the personal advantages which he unQues- tionably possessed, Arthur advanced rapidly in the favor of the charming niece She was, it is needless to say, perfectly well aware that he was ill love with her, while he was himself modestly reticent on the subject = so far as words went. But she was not equally quick in penetrating the nature of her own feelings toward Arthur. Watching the two young people with keen powers of observation, necessarily concen- trated on them by the complete seclusion of her life, the invalid lady discovered signs of roused sensibility in Miss Haldane whep Arthur was present which had never yes shown themselves in her social relations with other admirers eager to pay their addresses to her. Having drawn her own conclusions in private, Mrs. Carbury took the first favor able opportunity Gn Arthur's interests) of putting them to the test.
 q don't know what shall do" she said one day, "when Arthur goes away"
 Miss Haldane looked up quickly from her work "Surely he is not going to leave usl" she exclaimed.
 My dear! he has already stayed at his uncle's house month longer than he intended. His father and mother naturally expect to see him at home again."
 Miss Haldane met this difficulty with asug- gestion, which could only have proceeded from judgment already disturbed by the ravages of the tender passion. "Why can't his father and mother go and see him at Lord Montbarry's?" she asked. "Sir Theodores place is only thirty miles away, and Lady Barville is Lord Montbarry's sister. They needn't stand on ceremony"
 "They may have other engagements" Mrs. Carbury remarked.
 My dear aunt, we don't know thatl Sup pose you ask Arthurs"
 Suppose you ask him."
 Miss Haldane bent her head again over her work. Suddenly as it was done her aunt had seen her face-and her face betrayed her.
 When Arthur came the next day Mrs. Car bury said a wo d to him in private, while her niece was in the garden. The last new novel lay neglected on the table. Arthur followed Miss Haldane into the garden. The next day he wrote home, inclosing in his letter photo graph of Miss Haldane. Before the end of the week Sir Theodore and Lady Barville ar rived at Lord Montbarry's, and formed their own judgment of the fidelity of the portrait. They had themselves married early in life, and, strange to say, they did not object on principle to the early marriages of other peoN pie. The question of age being thus disposed of, the course of true love had no other ob- stacles to encounter. Miss Haldane was an only child, and was possessed of an ample fortune. Arthur's career at the university had been creditab1e, but certainly not bril- liant enough to present his withdrawal in the light of disaster. As Sir Theodores eldest son, his position was already made for him. He was % years of age, and the young lady was IS. There was really no producible reason for keeping the lovers waiting, and no excuse for deferring the wedding day beyond the first week ill September. In the interval, while the bride and bridegroom would be necessarily absent on the inevitable tour abroad, q sister of Mrs. Carbury volunteered to stay with her during the temporary separa- tion from her niece. On the conclusion of the honeymoon the young couple were to return to Ireland, and were to establish themselves ill Mrs. Carbury's spacious and comfortable house.
 These arrangements were decided upon early ill tho month of August About the same date the last alterations in the old pal ace at Venice were completed. The rooms were dried by steam, the cellars were stocked, the manager collected around him his army of skilled servants, and the new hotel was advertised all over Europe to open in October.