The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1890-12-10

from Stockholm, in 1856. My father,
Grefve Carl Melin, was an officer of high
rank in the kings army. My mother,
Grefvinna Carlotta Bertha, descended
from one of the oldest families about
Waxholm.
Before had arrived at the importance
of 16 years my parents died.
Olef Olsen, the only son of barrister,
was fiance to me. He begged me to stop
longer at Westerns; but had come into
possession of the 10000 kronor left to
me by my father in his will, and being
seized by sudden desire to see the
world and all that is in it uttered cry
of delight upon the morning of the 3D. of
June, 1SS-, when 1 received a letter from
America postmarked New York, which
upon opening found had been jointly
written by my great-great-uncle Ivan
TrOlsky and his wife Vera, who had
gone from Cronstadt, in Russia, to the
states two years previous.
had frequently been visitor at their
house at Cronstadt, my uncle and aunt
both being natives of Stockholm. And
being readers of the Swedish newspa-
pers, Ivan and Vera had come upon the
announcement of my succession to my
fathers fortune-a fact which seemed to
highly impress them, for they congratu-
lated me upon it, at the same time ex-
tending a pressing invitation to pay them
an early visit, understanding the assur-
ance that | would be IN Dst affectiOnately
welcomed.
Of course / read this letter to Olef,
who, now that my parents were gone,
found no person sufficiently interested
in mo to interpose caste objections to our
suit Of wooing.
From the very outset Olef seriously
opposed my uncle and aunt's invita-
ton. II WAS bat quite natural that he
should, Inasmuch as we were betrOthed
and the dear, good Lad wanted to possess
me wholly il person.
But il spite of Olcf'3 protests my spirit
bent Itself to my minds selfishness; and
early in August departed from Scandi-
navia by one of the Swedish line of
steamships, arriving in New York upon
the 23th day of the month, and was most
pTofussly welcomed by Ivan and Vera.
How charming you have grown!" ex-
claimed my aunt, after the salutations
had ended.
But not half as charming as her
dot" cautiously Whispered Ivan.
silence, idiot! The girl will hear
your protested Vera, angrily., Dear
niece" she continued anew, suddenly
turning to M, lyon won't mind VANS
and my little tete-a-tete now and then,
will you? We are both so deeply inter-
ested in your welfare, you know, that
we find it hard enough to do for you.
To our great disadvantage we are far
from being rich in worldly goods, and
we fear that however great may be our
attention it will not compare with your
surroundings at home"
my dear aunt and uncle, / replied, sit
is not in the quantity of our efforts, but
in the quality, that the heart finds richest
enjoyment" And although noticed
that Ivan WINGED as made the remark
l paid no further attention to it at the
time, but begging my aunt to show me
to my apartment babe Ivan good night
and we left him.
Arrived at my room l kissed Vera,
and as she went away bolted my door,
threw myself, exhausted, in my travel
ing gown upon the bed, buried my face
in my pillow, and in spite of myself,
overcome by Olef's absence and my
great distance from home, now that the
stimulating excitement of my voyage
was ended, l burst into tears, while be-
tween my sobs my sorrowing heart
again and again repeated Ivan's strange
words, mot half as charming as her
dot"
Was positively ugly, thenP l began
to rummage the past. What if my dowry
had been Olefs sole motive for winning
my hand after all? Was it his main rea-
son for wishing me to stop in Sweden?
Am ugly? repeated. To which Truth
gave me but one answer. My mirror
had never turned from me with disdain.
What, then, did Ivan mean?
Surfeited by them, lost in cdrious sus-
picions, fell into bothered sleep. Nor
did recover consciousness again until
morning dawned, when my eyes were
Jared open by sound rapping at my
door and voice that softly asked:
care you awake, Cesca dear?'
"Yes, Aunt Vera"
Breakfast is waiting for you, my
DEAR" she replied in inviting tones.
''Will you be down soon?"
Fright away, aunt" and l heard the
echo of her footsteps as she descended
the staircase.
"How fresh you lookl You must have
enjoyed most quiet night of Sleep"
was VANS greeting, as l gained my
place at the table.
l was ashamed to explain to them
that had not taken my clothes off
during all of those hours; that my
dreams had coined themselves into pages
upon pages of horrors, and that, al
though l had hurriedly convinced nv
self by brief glance in my glass that l
did look comparatively fresh, really
could not quite make out why, after my
whole night of misery, ! should not