Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-06-12
A WINTER AT NICE.
BY HE1TIE E. M1LLER.

"Ahi you must not take Miss Ellen as an example; such a girl as she one rarely finds. She was brought up almost entirely by her deceased father, Prof. Wagner; his was an intellectual mind. Ellen is altogether lacking in petty fem mine weaknesses and vanities. She Is, socially, in spite of her seventeen years, child. With her dreams and thoughts she lives in a purer world; am quite troubled about her.
 ''The countess has very shallow nature, which suffering has not soft ened, but haa rather embittered; still I believe she is fully aware of what a treasure she has in the girl, if she does greatly try her. The count-well, you know him-is certainly not the man that one would select as a counsellor of inexperienced youth"
 I thought of the scene in the corridor and agreed with my friend. "Has the young lady no other connec- | tions than this unsuitable coupler" l asked.
 ''No, Ellen once told me that she had really no relatives. Her father came from Courland, and sometime after married Baroness Often, a distant cou- | blh OL NOuhb OCROh4C4o D. N14LO " eo ebAA orphan, and the professors favorite pu- pill at the school, where he taught liter ature. After his death his widow ap- piled to the count, and it was at her funeral that be first saw her charming sixteen-year-old daughter, and brought her to his wife as companion and nurse."
 We chatted some time longer, then l went down. Lapotin was still sitting next the countess, but when Miss Ellen joined them. he rose and followed me. I was surpassed at that, for I thought he was only there on Ellen's account.
 "Since when have you become Countess Degenfeld's admirer?" asked jestingly.
 "Poor woman," said he, seriously, "she is infinitely miserable, and that is sufficient to arouse my sympathy"
 "But she is so unamiable" said.
 "That she is, and perhaps not very grateful for attention; but my mother was very unhappy, and no one cared about it, not even II Now when l sec such a solitary woman I always feel as if must atone for an old wrong"
 And Miss Ellen was not the mag net?" asked banteringly. Something like gleam of sunshine passed over his face.
 ''Miss Ellen must attract everyone who is not deaf and blind-she is { sweet creature. Happy the man whc gets such q woman. What could I dc with fresh rose like her? In the dull } heavy atmosphere of siclkroom, which will soon become my whole world, sh' would droop and die."
 "Do you feel so in?" asked, gazing into his pale face anxiously.
 "Wearied to death," he said calmly "when I commence to gabble, it is al ways a sign that my strength has givel out; usually can control myself"
 He sank upon bench. I brough him glass of Hungarian wine, and hS revived so much that could lead hin to his room.
 As he wanted to rest, left him an' went back into the garden to seek Mis- Rennert and talk with her about hi condition.
 The countess and Miss Rennert ha' gone into the house. In the place wher the old lady had been sitting, foun Miss Ellen, her arms upon the smal , table; her head, with its wreath c golden tresses, upon her armsi At frs I thought she slept, and was about t withdraw, when noticed that tn upper part of her body shook with SUI pressed sobs.
 Deep compassion for this lovel maiden possessed me. She looked g childlike in this position, while the sur light played so joyously about her form