Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-06-16

ALL WE'RE LAUGHING AND TESTING
AROUND THE XMAS TBEE.
bare, 1t seemed to me true picture of
my frame of mind.
''She has eyes to-day only for the
from East Prussia say to the mater
| familias.
"The count-hem--the other has his
dismissal"
looked over at Mrs Clifford, and saw
her carrying on the old game appar-
emily with the greatest success. That
had probably driven the count from
| the room.
He now stepped up to his wife.
MAY conduct you upstairs?" said
he. "Ellen has bad headache, and
asked me to tell you of it."
The countess rose, said good night to
me pleasantly, and the pair left the
room, followed by Mrs. Gifford's scorn-
full glanccs. could stand 1t in the hall
no longer; fastened to Lapotin. He
was already in bed. "You come late!"
he called out to me, merrily.
~ come late, and not in festive
mood" said l, seating myself on his
bed and thanking him heartily for the
ring, the giver of which 1 could easily
guess. also chatted about various
things. He listened to it oil attentively.
What disturbed your holiday hui
mor?'' no asked then. Twill You not
| tell me?"
"You, rather than any other man.
You would sympathize with me the
best, but l cannot make up my mind to
| it. I must tell some woman first"
"Speak with Miss Rennert; she is
still awake. / heard her voice in the
corridor short while ago."
| knocked at Miss Rennert's door.
She opened it herself.
murmured an apology for disturbing
her so late.
Come in, baron l cannot sleep,
anyway. I really expected You. Sit
down by me at the fire." She looked
sadly at me as sat opposite her. "Poor
childI'' sighed she; 81 have just left
her."
"How did you find herr" asked /.
| ST found her on her knees by the
sofa, weeping. She was beside herself.
I took her in my arms and besought
her to compose herself. When she had
with difficulty quieted down I asked
her the cause Of her agitation. She
buried her sweet face ON my shoulder
and said she could not tell me, and she
kept her word, although urged her.
am In great trouble. What can have
excited the poor child so terribly9'
In few words described the scan
dalous scene had witnessed. She was
very much excited.
1.-THE miserable man." cried she, with
flashing eyes, Ito dispell In such a man
ner the young girls dream of childhood
and to allow her to suspect the baseness
of the world and the weakness Of man
ut q time when all seems good and pure
to heri And just this child, too, with
her idealistic thoughts-it Is Disgusting
Yes, now can fully understand her ag.
itation."
The old lady buried her face in her
handkerchief.
"You cannot imagine how the whole
affair works me up" she said. "At
first when you told me about it, my
thoughts went back fifty years to o
lonely castle In Courland, whence
went with my beloved young countess
when she married. She loved her hus
band devotedly, and he her, In his way.
But the climate was too severe for her,
and she was Ill nearly all winter.
nursed her. At that time was young,
happy girl, very much petted by the
family, for was brought up with the
countess. I was not suspicious when
the count TESTED with me and paid me a
good deal of attention. But once, in
the middle of the night, when / was
coming from my poor angel, who bore
her sufferings with such fortitude, an6
always thought Of her beloved husband
the count was waiting for me in the
hall, and I was reminded of 1t by the
scene you just described. tell you,
baron, at that time there was q riff
made in my mind, and after that
never trusted anyone again, and it dis.
gusted me with men. have seen much
and passed through much and often
thought to myself: 1T is well that YOU
never marriedP The worst experience
Is the awakening from childhood; there
fore am troubled on my darling's &c
count" -
The old lady stopped talking AND
gazed silently into the fire