Mexico weekly ledger., 1891-08-13

spacious perspectiyes. Every room was
q picture in itself, combining with the
others to form a more elaborate picture.
Yet the eye was never wearied by petty
details: the minor features constituted
and contributed to the whole effect in
stead of detracting from it. There was
nothing in the house that did not belong
to Harry Trent-not only in the ordinary
sense Of proprietorship, but as being the
material incarnation Of his thoughts,
tastes and accomplishments. His house
was he-and it is paying him no small
compliment to say so. A mans interior
is not always so coInely an object CT con-
temptation. Youmightd discover, indeed,
here and there, a picture, q statue, a
sweep of drapery or q passage of color
that indicated regions in the designers
nature of q somewhat suInptuous. sensu-
GUS or v%oluptuous tendency; but they
were never %obtrusive, never out Of due
subordination to the rest, and were after
all only what would be expected from a
man of his artistic and generous tempera-
ment.
But what was Harry Trent going to
do with his new home? He was going
to live in it, doubtless; but did he mean
to live alone? This question had latterly
thrown a good many charming women
into q meditative frame of mind. 1t was
known, of course, that Harry Trent had
been married; but that was in his youth;
his wife had died within a year and had
left him childless. There was nothing,
then, in the way of his marrying again,
and upon other grounds such an event
was probable. For, as has already been
intimated, he was still to all intents and
| purposes a young a That quality in
| him that led to his being called Harry
Trent, instead Of Mr.. Trent, or Henry,
may servet to convey one meaning. He was
still in the swim; he was not on the re-
tired or retiring list; he was modern and
active, notfossilized and Anticipated. Men
younger in years than he had not half
his elasticity and vitality. He kept pace
with the times and looked ahead rather
than backward. Moreover, he was fond
of society and constantly in it, and a
man more liked by women could not be
found. 1t was not that he dazzled them
with his own brilliancy, but he made
| them brilliant; he drew from them the
best that was in them and enchanted
them with themselves.
Mirabeau had the ''don terrible de ia
familiarite;" Harry Trent had the no
less terrible gift of sympathy-magnetic
| sympathy Ito employ once again that
abused adjectivel. There wasa vigorous,
masculine fiber in him that never fails
to attract the other sex. They felt that
he understood them and could manage
them-could do the thing they wished
to have done. whatever it might be.
This, of course, is not quite the same as
saying that 'sthe American Castellani"
(as he "a sometimes styled was a man
whom women could afford to trust.
There were stories about him-never
fairly authenticated, however that
pointed to a different conclusion. If we
give ear to the gossip of the world, who
would escape? Harry Trent was a man
of the world, and he was a highly cul-
tured. a fastidious man. Low intrigues
would not come in his way; on the other
hand, he made no profession of saintship;
he went to church, and vas privately
charitable; for the rest, you must take
him for what he appeared, and he was
taken for an uncommonly fine fellow.
But to return to the marriage ques-
ton. The opinion gained ground that
Harry Trent contemplated 1natrimony,
| though no seer was found bold enough
to point out the particular woman who
was to enjoy the good fortune of being
made his wife. Some fancied it might
be the handsome New Orleans widow,
Sally Matchin, who was known to have
been on terms of cordial friendship with
him for many years, and at whose house
in West Eighteenth street he was often
seen. But experienced critics objected
that, had she been the destined bride,
she would have become Mrs. Trent long
| ago-the acquaintance was now too old
to issue in that manner. A few enter
prising spirits threw out suggestions
looking toward Olympia Raven, a beau
tiful girl of eighteen, and a cousin of
Harry's by marriage. But Olympia was
really too young, even for Harry, and
besides, he had quietly made known his
intention of inviting her and her mother
to come and live with him-which, it
was agreed, he would scarcely have done
had he meant to wed her; nor would he
have settled an income of eight thousand
a year on the mother and daughter had
he looked forward to becoming the
formers son-in-law. So one hypothesis
after another was advanced and rejected,
and at the end nobody was wiser than at
the beginning.
The house was completed in what
seemed, judged by our standards, a Won
derfully short time, for it was ready to
be lived in before the end of the winter
season of 1S70-say in carnival time.
But Harry Trent had himself superin-
tended the work in all its stages, and
had seen to it that the workmen's hours
OF rest did not exceed their hours of la
Dor. And yet, when all was done and
February was drawing to a close, he
still delayed moving in. 1t may have
been merely accident; it may have been
that he was waiting for Olympia Raven
and her mother to get ready, or, posi-
bly-for all men have their weak side
he was the least bit superstitious and
was haunted by a recollection of that
old proverb, "When the house is built
death enters ill.," But he was strong
n healthy, in the full enjoyment of a
life that had never met with a serious
failure or disappointment. In every
thing he attempted he had been success
full, and either prudence or q naturally
happy temperament had kept him from
spelling his nerves and digestion by too
anxious and assiduous labor. If ever
the afternoon slope of a mans life prom
ised to be sunny, easy and prolonged, it
promised so to him. He had built q
house perfectly adapted to his needs:
it was ready to receive him; his many
friends, impatient for the house warm
ing, were counting the days that had to
elapse before Lent came and postponed
the celebration to q remote Easter-and
still Harry Trent made no sign. What
was the matter with him?
He had, in fact, visited the house al
most every day, letting himself in with
hls passkey, and sauntering through the
beautiful rooms, where fires were kept
burning in the open CRATES by the care
takers IN charge. He contemplated the
interior from all points of view and in
all moods, sometimes tentatively max
ing a slight modification of arrange
ment, which he was as likely as not to
restore the next day. He seemed loath TO