Connecticut western news., 1896-05-07

ago would have given his head to have stood No. in my eyes.
 "It was at Mrs. Beckman's reception that determined to make my flirting debut. So, about p. m., when knew you would be smoking with the gentle men up stairs, I purposely placed n.y. self in the path of my erstwhile ac- quaintance, Malcolm, with such gra- cious manner that at first he was pug zled, and then, being of a gallant na- ture, he soon approached me with an air of attention. I astonished myself by the sprightly. not to say f1ippant, style of my conversation. My heart went pita- pat from excitement. and I was constant ly rehearsipg to myself, Now I must forget Geoffrey.' and so I went on and on, deceiving myself into the belief that was enjoying myself.
 "He became more and more confiden- tial and fascinating, treating me in the fashion that men who are devoted to other mems wives ordinarily assume. tried to be all animation and really thought that the way he twinkled his nose in bunny fashion was quite inter esting. He persuaded me to indulge in champagne several times, and I even took his arm to the supper room. There he was devotion itself and compliment ed me in the most approved style. After staying some time in the supper room I proposed we should go and hear the music, but he had evidently had too much champange or something else to be reasonable, and so, to be consistent, could but follow him wheresoever he led. We at last found ourselves in the conservatory and were seated behind a clump of palms when his conversation, which was commonplace enough, had Q ring to it that sent the blood flying to my face. His voice sank almost to 0 whisper, giving me to understand how miserable he had been in his later life and how could fill that gap of woe. Now and then he would look up in my face to see if there was any evidence of sympathy that he thought should be there.
 ''At last had accomplished the very thing I had longed for-here be was at my very feet-and now that possessed it I shrank from it in disgust. Each word of his felt like ice being forced down my back, I could not find expres- sion to my thoughts, words froze on my lips and felt as though the eyes of the entire room were on me. The feeling of disgust changed to one of mockery, and he, seeing the change in my manner, doubtless considered me serious and be- came more effusive in his remarks and manifestations of love.
 ''The words what fool you are' seemed to haunt me, but still had to sit there in cold blood and let him go on making an utter fool of himself, for there seemed to be no way to stop him.
 What I would have done I hardly know. for he had seized my hand as though he intended to crush every bone in it. I really think he would have at- tempted to kiss me, when you serenely entered the room, appearing as an oasis in desert of torment
 '.I wrenched my hand loose and walk ed over as calmly as I could to where you were standing and greeted you as complacently as was possible. You re- member the night-you were so worried about your stocks you did not notice my agitation.
 "There, now, don't you think I ex- plated my crime?"
 Of course there was but one way to assure her she ehad.-University Courier.