Connecticut western news., 1896-04-23
VENUS ANNODOMINI.

She had nothing to do with No. 18 in the Braccio Nuovo of the Vatican, be- tween Viscontis "Ceres' and "The God of the Nile" She was purely an Indian leity-an Anglo Indian deity, that is to say-and we called her the Venus Annodomini, to distinguish her from other Annodominis of the same everlast- ng order There was legend among he hills that she had once been young. out no living man was prepared to come forward and say boldly that the legend was true.
 Men rode up to Simla and staid and vent away, and made their name, and i'd their life's work, and returned gain to find the Venus Annodolnini ex- ,ctly as they left her. She was as inn uutable as the hills, but not quite so z cen. All that girl of IS could do in ne way of riding, walking, dancing, Jicnicking and overexertion generally, he Venus Annodomini did, and showed 10 sign of fatigue or trace of weariness
 Besides perpetual youth, she had dis covered, men said. the secret of perpetual health, and her fame spread about the land. From mere woman she grew to oe an institution, insomuch that no young man could be said to be proper " formed who had not at some time or another worshiped at the shrine of the Venus Annodomini.
 There was no one like her, though there were many limitations. Six years in her eyes were no more than six months to ordinary women, and ten made less visible impression on her than a weeks fever on an ordinary woman. Every one adored her, and in return she was pleasant and courteous to nearly every one Youth had been 8 habit of hers for so long that she could not part with it-never realized, in fact, the necessity of parting with it-and took for her more chosen associates young people.
 Among the worshipers of the Venus Annodomini was Young" Gayerson. Every Young" Gayerson, he was called to distinguish him from his father Young" Gayerson, a Bengal civilian, who affected the customs-as be had the heart-of youth. "Very Young Gayerson was not content to worship placidly and for forms sake. as the other young men did. or to accept 8 ride or a dance, or a talk from the Venus Annodomini in properly hum ble and thankful spirit. He was exact ing. and therefore the Venus Anno domini repressed him.
 He worried himself nearly sick in . futile sort of way over her, and his de- votion and earDestness made him ap. pear either shy or boisterous or rude, as his mood might vary, by the side of the older men who with him bowed before the Venus Annodomini. She was sorry for him. He reminded her of a lad who, three and twenty years ago, had professed boundless devotion for her and for whom in return she had fell something more than a weeks weak ness. But that lad had fallen away anG married another woman less than 6 year after he had worshiped her, anc the Venus Annodomini had almost not quite-forgotten his name.
 "Very Young" Gayerson had tho pouting his under lip when he was OK cited or troubled. But the Venus Anno domini checked him sternly none tht | less. Too much zeal was a thing tha she did not approve of. preferring in stead tempered and sober tenderness. "Very Young" Gayerson was miser | able, and took no trouble to conceal hi | wretchedness He was in the army-s line regiment. think, but am not cer | tain-and since his face was looking glass and his forehead an open book, b, reason of his innocence, his brothers il | arms made his life burden to him ant 1 imbittered his naturally sweet disposi | tion.
 No one except "very Young" Gayer son, and he never told his views, knew how old "Very Young" Gayerson be l lieved the Venus Annodomini to be | Perhaps he thought her five and twenty or perhaps she told him that she wal this age "Very Young" Gayersor would have forded the Gugger in ioo' to carry her lightest word, and had i'm plicit faith in her. Every one like him, and every one was sorry when the. saw him SO bound slave of the Venu
 Annodomini.
 Every one, too, admitted that it wa
 not her fault. for the Venus Annodomin
 differed from Mrs. Hauksbee and Mrs
 Reiver in this particular-she neve
 moved a finger to attract any one. but