Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-02-06

courage him most markedly"
81 never thought of anything ser
ious," lisped Pauline, with an artless
ness truly angelic; sit was only th'
chance amusement of an hour"
"Melville shrugged his shoulders.
IA good deal like the story OF thu
frogs and the boys" he said. ''Bu
to dismiss all less pleasant subjects
what do you say to row on the sef
by starlight9"
II shall be delighted"
And the merry group vanished into
the enpurpled darkness, their voices
ringing on the air long after theil
forms were imperceptible.
Then, and not till then, tall figure
raised itself from the bamboo settee
or couch, just within the wide oper
windows, where the cool muslin cur
tains waved softly at every breath o
the summer night breeze, and Major
Harry Livingston coolly walked out
upon the piazza, igniting his cigar al
he did SO.
"The coquette!" lie muttered be
| VWCch LILO oOV VCoVh VIE uchI Ulco5
firt! Now begin better to compre.
hend poor Georges varying moods oil
late. She has broken the boys heart,
and cares no more for it than if she
had cracked one OF tho china cologne
bottles on her dressing table. Well,
this is strange world. II Pauline had
taken handkerchief or purse from
Georges pocket the iron hand OF the
law would be down upon her immedi.
ately, but she steals his hoart right
out OF his bosom and society looks on
with smiling face and folded hands.
Why is there no law made and enacted
to punish such heartless crimes as
these? For crimes they are, black,
treacherous crimes, even though per.
petrated so charmingly by beauties
like Pauline Moore and her sister co.
quettes! And this fair. innocent boy,
whom loved like brother, the cold
est heart might have spared him. By
Cupid, and all his attendant deities, I
will be avenged on Pauline Moore for
this"
At almost the same moment George
Crane came slowly up the piazza steps.
The lightness and elasticity of his gait
were gone; he walked like one who had
received a mortal wound.
"George!"
Crane started at his cousins voice.
"You here, Harry?"
eyes, all alone. Sit down beside
me, old fellow; why are you not with
the boating party?"
81 did promise this morning to make
one OF them; but-but-somehow I
don't feel like it tonight"
Livingston took his cousins hand
and pressed it with a firm, loving
grasp.
81 know all about it, George" he
said mildly. "Don't be cast down !;
she isn't worth one pang OF memory.
The world is wide, life is long; you
will outlive this blow if you only have
patience to wait"
Cranes head dropped on Harry Liv.
ingston's shoulder.
"Oh, Harry! did love her (; I loved
her dearly"
"Take courage, she is not worth
it,"
And the stalwart soldier, soothing
away his boy cousins woe. was as gen
tie as a woman, even while he won.
dered to see that George took it so
keenly and bitterly to heart.
From that day the gay little world
OF the fashionable watering place was
astonished at the devotion accorded by
Major Livingston to Miss Moore.
Pauline herself was more than aston
ished. she was elated and overjoyed.
Major Livingston was man who was
sought and courted by all the bellies OF
society-a man whose ''magnetic
eyes" as she herself had phrased it,
and tenderly modulated voice were
enough to set any feminine heart in
blaze. He walked with her, he sat
with her, he rode with her, he read
poetry with her, he sat with her dur
ing the long golden September twi-
lights, until Pauline felt that life be.
sides HIM was the brightest boon
Providence could accord. She haugh.
tily discarded her other suitors; she
cared no longer for ballroom or pic.
mic partIes--to her the whole world
held but one man, and that was Harry
Livingston.
But still he kept just outside the
charmed circle OF love making; he did
not propose. And Pauline, growing
almost sick at heart, counted the days
that still remained of the season.
"He will propose tomorrow, or
perhaps the day after" she whispered
to herself. "Oh, surely it must come
soon."
1t was the evening before the break
ing up of the gay party that had en-
livened the seaside hotel all summer,
and brilliant ball had been gotten
up to celebrate the brief, happy sea-
son. Pauline Moore had dressed for
this festivity with unusual care-some.
how she felt that it was to be crisis
in her life. She wore lemon colored
silk, like q fair, aureate cloud, and
her hair was looped up in its shining
braids, by slender chains of gold. Her
toilet, she knew by the murmur that
pervaded the ball room the moment
she entered, was success-and Harry
I.ivingston's handsome eyes rested
upon her with evident admiration.
But the evening passed away, throb.
bing its brilliant hours in music and
perfume, aud Harry never came near
her. She had cavaliers in abundance,
she was the cynosure of all eyes, but
he. the man of all men, kept obsti.
nately aloof.
"Take me to the balcony. I am stiff.
ling for want OF fresh air," she said,
almost pettishly, to the partner with
whom she had just glided the redowa.
"Thank you. l need detain you no
longer.
And Mr.. Graham, feeling himself
abruptly dismissed, left Pauline by
the side OF Major Livingston and
stalked away in high dudeeon.