The suburban citizen., 1900-04-07


gaging her hand with an air that
showed thab she was slightly annoyed,
''if you remain, there are several con-
ditions which you must promise to
comply with"
"I will comply with any condition
that you wish. All ask is that you
will suffer me to stay"
"The first condition is that you
must under no pretext whatever leave
the house except to attend church on
the Sabbath, and then it must be in
company with some person whom ]
shall provide to go with you"
"That Will suit me exactly-I do
not wish to 60 out.
Another Is that you must not at
tempt to hold any correspondence,with
your old associates
"There is not person on earth
with whom 1 wish TO hold any corre-
spondence.
"The third and last condition is
that should any OF your old acquaiut.
ances call you will refuse to see them. "
CAN that you require should have
performed voluntarily"
"Well, then, you had better take or
your cloak and hood, for the room is
rather too warm to require aach gar
ments."
She withdrew to the opposite side
Of the apartment, and Percy observed
that at the moment she removed her
hood she tore q wreath OF flowers from
her hair and crushed it in her hand,
which soon afterward, when aho mag
ined she was not noticed, she threw
into the fire.
When divested OF her cloak and
hood, with hor rich dress exactly
fitted to her form aud bright golden
hair onwoven with pearls Mrs. Leon
ard could not help couieesing TO her.
self that she had never seen q woman
so beautiful If the admiration Of
Percy was graduated on a lower scale
his counteuauce was no true index Of
his mind, and tho idea Of his proposed
visit into the country began to grow
exceedingly disecstefui to him.
The next morning at the breakfast
table Miss Lewiston appeared in n cal
leo morning Dress which Mrs. Leon
ard had provided for hor, with her
hair, which was plainly parted on her
forehead, compressed into one heavy,
rich braid, which shone with luster
nearly equal 10 the small gold comb
which confined il to the back part Of
the head, Her demeanor was modest
to bashfulheas, her color varying with
every motion from the palest hue Of
the blush.rose to that which dyes tho
leaves nearest its heart. Mrs. Leon.
ard was at O loss whether to attribute
this fitful varying of her complexion
to modestY on guilt, but Percy, who
had great deal Of chivalry about
him, would not have hesitated had it
been the custom in those degenerate
days to break lance with the bravest
man in tho country in vindication OF
her innocence.
Mrs. Leonard, thinking it best not
60 tax the skill Of her new needle
woman too severely at first gave her
n cambric handkerchief to hem, which
being performed with neatuess and
dispatch, she ventured to trust her
with pair OF fine linen bands, which,
according to the old fashion, when
women probably found it difficult to
fill up ell the time, were to be stitched
twice across, each stitch 20 embrace
just two threads. She had finished
one band entirely to Mrs. Leonard's
satisfaction, when tho doorbell rang.
Miss Lewiston gave nervous start,
and rising from her chair, requested
Mrs. Leonard's leave to retire to hor
own apartments. The person who
rung proved to be Mrs. Reading, n
lady with whom Mrs. Leonard was in
timately acquainted, and to whom she
determined to mention the case of her
new seamstress, and ask her advice
relative to the propriety OF permitting
her to remain. Mrs. Reading had
something important to communicate,
and commenced by saying:
Have You heard the news, Mrs.
Leonardo"
'No, indeed-what newsY
"You know old Mr.. Draper, doR't
your"
''I know thore is such a person,
though / am not acquainted with him.
"And you have heard Of the beauti-
full Miss Winthrop, his niece and
ward?"
'Yes."
"And of old Barner, whose property
is said to exceed q million?"
II have"
"Well, it seems that Barnor took q
fancy to Miss Winthrop and asked her
guardians leave to propose to her.
Mr.. Diapers consent being readily
obtained, he proposed and was re-
iected. Not satisfied with this, he
continued to persecute her with his
addresses and finally, tits said, offered
her guardian a heavy sum il he would
either by persuasion or threats induce
her to marry him. Make yourself
easy, Mr.. Barner, said he, she shall
be your bride. He found, however
that he had undertaken difficult task,
and, despairing of other means to
effect his wishes. locked her into her
own apartment and gave ont that she