Year: 1879




anywhere than in a certain little village
lying under the shadow of Mt Tom. in the
fair valley of the Connecticut tsearly as
seven inthe morning the heat was willing.
The air like sponge absorbed all the
vitality of the body almost at the first con-
tact. Ladies sal all day in darkened par
lorS, wearily tanning themselves and won
derlng 1t 1t were possible that men could be
actually working in the fields. They made
as much fuss over their husbands and sons
gong to their business in the morning as if
they were soldiers going Ia battle, and
welcomed them at night like returning
veterans. Nor was this feeling wholly un-
JuStliiable in view of the list of deaths by
sunstroke which the papers published
every day. Not till evening. when the
painting earth had begun to cool her hot
face i'll the fresh of the. night, was there
the least sign of social life about the closed
houses. FF
Not indeed that the first hours of evening
were much more tolerable than those Of
day The ground. the trees, the walls
were saturated with heat, and after the sun
went down began to give it forth I'M such
>uffocating volumes that for while the
earth reminded one of an old-fashioned
brick oven. from which the fire is drawn
only when it is hot enough for baking pur-
poses 1t was not till the huge umbrella
of the earth had been interposed between
the village and the sun for several hours,
that the atmosphere became tolerable.


In Difference to this extraordinary state of
the weather, nine or ten in the evening
had become the fashionable hour among
the young folks for croquet parties. The
present narrative opens ON one of, the
warmest evenings of the month, and Just
as the paper mill bell has sounded the hour
of ten. The lawn of one of the most ele-
giant residences in the village is at thisno-
ment brilliant with Chinese lanterns and
lively with groups of laughing players.
a lunch-table, bright with silver. CLEANS
through the low door windows of the par
lor. which open upon the veranda and the
lawn, while close about the pleasant scene
the dense. soft darkness broods costly.
One or two whitish blotches loom out of
the night along the top of the fence sepe-
rating the lawn from the street. They are
the faces of pedestrians. who in passing
have paused to admire this glimpse of
fairy land.


Two young ladies are not playing cro-
quet, but sit talking under tree at little
distance from the players. One of them is
Violet HaZen, the hostess of the evening,
tall young lady whose sweet. strong
face would give the impression of unusual
calm and seli-poise but tor the depths of
loving weakness in the brown eyes, which
betray dangerous possibilities of self-devo-
tion. The young lady with her is Mary
Coates. clear-eyed. fresh-complexioned
girl, Niolets sole and unlimited confident
She knew all about the latters engage
70 l.. 1.
own mother. 1t is he of whom the two
chance to be talking inst now.


"Where in the world can Will be so
late - Violet is saying as the reverbera-
ton of the bell die away after the last
stroke of ten.


Mary was casting about for some more
less probable excuse to allay her friends
anxiety, when she heard some one coming
up the garden walk from the street.


That's he now, fancy" she said.


Violet listened Il moment to the steps
which were now quite audible. although
the conner was still in the dark, and then
shook her head laughingfy, saying,


Il have listened for his step oftener than
You. and that's not it. nor any thing ike
it. wonder who ii can be 20


Mary, who was sitting with her face in
the direction of path. while Violet had
her back to it, could already descry the
outlines of the approaching figure, and
said mschievously: ~


Don't look around VIII you bet
box of gloves it isn't Will ?n


"Ot course will said Violet, ''tcn if
you like. Don't know his step?n


But even as she finished speaking,
change in Mary's expression caused her to
l,- 1, I Il e
not. His gait although not staggering.
was uncertain. little Ikea person wadng,
and marked by an exaggerated attempt at
a bee-line As he drew near, he began
smiling that loose proptiatory way pecu-
liar to persons whose eyes are deprived by
alcohol of the power Of focusing the gaze.
so that they can only make out the general
outlines of persons until quite near, and
consequently have an awkward feeling Of
being inspected before they can inspect.


Mary had instantly recognized his condi-
ton, and as she did so glanced involunta-
rily at her friend. How could she bear it?
Niolet's first look had told her that some
thing strange was the matter with VIII.
She had never seen an Intoxicated person
in her life but she instinctively apprehend-
ed the truth A. she sat motionless half
turned in her chair to look at him, her
bright young face grew ashen, and tasci-
mated look of fear sprung from the depths
of her eyes lie sat down with lurch on
the chair by her side and now she saw Il
CLASSY film over her eyes, and observed a
peculiar putfiness beneath them and about
the lids, and noted a singular pendant cast
of the cheeks "a if the muscles that keep
the features in place had grown tired


Will was not very far gone. He had OBJ
served that both girls looked at him oddly.
and that Violet made no reply to his greet
ing except that decidedly unpleasant stare.
He knew that he had been drinking little
too much, but il they thought he was in
toxicated he would convince them of their
mistake. and with that intention he began
to talk rapidly But his voice sounded As
if his tongue had swelled to double its size
and he stumbled sadly against the corners
of words. Certain consonants We're like
fire-barred gates across his path, makinga
detour necessary. When it came to this he
had sense enough to relapse into silence.
although with sentiment of indignation