Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, September 7, 1873, Page 11

T ANCHICAGO 'DAIGY: TIRIBUNE: SUNDAY, 'SEPTEMBER 7, Y FRENCH HOME-LIFE.® = Bervnnts-—-_Ohildren---Prs;pam—r tion of Food. Manners == Language-~Dress=-Mar= riage. Prom the London Saturday Revletn, * Home-Lifo" is a comprohensive term, in- oluding many departmonts and varions phascs of domeetio exporience. Considoring how largo 15 tho part whicl sorvanta play in it thore s e cortaln fitness in boginniug, a8 our author docs, with a chaptor on !¢ pERVANTS." : Initho deroribos the moral offeots which tho 1dess of '89 hnvo produced on the minds of that olass, Equality betwoen mastor and manis s ronlity in Franco, but it in an oquality of a spacinl charactor, which evidences itaclf in o po- cnliar mannor. It in no way Involves o shado of doubt as to the tomporary superiority of tho em- ployer over tho omployed, or diminishes the hnbitunideferance and respoct of mannor which is oxpocted from a sorvant; but it maintains in- tact bLotivoon 'the two tho pro-oxlating ab- and o law it, covors tho dignity of tho server towards the sorvod, aud Koopu thom both sssurod that, directly thoy sop= stenot truth - that in morals one {8 o8 good sa the othor; arato, thoir rolative positions will ouco moroe bo- oumo idantieal, not, of courso, in tho passing ac~ cidont of social rank, but in the univeraal bond of common bumanity, Iondo it is that Fronch mustors are 8o often friondly with their sorvants, and dlsouss family affairs with them. Thore {8 no barrior, 88 in England, botwaen tham ; only & tacit rocognition of a connection which, while it Iuwis, susponds equallty. The fact that ho, can put an end to this suspension whon ho likes en- couragos- tho temporary inferior to support it while it lasts, The Eoglish sorvant ia always striggling to maintain his imaginary diguity by sticking out for tho infinitely small prisilogen which, by dogrees and under prossuro, have boon conforrod upon him, Tho Fronchman, feoling tuat his rights ng o man aro absolutely ou a par with thoso of his master, attachos vaat- Iy loss importanco to his righta nas sorvant, sud is consequontly ready todo whatevér you ask providod only you ask in s wey whioh ploases him. e nover raises tho objection, 8o common in the mouth of English sorvants, *‘It's not my placo to de it.” If thoro be any resson for it, a cook will cloan the drawing-room, & footman will cook tho dinnor, n lady’s maid will black the buots, without ang grovling sud cathor us fun thon othorwise. ‘This odaptability is & poculiar ot of Frouch gorvants. TUEIN GENKRAL CHABACTERISTICE avo snid to e activity, closuly aspect (wo ob- Borvo thab our suthior refraing-from meying | clcanliness), cheory tompor, simplicity, and econ- omy. In this lnst parlicalar thoy prosont a marked coutrast to the thoughtloseness of their Buitish confreres. Paris servants conntituto s Cluss sui generis, “much less worlly, but fur moro intorostiog.” Our _outhor ro- fora to the dograding tnd domoralizing offeots of tho slooping arrangements for eervanis in Puris, whicliare tho rosult of tho genoral adop- tion of tho “ flat” eystem. Iu this particular, at least, English homos contrast favorably wil tlio Freuch “ apartomont.” Considering the li- conue thoy enjoy, our author thinks it wonderful that Paris Bervants aro as good s they sro. Tlora ara scamps among them, but thora are a groat many excallont creatures too ; aud * quan- titiew of bravo girls, sho got up in the oarly norning to (gc to mass,- and walk to their bods down thoso foul corridors with their eyes straight beforo them aud thoir oars rosolutoly nluued‘ liko littlo raints whom no tomptation can tonch," On tho whole, our author pronouncos strong}: i favor of tio morits of French sorvants an tho conditions under which their services are rondored. Nothing in tho book, by tho way, do o more waruly indorso than {he Bketob givon I it of the imwense supariority of tho brisk and sheory gareon to the ** gi-mnuy-con\od, “dough- faced, prolentions,” and let us add rapacious, hotel-waitors of. these islands, OF . FRENOH CHILDREX pur esgaying has somothing to nsy. No one can bave visited our nuikvhbora norosy the Channol without parnoiving what an jmportaut part chil- iren play in socioty ; OF, to put it Jasa enpho. ‘mistioally, as this book doos, the art of spoiling has ronched in Fisnco. Nov- srtholosy, iu Fronch girls, and thoir way of oringing up, our sutbor finds much to com- Dond. Living sido by eide with demonatrativa muthers, they soon learn to copy their fiunhlug— aess and susceptibility to owmotion. ut this constant contact with their mothors hes its gaod ‘Girls loarn to keep houso, and to recoive Viejtors, and. cultivato tho faculty of conversa- tion. 'Tho Freuch gisl learns how to bo a woman from hor crudle; and this offors & largo Somponsution for want of disoipline and of tho habit of application. Of French boys our su- tior s formed o much lesa favorablo opinion. Tho groat ~majority of ~them he pro- pounced 1o be deficient in pluck omanlinoss, . Their . systom of — education i opposed to tho developmont blese virtues, - It iz at achaol that they pick up tho sueaking little notions which are so uni- vorssl awong. theém. Thoy mako faces at oach othor, thoy kick, thoy, slap; but as for real hit- ting, a8 for defouding o poiut of honor, ns for bard, rough games whoro force and ekill aro neoded—who over heard of these things in Frauco? Indiscussing tho canses of tholato defeat of Franco, our author thinks that suf- ciout impottanco has not beon attachod to the efiects produced by tho education of tho boys, to tha UTTER WANT OF STUBBORX PLUGK which characterizes it, and to the facility with waich tho higher moral tenchings disappear when manhood’ comes, Until thoro is a radical ehange in the character and training of French Loye. thera will be small hopo of socing France tulto her old placo agnin among tho nations. Thoir wholo carly training would scem to bo do- syued to dovolop cowardice. Thay aro for- biddon to figlt; sud it ono boy shontd strike auothor, oven In othac Keholars would toll tho mastar, and the of- fonder would bo punished as a_dangor to so- cioty and o corruptor of gond morals, A Hwedish boy at o pension in Poris woa called a liar by an ushor of 16 yenrs old ; the youngstor went straight at bim, bud got homo his right on Liiu tooth, and his lef} bobind his ent, and thon s:sked him if he would bave any more; whoro- upon the thirly-soven other Loya in the room yushed together at the Swede, rolled bim an the fivor, aud strotchod thomsolven on bis body as it ho wore a rattlesnake in & box, When the poor follow was got out his nose was flattencd and P arm brokon. Thoso thirty-soven boya wera quite proud of it, and woro roady to bogin Rpain. “I'ig * gingular skill of tho Fronch in the PREPARATION OF FOOD ” furnishios = topic to which a chapter in this work is dodicated. Our author dilstes on tho suporior oconomy of Fronch ccoks, whioh i chlully offoctod by the hebit of buying in small quontities. e caloulates that kitchen munago- ment in Frauco s cheapor by cue- third than it is {n England, Aund when it ia found that this vast saving is accompaniod with extraordinary suporiority in tho nature of tho food itsolf, English food arrangenionts can ouly Lo regarded with ‘*stupefaction.” “ Boiling,” 88w inratood by English cooks, in particular, in donousived 08 an act of wastoful folly, W boil out of meat all {ts cesences and juices, and thon eut tho tastoloss, nzoto-losy relics of our work, While wo diligontly throw away the dirty walor containing all the nutrition which wa have dig- tulled, The Fronch dogma, on the contrary, is {hut evorything which is in tho food ought to Lo what a dovelopment and of self-detenss, all tho | of tho aystem that it tacitly lays down the princlple” that sll porsons meoting In the samo houso know oach other without the . formallty .of .an...introduction, .. Any. man may esk & girl to danco, or mny sponk to anybody at & privato: party. "This in an intolll- gant and most practionl ouatom ; it facilitatos convorsation, it dispols akwardnoss ; it makes it possible to pass o plessant hour in s houso whore you do not know a soul ¢ it gives a look of wirmth and unity o a room. Anothor motit in Fronch mannors is tho gonoral absonco of mauvaise honle. 1t a boy drope his book st church, he picks it.up without biushing. A Fronch woman takes off hor bonnot and arrangos hor hait bofors. the glass in o railway waiting- room, without a thought of tho presonco of by- staudors, In hor oyea all suoh things nre Bo ndtural, 80 muokh & mattor of courso, that it nover oocurs to hor to mako any fuss about thom. No ddubt sho ls right in tho main § but it will prob- alily ooour to somo-of - their foroign vinitors and critics that the Fronch somolimoa carry thoir ddotrino of the - noodlessnens of reserve in all that they are. pleasod to cousider nutural to an undeairable oxtrame. : In an intoresting csnay on . . TIHE LANGUAGE; . onr suthor points out some ourious analogion botwoon it and the natioual obaracter. Two fonturcs e wolosted for epedinl aulogy,—the conjunction of tho vorbs, and tha practice of plaoing the adjcotive aftor, and_ nat befaro, tho poun. Tho firat, which contrasts favorably with onr “ghabby systom of uxiliary vorbs," tho Fronch sharo with othor nations of Lally raco, 18 al80 to o groat dogros the second, which mny. bo defonded on tho ground that it is more philo- sophical to stato what tho eubject in bofore wo bogin to aesign it to its peoulinrities. ~Diffor~ oncea of idion throw a curious light on ua- tional characteristics. Our author points out that the Fronch tonguo coutains no such word as ** gobor,” Tho outiro absonce of any word ducrl(\llvn of that state is suggestive onongh. The English drink enough o noed a kpocial il ubtrative titlo for o mau who hasnol drunk the Fronoh have nover ot folt tho nocossity of forming any such curious - subjootive, or rathor - mogativo, nppollation; . conso- quently thoy have mot fiot 3 A socond examplo of tho ovidonco of charsoter ‘botrayed by languago is tho ab- genco, in Fronch, of any word ocquivalent to “listonor.” 'The only intarpretation of so odd a blank lios in the supposition that each Freuch- man chattera for himsol?, not for othors; and that, not caring whothor ho is listoned to or not, bo has nover rocognized tbat he has no denomi- nation for tha person to whom he spoaks, This in'ingenions, but it doos not apposr to striko our eganyist thaf Lis second instauco of a *gap” in the fanguago i8 not quite sualogous to the first. There is no word.for sober,” ha contonds, bo- causo sobrioty {8 80 much tho rulo that a word %o expross tho habit is not nooded. Thora is no word for * listouer,” not because all Frenchmon ara listonors, but, on tho contrary, bocaise in & nation of universal chattorors the function of & ligtanar drops_comolotely out of obsarvation. Btill more fanciful is tho notion that tho absenco of any word corresponding to dowdy” is to be connocted with tho universally smark and nost appoarance of Frenchwomon. As xojnrd. pronounciation, our author gives tho m to tho Fronch _pokon in tho distriat from Brlulm to Tours. Ho nssorts that tho children ‘“tho make dirt-pies on tho borders of. the Loiro ronounce far bettor than the actors of the Biioatro Franoais. Drobably thia io an exaggor ation ; but it is no doubt truo that tho purost Fronch is spoken in tho contral rogions, {}m a8 tho.bost Fnglish is eaid to ba found in Norih- amptonshire. ur notice of the chaptorn on : “DRESS" AND ‘““MARRIAGE" must necossarily bo briof. Extravagance in dross is justly oriticizod as one of tho worst so- cisl features of the Sccond Empiro. Whon all ossiblo varieties of form had boen oxhnusted he ladics of tho period took up color 3 and it Gormany had pot intervonod, thoy would saon avo worn out color tag, and have hud nothing left to chiooso from, Tho renction whioh haa now get in is against color; womon aro wearing tints which lavo no_ namos, which never wero roal, or frosh, or troe, but whioh ell - do mot quite rench tho tone which wo design hy * faded.” It is' smusing and very charactoristic to find that thoy are called by Paris des coulsurs provisoires, aa being in sympathy with the smbiguoia sort of Governmont which France just now possossas, neither Monarchy nor Ropublic, Frouoh mar- fingas, our author belicves, in o vast majority of casos, to be. hlpry marringos. Tho ononess of exiatence which 18 so distinctive a characteristio of married lifo in the middle and trading classes, 2nd which is shown by tho frequont’ prosonco of wives in their busbands' officos and shops, strikes him a8 8 morit in their system. But tho cautious and prudential epirit in which the whole subject of marrisgo 18 handled in France doca not el«:nl}n oriticlsm. Thiais in part attributablo to tho legal formalitias and difiultios with which mar- riago {8 surrounded by tha oparation of tho Gode Napoloon, and -to the extraordinary control which parents have over tho morringes of their children.’ Upon anothor " branch of {his aubject our author makes 'somo obsorvations,— namely, the stsr}ling diminution in tho focundi- ty of French marringes. In 1770.the children ‘born In France weroe, in proportion to the wholo population, one in twenty-iive ; now they have come down to one in thirty-fiv'; the falling off Tias consequontly reachod tho narmots fgura of 40 per cent. Our author doca mot shrink from seserting that this result is due to the ‘widesprend application of the Jfalthusian prin- ciple of circumepaction in matringo. The quos- tion Is diflioult to diucusa in & work of this kind ; but its boaring on the national future of Franca id of an importanco that caunot bo overrated, pedsiaats o v s s A TRAGEDY OF TRAVEL. Canto Primus, Poto was s Hip-up baggage-mun, be ran on Number our, ‘Where the fears snd groans of travollng foiks unflinche - ingly he bore. Ho cared not how the women Wept, Or strong men £ “raved and awore, While ho mutilatod ssmple caxes, desolated Baratogns, annihilatod ordinary luggage, immoiated carpet. {orminated band-boxes, and extinguished ra! out fita by tho scors, ‘lis Aino old railwsy baggage-man, ono of the modern time, Canto Secundus, ‘But Thursday sfternoon thorocame a modeat traveling ma Who smile@l and watched how ruthlessly tho baggage Poto did slam ; “Then, a4 ho polnted ont his trunk to him to smnsh and ‘Jann, e said, #'Dear friend, my wordly ©" ahd humblo; silvor and gold havoI none, but such as T Liava nre in that trunk, Handlo it ten- derly, for {t ia frail and T am poor, and if thero's 4 traveling who watchos, and weops, and » over his baggege, then that's tho kind of & am.” * (Cliorus tho ssmo 1n before.) osacasions aro fow Canto Tertius, But Peter selzed bis sbabby trunk with anorts of wrath aud scorn, And in two scconds both the handles from the enda orn, Ang teedless ot the plesdings of tho passengor for- o , o banged the trunk down on tho platform, and then thraw it over the top of tho car and lot an omii= * bus run over it, and then whacked it & _bumper, and threo it off'tho end of the bridyo,and shot 1 it with his rovolver, and finally hugged it In hia s, took & Gylui leap into tho buggago-cer with 1, and it on it tn n cornor with Lls heols, head, &nd stomach, sod musbod it jnto more ploces than thoro sfo alrs om » dog's buck, and ho oxt aecond thiat baggage-car waa juat ‘allve ilh, oo intorested Laga 204 more crawling, squirming, wriggling, rattling, cofliny Tatllesuskes thau sou would bellovo Lad over n born, (Cnnnlul;pflrluully, but Witk more fecl- vy, interested go Tmau Canto Quartua, In vain the muso eassys to tell Low Pete, the smasher, aw0 And yelied #ud shrioked and howled and roured and roved and ramped and lure, And cratched ind clashod and wiweat and atruck and scramblod for the door, And turned biue us fudigo; and ewsllodup to nine times {he aizo of & double-docker Baratuga trunk, and disd In two miuutes after 1o _got out of tho car, whils tho modest travelor, Viowing bisox scgerated remulns, smiled eadly, and suid he “Wiever knew o baggagomun %o fond of snakes Juft tn it by tho cook, and to Lo found iu it by the before,” eater. Comparing tho svorago smount of Tood s‘mmmlldu\l.) consumed por head in tho two countrics, our | —Peoria Jsview, anthor #howa that its total wolght Is greatoer in —_———— Fm;mfi than ilu E‘l'h'lfll"l- 1t 18 nof, xuw«}vur, Bashfulness, mudo up in the wema W, Lon= i Qoner congwmen moro, moati & Tarlsian | i Dashfulnoss ls o dwroiivg ond encaging mue Lread and vegotablos, Illa conclusion I that the French aro ul loast as woll fod as wo nre, while they epond much lows thau we do, sud bivo vastly niove sgreonblo enting. Into a chapter on ~ PRENCH MANNERS ¢ho potition and influonce of women must noc- n»hgull ¥ largely entor. Of tho urbanitios which have their rout in tho innate dosire of ono sox to chari, and of the othor to render howago to fo- iunla charm, our author speaks 1n tormn of high commendation, As bstwoon man and msn considors them carriad_to tho verge of hollow- noks and urtoality, Excemsivo courtonies bo- twoon mon who uaithier liko nor respoct each othor aro, an s konaration, peculiar to Franco, Cartwin dotails of #roucn manuers the author Justly eulogizes. 1tia ono of tho highost morits SPRENOH HOMEL.IFE, Originally publislind Hushuieds Hiyicine Lo SR Bisckmood & Bom quality, but it is apt (o bo an occasionally un- comfortablo one to tho possossor thercof, Witness tho case of an axcellont und fratidious youpg gentloman of Ban Irancisco, who lately mado & formal call upon a family of his ac- unintance, 1aving eutortained the sald family with unueuul brillianoy of convernation, and quite fuscinated its young lady. mombors, hio prepared to dopart, ~ I'kis la always the trylng moment for a bashlul men, This partio- ular ono mada his final bow and gracofully re- tirod, faciug bis friends, to whet bo (oudly im- sginod was the rifiht door of exit. -Alasl It lod to an empty china closet, and ho was inside and bo shut that door betars ho quite realized _bis agoniziug blunder. But eveu that might bave boen borpo wero it uot that tho family waich-dog hnd sooratly cmr\ in thore to doze. The lutrusion hurt iy feolings, and ho, natural- Iy and promptly rowontod if. . fho soul—-aud th i Emnanu—ot fhint yonng man are * bittorly ront, o much for beshiulness,—New York Tribuné,. MY AVENGER. . |.. Como hither, Czar, It scoms almost cruot to inturb you as you llo tharo, strotchod out ot tull longth on tho hearth-rug, with tho frelight gleaming on yous satin:smooth coat and showing off your Lugo bulk agaivst its ruddy glow. Dut X tool sad and lonoly to-night; old follow, and I would faln realizo i your compaulonsbip that thoro fs ono oronturo on earth that truly loves mo, oven though thot creatura bo but & dog. 8o como, sir—como—wale up! Ah, that is right; up with yon, Ozar—up with youl put your great paws on my shouldars aud rub yonr hoad against my chook, which hns goldom known 8o honest a carces, Bub gontly, gently; that willdo! You aro apt to forgot that you are rathor largor than a gooduizod calt; B0 your gambols aro tho roverso of lightaomo, and your foudncss, wheu too domonstrative, spoedily bocomos oppressivo. Bit . down besido mo, mow, ond. lay your hoad upon my kneo, #o that I can rost my hand upon it, for my thoughts are busy with tho ovents of the poat, and tho flerc satisfaction that thrilla my hoart, whenover I look at your massive chost and powerful jmws, and strong ‘whito tooth, is tho only vostige of gladneces that thogo ovonta have loft to mo, 5 The flickoring flamo flashes np- now, and Lrings out in vivid distinctooss the piclure that haugs above the mantolpleco, b picture that to- morrow will claim no incousiderablo share of at- tention from tho persobs who will doubtloss como, in great numbers, to bo prescntat tho 6o of “iho ologant country-nent known as Mandosteigh, situated on tho Hudson River, Just twonty miles from Now York, and ‘within ton minutes’ walk of tho Wostbrook Station.” I boliove I havo quoted tho advertisemont cor- Toctly. ' Evorything s to bo dioposod of to-morrow~—houss, grounds, plants,. furni- turo, ploturcs, brouzos, books—avory- thing excopt you, my groat Russian bloodhound, and yondor ploturo, That eball remain in my possession. No scandal-loving purchasor shall evor point to it a8 o likenoss of tho beautiful Mrs, Korrison, and o vory interestiog rolic of the colabratod divorco caso, I will keep that paint- ing ns ‘& momonto of my past folly and tho cruel punighiaent which awaitod my blind infatus~ tlon, Tho ploturo wag christoned by the artist ** The Sleoping Ducnna." The scono is in Venico, and, by tho costumos, tho sction tranapiros in tho middlo agos. It ropregonts n largo archod win- dow with oarved and massive slone framework, and with a slightly projecting balcony, over whoso heavy stono balustrade hangs a rich dra- pory ot silvor-gray damagk, whilo on its brond ledgo there stands o slondor roschbush, planted in an antiquo vaso, aud bearing ono or two bril- liant blood-rod blossoms. Two porsons aro soated in this balcony. One, an'aged dsme, at- tired in a dark hoavy-looking -robo with stiflly- starchod ruff and slashod sleeves, clutches hor great feather fan with inatinctive.care, whilo hor drowsy hoad droops sideways sgainst the framework of tho window, and gkid sits thoro tant asloop. Tho other, a fair-haired, ohildlsh- looking girl, leans forward with emiling mouth and downward-glancing eyes,. gazing intently upon tho movemonts of some peraonage bolow, Tho exprossion of pleascd recognition and Inter- st on hor pmtt{ featuros betrays to_tho spoctn- tor that it s no chance passor-by that has' mo attractod hor attention, ond imagination readily doplets tho gliding ‘gondols, and tho gallani cavalior on which she looks. Bho is in tho act of dropping from bor slender out- stretchod hand a spray of scarlet roses, spps- rontly just plucked from tho plant at bor sido, s Jovo-gitt or a signal to tho fover boneath. In her falr, frivolous-faco, with ite coquottish yob childish smile and its oxprossion of gratified vanity, wo road no tragiostory of real possion, of trao though guilty fovo. 1t iu tho faco of & woak, vain, hoodloss woman; ono who might have beon fho horoine of some sncient Bponish comedy of clonk and sword, or the central figure of o morry talo liko thosa told by Baccaccio and Margaret” of Navarro; n woman benutiful and fascinating, it 18 true, with that girlish, child-liko Desuty and soemingly - Rocont fascination which ossess such wondrous Eowsr to onenaro tho honrts and bowilder the raing of tho wisost of mou, but lacking all depth of fooliug, all true nobility of soul, Tn tho bokground, Hio scono doopons into tragedy. Tho damask window-curtain hos just boon swopt asido by o man, handsome and noble- looking, but no longer young ; s splendidly-at- tired, durlt-browad Veuotian, whose deop, pas- sionato eyes, and frowning brow, and clonched hand revesl to us the love and jonlousy and ro- vengoful iro of the betrayed husband, who hag loarned, in that ono glanco, thoe story of his wilo's faithlossness nnd his own despnir, ‘Thoro is more than anger or rovengo writton on that dark, stormy face. Love, strong aud fervent, and sorrow, crucl in ity infensity, blond with tho florcor paskions, aud_contond with thom for {ho musiory, o has loved ihat womon, and Lis hoart, in. that ono moment of rovelation, Las beon mndo dosolate. Toor shallow-souled, carcless child, dropping Ler elgnal-fowors with that thoughtless smilo, how little sho droams or lins ever thought of the terrible rotribution which sho Las hersell dragged down upon hor head,—of tho stormy des- olation slo has brought upon her Lusband's life. 1 think it, attho Judgment dny, o voico arisos to plead for such womon au these, tho words wilt bo thosa of that divinest uttorauce of tho Great TIntercossor, * Futher, forgivo them, for thoy know not what they did!" I hovo_ froquontly boon told by conmois geurs and artists thot this picture ie » remark- ably fino work of art. was, Low- ovor, melther for the excollonco of its oxocution, nor tho dramntic intensity of tho scono thorein portrayed, that I bLo- camo it possossor, but for iho striking resom- blence which the features of thae goldon-halred girl bore to s faco coon thon only for tho firs time, but slresdy indelibly impriuted on my memory—tho faco of Maud - 'omberton. Tho Jikonoss is altogotlior an uccidental ono; the ar- tist had novor oven scen iiws Powmberton, bub Jooking in the depths of Lig soul for tho faco of 5 vain, shallow, unprincipled woman, Lis geniug portrayed for him thot giclish, soulless beouty, aud ho traced the portrait of my future wife. I married late in lifo. Iwas what is usually tormed a gelf-mado man; that ie {0 6oy, Meaven geve mo, not gopius, but somothing better, Damely, common sonse; and 1 turned tho gift to o profitable account. In my early days I was too much engrossed in tho cares and toils of lifo to waste much thought on the softer pagsion ; snd whon at last tho goal of my endeavors was resohed and the golden prize won, I bud "shaped for myaolf an existence whoroin my business by day, sud_my library in the ovaning, fitled up my daya, and left no timo for the pursuit of l:huun !oclnlslanuuxcu for which, howaever, I folt Icould spundd acquiro a liking. 1 was not, theraforo, expos to tho wiles aud machinations of for- funo-bunting mammaa and morcouary dsmsels, and I roachod the age of 47, heart-whiole, fanoy freo, and a singlo man, Ono evening I found mysclf ocoupying a parquette moat of tho Iourteenth Htreof Opera-fouse, I was fond of theatrical and mueical ontortainmonts, ana often passod an evoning at ono or tho othor of the numorous places of amusement in New York, On the night in question, tho dreary uglinoss of this, tho most dismal of Awmerican opors-houses, wad enlivened by the fair faces, tlio brilliant toilots, and the noisy cliatter of a crowded aud fashion- ablo audionco, 1 had como to liston to tho ‘musio, and s much disturbod by tho incossant tllun&solng on around me, & party occupyivg seals in the front row, immodiataly above me, boiug espeoially aunoying. They kopt up a cou- tinual stream of conversation aud Isughter in vory audiblo tones, till at last, fairly out of En- tionce, I turaod and looked up, hoping that my indignant glances would have = soma offect in reducing my formontors to si- lence. I did so, my u{nn rosted on the faco of & young girl who, With parted lips and ongor gaze, wak Joaning uvor tho front of ono of the boxes, and looking intently at tho perform- anco on tho stago, | As tho tluine i yonder fire- place aelzos on the frosh-pluced logs sud flashon bpward iuto now brightucas, {6 shines upon tho painted imago of tho,beauty rovealed to meat hat moment, the faca thut fascluated my goza and enthralled my heurt, “Cleat la fatalitel” ulniu La Bolle Holone, in that oporn of Offen- bach's which I bavo too mueh cniiso 1o roniom- bor, It was fatality, tho blind fufatuation which solzed upon wo in {hat moment, und which bold 1o captivo till a faw sliort, montla ugo. 1 lovad Maude Pomborton from the first momont that I looked upon her, and I left tho theatro with tha mottled purpose (unavawarld oven (o yseif, it I8 true, but not tho loss existing) of making hor my wifo. Madnoss! you witl say. Ab, yos, it was mad- njees ; but ara any of us sio wiso that wo way for- .over oscapo jrom the conuninsion of sols of ins wpme folly ? s wny tlnd €0 porfectly balanced thut it woy nus be swuyed by ono of those sud- don impulacs, prompted by tho foolings and pas- slons which may -have soomod dond,. but woro slooping ? In my youth I lad never loved, and my fata, whon it came, mot mo in this insano, ugrensoning guiso, Tho noxt day, whilo walking down Broadway to my placo of busincss, I chanced to pouse In pamsing (as I often did) ot tho window of & woll-kuown picturo doslor, whoroin that moruing ‘was exposod the {:Mntlng of tho ** Bleoplug Du- onua”’ Btruck by tho marvelonn rosomblanco borne H tho beralne to tho {nung girl whoso fuco had g0 charmed mo, I outerod the shop aud inquirad the prico of tho plcturo, Fivo minutes Istor I wos its possossor. No ominous fore- bodings filled my soul a8 Ilooked upon the seono of falgohood, jealousy, anil despatr thero- in' portrayed ; to mo tho picture taught no loston, conveyed no warning ; and I quitted tha atore with a frosh dronm of Maude Pemberton's lovaliness flonting boforo my montal vision, 1 paa over all the dotaily rusFucliug tho timo and placo whoro I first modo lior scquaintanco, a8 well ns the ‘wholo Listory of my woolng. Looking bock on that period, I”can but ory aloud. in bittor indigusifon at my own folly, O blind—blind .fooll duped by the goft lnatre of & young girl's oyos, mad- donod by the sweotness of hor smilo, wan your punishment groator than your wesknoss' do- sorved? . & ; And yot YthinkI oan Ylnd some oxcnso, I bave ston moro_benutiful womon than Maude Pomborton, but I have novor soon ono who was moro fasciunting; not with tho gracoful and practiced wilos of an_accomplished womsn of tho world, or the eparkling witcheries of o bril- liant converaationslist§ but with 8 ohiarm moro noblo and potont than “either. Hor art wore an inipenatrablo mask of artlessness. Bho attractad bv all' tho winning graces of o malvo ond lovely child, -joinod fo -tho {aot and savolr faivo of " practiced coquotta, Tha vory -charactor of hor beauty, hor large Boft blug oyos with thoir oxpression of mnocent mondor, bor small oxprosivo nouth, whose flaxible'linow varied withs ovory passing emotion, hor delicate festurcs, wayy sunny bair, and rose- lent comploxion, all afded fn producing tho offect sho domred. It was impoasiblo to look at thoso innooont oyes, that childish mouth, and beliove that tho soul thioroin: rovealod could harbor & thought of ovil or of guilo. At lenst such was my couvietion, aud I novor wavored in it, not even whon a1l my acquaintancos, whothor frionds or faos, on loarning of my devotion to Bliss Pom- barton, biastoncd to mo to ultor words of warn- ing and advico, - For-tho young. lady in quostion was woll known in tho fashionable circles of Now York. Bha had beon *‘talked about,” s the saying ds, snd tho horo of tho romanco was one of thoso chnracters who _infoat soclaty a8 tho cobra do capolio doos the dwolling housen of Indin, gliding about on n poisonous misalon of destruckivonoes; marriod irt of notoriously bad charsctor, but of oxcol- lont wocial standing, by name Gordon Arnold. Ho was a yory handsome man, with soft, sloopy hazol oyos, snd monners tbot in languor matched his eyes, while hia voico was alwaya pitolied to that tondor undertona that is 80 offeo- tiva with women ; and ho invariably convorsod with a lady in_such tonos and with such looks, that n bystandor on beholding thom wonld have sworn ho was uttoring tho most forvent protes- tationg of. love, thougl his talk would probably bo about tho lash pmr or the mowost opore. Ha waa tall, sightly built, and of n dolicato epposranco, and tho in- torasting pallor of his comploxion Was sot off by tho dark fringos of o silky-looking but very. hosvy mustecho, Ho hod marriod,ono of tho gonioat holrosscs that lievo- over gracod Now otk sacioty, and sho or hor guardians bhad taken tho procaution of having all hor largo fortune so tiod up that hor husband could not touch iv; an arrangomont which, it was whispored, hod pro- vantod tho olopomant of tho fascinating Gordon with brilliant married Indy, tho funds for the Frapnmd trip not boing forthcoming on tho gon- loman's part, Buch was the porsonago whose name scandal Dbad coupled with that of Miss Pomborton, The Pomborton family were in very reduced circum- stances, tho fathor having died insolvent somo " yours boforo, - snd _ tho -~ widow ‘and the childron, . comprising, besides Maudo, two (nungur girls, and. two boys atill .younger, had been forcad ¢olive in a vory sumplo and rotired manuer, But the charms and nocisl graces of tho eldest daughtor Lnd insured hor a ‘position in faslionable socioty, and no inoonsid- crablo share of ndmiration from its votaries, Mrs. Pomberton was & wenk, foolish woman, ut- torly incapablo of guiding of govorning har chil- dron ; 80 that when tho rouo, Gordon Arnold, singled out Maudo as the object of his compro mising_attontions, &ho was noworless o inter- fare. 'The young ludy was only too_charmed to Do tho chosen Cynthin of Mr. Arnold’a minutes. Gosips whispored, eldarly maidens shool their honds, nnd gay youths looked askauco and smiled whonover .the pair in question wore ~ secen promensding togather in tho suburbs of tho city, or - convers- ing in whli:{mru at somo placo of public rosort. Martiod Indles of sovara principles bogan to cut " Miss Pemborton, and modest girls consed to visit hor, and the sflair was begiuning to as- sume o gerious phaso, when 1t waua suddouly an- nounced that Mrs, Gordon Arnold had boen or- dered to Europs by hior physicians, and that ho, with her husband ana children, was to 8sil in 8. fow days’ for 1lavro. Of coursa it was immodi- atoly rumored that jonlousy was tho causo of Mrs. Arnold’s sudden loss of hoalth ; and scan- dal-mongers oven doclarod that a eaparation was the penalty sho was propared to inliot on hor hushand, in cako ho rofusad to nccompany hor, Dot tho fascinating Gordon was too fully slive to tho advantage prooured for him by his wife's lnrge income to abject ; and at tho time I firat mado Miss Pemborton's acquaint- anco, tho Amold fmmily hsd beon absent in Europo for nearly a yoar, Buch was the tale which my friends as_woll a8 my foos hastonod to pour into my unwilling ears 80 soon 'ns my attontiona to Maudo Pomberton bocame au ebtablished fact. 1 listoned with stubborn incrodulity, nccusing the wpoakors of gross oxaggoration, if not of actual falsohood ; and with indigoation against those who conld so misrepresent tho girlish imprudence, tho ardont friondship of that naivo and caodid soul rising hot within my breast, It was after ono of thoso conversationa tbat I bastenod to purchaso ihe splondid parureof tarquoises and diauionds, which e my firat glft to bor, and 1 went from liston- ing to “another to offer her my band, Opposi- tion and warning only confirmed mo in my mad passion, only rendored mo moro dotormined to makeamonds to this eruclly-wronged angel by maling ber my wifo. Again1 cry sloud, in bit- tor scorn at my own folly, Blind—blind [ Well, one lovoly day {n'sutumn_wo wero mar- riod. 1t wos quito n goy wodding, andtho DLride’s veil and flounces of costly gniut applique were dosorvodly admirad, and noxk wook obiain- od tho distination of a paragrapl in the Home Journal, Isay* costly " advivedly, for boforo wo hiad beon marriod six wooks Maudo came tomo drowned in tears and with tho dressmaker's bill in hor Lauds, *Poor mamma has lost so much mouoy,” she sobbed, *and it _wi }mflt ruin, hor to pay this horrible bill. Doar Richard,"—and the blue eyes ovorflowed and il;:»dro::fifi:‘ud mouth quivered,—* will not you?” A fow wooks after my marriage I recolyod from & friond, who had long rosided in Russis, a gift of o greab shambiiug black puppy, which, bo essured me, was & romarkably flue spocimoen of the purest raca of the Siberian . bloodhound. I cannot say that I fully approclatod bis prosont st tho time X recoived it ; but ne tho croature in- orensed in size aud beauty, and displayed won- derful Intelligenco as well as_affection for me, 1 speedily bocame vory fond of him, and Ozar wai my constant_compauion, going down with mo to my placo of business ovory morning, and nover quitting my side during tho doy, My wifo never could enduro him; she called bim *‘a horrid boast,” and professed to be terribly afraid of bim, though ho was goutleness itscl to ol 'mombers of (he louschold, snd ounly displayed bis forocity when uuauthorized intrudors ade thuir appearance sbout the Ppreniisos, Upon onr roturn from the usual bridal tour to Ningara aud Tronton Falls, ou Fifth avonuo, aud furnlehiod it eplondidly. I Liad no romantic'or old-fogy ideas sbout & Jifo of seclusion, & tota-a-tote of domestio bllsa; for X xuew thal Maudo was foud of society, and 1 had no wish to thwart her desiros and render hor unhapny Ly insistlog upon lioe roinqulsbig oll shora i thoso amugomonts in wiioh sho do- lighted. 8o tho beautiful Mra, Korri- son soon becaws a sfar in fashlonable society, ler porsoual lovolneas, hor drons, her oquipsgo, her bulls, woro il quoted as modols of porfoction ; and tho little peocadillos of Maude Pemberton were sl forgot~ ton, or at lonst frosly forgiven. Isoon found out” that thero wag.a strong in< clination on the part of my wifo L put moiuto the background, to reduce mo, in short, to that dismal oreature, tho ignored husband of a fash- ionablo wifo, But my protty Maudo had rockon- od without hor boét whon elio enst me for the roloof ssupernumorary in the brillistt comedy of hor lifo, ‘T epoodily” gava her. to.undoiatand that, w0 far from boing a eupernumerary, I wad chiof mnnngor, and that If- she possisted in the Tino of conduct shu had ohosen, T sonkil simnly ring down tho ourtain and oxtinguish tha lighva ¢ in othor words, that the continuance of hor galo~ ty and oxtravaganco dopendoed wpon tho amount of rospoct aud doferouco which sho might bu&)lcunuql to bestow upon me, Bho com- Ylmhnud" the sltuntion and seeopted It nt onco, or tact Was porfeok, aud Wo ¢ to mutusl une I puroliaged a houso ' doratanding without ovor having oxchangoed » ‘ord npon 1o smbjoct. - BULI, througl, il thi my love'and indulgence novor failed.i I'rogarded all Msudo's fanlla as tho folblos of & pottod otuld; and whilo utflvlng to correot thom, I for- Dboro to ohido or to punish, Tho winter passod sway, the gny scoson csmo to an ond, and Rocioty substded Into ten partios and luncheon partios ns plous substitutes for dinnera and balls, I took advantage of this in- torrognum to concluile my arrangoments for the rchaso of & country-sont on tho Hudson,which nd struck my fancy greatly when I visited it somo yonrs before. I rochrisioned my mnow ac- quisition b{ tho uamo of Maudesloigh, and tho selection and .purchrse of furni- turo and knek-knncka for its adorumont formod Maude's ohiol nmusomont whon sho grow wearied of ohinreh-going, which was whon sho ad hoard ol tho bost mn?nrn and now authoms Iu tho dif- foront choirs of tho fashionable churchcs in our immedinte nelghborhood. Tho suite of rooms which sho solooted for horasif wora’ very con- voulently arranged. Thoy comprined o bodroom and drossing-room on the second floor, oponing out,of tho main landing, which thero’ formoi & Iargo square hall, Boyond tho drorsing-room. ang opemng into it, was a third room of small pizo, whioh my wifo chrintoned her Ii- brary, by virtue of tho book cnso and” secrotary. of obony and gold whoro- with alio causod it to bo decorated, thongh sho was rathor puzzled how o fill the bookearo, as +Onidn’s " novels aud tho paoma of Owon Mero- dith and Swinburne comprised noarly the whola of hor litorary possossions, Lesides tho entranco to the drasuhxg—i’oom, there was anothor modo of exit fram this 1ibrary, o small door which oponed directly upon 8 narrow_flight of staira loading downward to tho ground tloor, and &t tho foot of which thoro was anothor littlo duor oponing out into n densoly-shadod walk, which led into tho moat socludod part of the 'gronnds. This walk snd ataircano hizd beon construcied by the formor proprietor for tho uso of an invalid daughtor, who, by this means, whon the houso was crowdod with guosts, conld stili mako her way to tho garden and grounds unpor- coived, and thore onjux her uaual daily promonade. There was & dead-latch and » bolt on tho lowor door, Ao that whon it woa not in immediato use it conld be scourcly fastonod. * Ono stormy day in March I came up town to ¢all on a_businesa friend at tho Fifth-Avonuo Hotol. When I quitted him I found tho storm had so inoronsed in violence that X determined to raturn homo at onco, though it wae still oarly :| in the atternoon, o dotormination which I put *| into oxccution at onco, As I opened tho frout door I hoard voitos in tho parlor. COzar, wot and mnddy, was st my hools a8 usual, but, without considering his untidy condition, I entored tho arlor in gearol of my wife, 'She wad sostod Py the window converug with gontloman, ond, rising st onco, though with a slight au;:;kq»or smborrassmont in’ hor manner, £ho paid: “Ab! hero is'my husband, Richard, this is ono of my oldest frionds—Mr, Gordon Arsold.” + Bo, for the firat time Ilooked upou the man of whom T lind hoard 80 much in unfavorablo con- nection with tho name of the Iady I had married. Pale, slondor, dark-oyed—hnndsomo cortmnly, yot.not the stylo of n man for whono sxko ono Zan fanoy 5 woman going mad, but tho 8oft voico ond graceful manner possessed ‘an undoubted charm ; and so I mentally confossed to myzolf, 88 _ho roso from his moat on the sofa snd como forward to rocoive my greoting. 8 I odvoncod to tako his proffered band, a growl from the dog stariled me, sod I sln{inpvd suddenly snd looked round. Ozar was tho, very nact of cronching for a gpring. Tho bair apon bis back stood up in & SR, Srlstiing ridgo, his uppor lip wan dravwn back 80 ak to display bie strong whito tooth, and the gido-long glance of his angry oy shiowad but lit- tlo of the pupil. In an instant I had kim by tho collar, and one second too soon to provent him from flylnz at Mr. Arnold's thront. It wag ovi- dent tliat Czarhad taken one of thoso violent sntipathios to him, to which tho gontleat of dogs aro occasionally prono, snd which tosch them, with tho subtle instinct of their hiato, strong asis thoir love, to dotoct at onca tho prosonce of their sal(-constituted foo, by the sound of hisstep, tho rustle of bis garmonts, nay, tho bate fact of his sppronch, 3r, Arnold was visibly startled. “ Your dog sooms viclous, Mr. Korrlson," hia gnid, in o slightly tremulous voico. “Itisn Khy that so handsome s creaturo should be so angorous,” 1 rado some apology, and dragred Ozar away, which I was obliged to do by main force, so do- tormined was he upon solzing Gordon Armold. Meanwhile Maude stood by, white and trom- bling. Do bave that dog killed, Richard,” eho cried at Iast, when I Lad succoeded in mustering him, But I only shook my head and laughed, Czar was an old subject of dispute botween Mrs, Ker- rison and mysolf, but I was not disposed to sac- rifico my old friehd and daily companion meroly bocauso he shared my dislike to my wito's ¢ old- eat friend.” I did not return to tho parlor after I had obmined up tho dog, but mought tho weclusion of my library, whero I awaited Mr, Arnold’s_ departure, | In about balf an hour I heard the front door close, and then Maudo, humming ono of Offonbach's melodics, camo into the room where I sat. “Why did you not come bacl, Richard ?” sho askod. “I wanted you to meot Mr. Arnold; ho used to boe so kind to me_when I wasa povnrt{- atricken ncliool-gi], and 1 think you would liko ‘bim," "I'his was asid with that air_of naive frankness .whioh s ocalculated to ward off all voproof or “blame, * > “Whon did the Arnold family arrive home from Europe?” I asked. “ About month ngo, I baliove,” *¢ Hove you callod upon Mrs, Arnold since her return 7 “Yos ; abont two weeks ngo."” ‘t Hag vho roturned your visit? There waa & moment’s Lesitation, and (hon Maudo ropliod : 4 No—at least—not yot." “Thon it is my wish that you should not con- tinue to roceive bor husband,” A oloud came over the pretty faco so smiling but a momont bofaro. “I think you sro very uskind, Richard,” sho beg[‘-u i a vesed and impatient tono. Tt i hard iudeed if I may not recoivo tho visits of ono of my Lindest and bent friends, I Lavo ofton told you hLow kind ho waa to mo—" « Btay, Maudo,” I anid, Intormpting hor spocch a8 much by my look and gesturo of command as by wy wordi. “Iallow you, as you know, al- most uvlimited liborty n’ tho mattor of your acquaintancen and friends, butb this much I will gy I will not permit you to receive tho atton- tions of & man whoso ‘wife, for whatover reason it mny be, rofuscs to visit yon; eud undor any circumstancos I cannot allow Mr. Gordon Arnold to place humsolf on tho footing of an intimsto friond of the family." ‘ “You ars jealous,” eaid my wifo with o slight epeor curving ber rosy lip, * just bocause o pack of gosyips and scandnl-mongers choso to mako my friondship for Gordon Arnold tho theme of thoir iales. I wonder that you would TJparkon to auch vila talk." 4 Iiad I hoarkened to them, you wonld never have beon my wifo. Iam not” jealous, Maudo, but I hove no wish to have tho old stories abou Miss Pomberton revived on the subject of Alrs, Kerrison.” i “Andeo I must noé let my best friond on earth visit me," sho oriod, Ler eoyos flashing through tho indignant tosrs that fillod thow, “merely boonuso—-" ¢ Bacauso I will not permit yon to receive him, Tlo'may b your best friend, but your worat ono- my could hardly have bLarmed HD“ more than bo did whon ho joopardized your good name to pempor ‘Lis own _illy .vanity, - 1 blame Llim, tho man of tho world, far moro than I aver did tho Inoxpori- enced girl you thon woro, I have forgotten tho }mxst, but beware how you rocall it to my mind. bave nover yet, I boliovo, laid my commands upon you to perform any act, but I do so now. You shall ot pormit Mr, Amnold to yiuit you.” 1 roso from my seat as I spoko. Maudo lad dashod away her tears, and wo stood thus gaz- ing into caoh othor's face for a momeunt, I cotld see that my wito was weighing tho cou- ‘tonding advantagos of rebollion or submission, and hod I wavored inluok or tono, a ncono of violont opposition to.my wishos would cortaiuly heve ongued; but sho raad my detormination in ‘my faco, andshoyicldod. Bowing hor licad 1n muto acquiosconco, shio turned and loft the room, and about an hour later sho joinod mo at dinner, ex- quisltcly drowsod, and porfootly composcd’ sud plessaut in mannor, flmuf;h somewhat graver apd more silont than usual,’ Bo cudod our first apd last discussion on the subject of Mr., Arnold’s vigity, IIo camo nomoro to’ (ho lhouso, and I thought too Lighly of Maude's good’ senuo and discrotion to imagine that sho carried on any clandostine Intercourse with "him. Buspiclon, tho duonus that might have guarded my honor and my Lomo, was lulled into deop and disnstor- inyiting slumber, 2 Early in May we quitted Fifth avenuo for Maudekleigh, 1 coming daily to the city to attend to businoss, and returning homo late’ in the evouing. Wao liad our houso filled with cempanv from tho first weal after wo got vettlod, Xaudo was Inolined to postpono haviug any visltors ULl Iater in tho. season, but I roprosentud to her that, a8 wo wishod to invite & largo number of frionds during the summer, and conld entortain but a limited number at a thne, who led battor lsuo fuvitations vy soun aa puwsiilo, aud slow oft hor honse and her now summor droancs whilo in thoir firat froshuons. Bo it chancod tlat we had & constant succewsion of guosts till lato fn Boptombor, . We_had a yory gay summor; cro- quot partlos, lunchos, drivhig partios, And sgyn- ing rocoptious drow all onr notghbory and tueir vigitors to our housa, with ous oxcoption, Mrs, Clnrouco Cartoret, who livod vory noar us, por- ainted fu ignoring our advent. 8o wau a digni- flod, big-bred mntron, mothor of two charmin dnuzhtors, and wae o personnge highly entoom and of much considoration in the neighborhood, Ar. Carterot was cxcuodingly friendly whonover wo ohanced to meot, but his rofined, high-minded pifo niovor paid my wifo ovou Lho ordinary oivil ity of acall. I lenrnod why, one (h\i. 'Oso besutiful moruing in October I found my- golf on my way to the Wentbrook Slatiou, I.had partod from Maudo rather roluctuntly thal Thorning, for business of mportance summouad mb to Pliladelphin, and I would not bo nblo to rolurn to Moudonielgh until tho lest train ou the following dny, 1t was tho flrt time I had evor left my wifo sinco our marriago, aud I folt o ang of roal rogrot whon I thought of pasalng PiiiEysix hours without ono look aé ot protty foco, ono kiss from tho rosy lips that had Jnnt qu)n!ml ‘mino so tendorly, one glance frotn tho bluo n{nu whoso Inst toar-veiled look wns lingering In my momory. I bad choson to walk 1o tho station, ns thio moring was so dolightful, and waa strolling along bosido the thick hndfio that soparated Mr. Cartorol's grounds from tho rond, whon my own nsmo, pronouncod in acloar, distinet Lone, utruck my oar, ¥ “Qf courso, Mr. Korrisou docs not know Low Horribly his wifo Lohaved last epring with that soamp, Gordon Amold” - An old affair revived, in It not ?" ‘And thon tho spealkots passed ou, and I Leard 1O 010, My firut impulee aa to forco my way through fhio Bedgo aud coufbut thom, but rollection camo to my aid, and I paused. Should Iadvotlisemy- Bolf a8 nn enveadroppor, oreate talk by oxhivit- ing myself in tho charactor of & newly aroused Othello? No, I would wait., I would watch, T would—no, I would not—quostion Maudo. IInd slio, thon, 80 docoived mo? Ob, 1f who hadl woa to hor lovor] woo toliorl woo, alas, to my- solf] For what thon would Lo loft to me—to ‘me, who had given hor my wholo honrt? T roachad the station, and, on consulting the olock thore, found that I was much too oarly, my watch heing, for somo lnoxplicablo roason, too eandloatick, thatstood on her dronsing-tabl, and oamo towards tho spot whore I alood. 5 * Dy marf srgo - - . Eat on.voyage,” sang Maude, aa sho onterod tho Ubrary. 4411 no propare revenir— Tho song traflodoft Inton sliriek, andthe osndle- sticl wonld havo fallen _from hor hand upon ihe floor, lind I not sprung forward and esught it in it doscent. " Rickard—you hero!® Why, how—iwhon " she gmumd with pallld cheoks and dilating oyed. ¥ You oo I could not tear myuolf away from you.” You havo frightonod mo torribly!” BShe triod fu valu to conceal her ngitation, *1t wag nn;«':'l of you to alarm mo o, 1ow did you got * By the littlo back door. X found it very con- vonient.” A tioy firo was burning In the grato. Bha crouched down on the honrth-rug as though try- ing to warm bor hands, which trombled nor voualy, but striving, as I could seo, to colleot hor thoughts, Bho was a pitiablo object an sho knolt thoro, hor gay dross and glittoring ornamonta contrasting with tho livid pallor of o fentraet tho blujsh shadowa round her mouth, the panies strickon look in ber wide-open oyes, and lor aparkling lucket quivering with tho wild thtohe bing of bor heart. Suddenly sho sprang upi’and turned, an if to loavo thn room. ' Whoro aro you going ?" I asked. I want to seo if you closod the door bohind you. You huvo mado mo s nervous—" ST closed and bolted it, so havo no fear. Come | back hero; I do not want you to go awny. i s oame back and throw horsolf into an arm- chair, Relieved of hor first droad, that of Gor- don Arnold’s sudden appoorance befors mo, nhio speadily grow moro composed. Bho evidently trustod that on finding the dour bolted he would sunpoct that something was wrong and would thon quiotly withdraw. " Wall, now that you are hero, had we not bot~ tor ratire ? " sho said. **It ls almont 11 o'clock.” I glancod at hor costumo, “You wora going out, I supposo ? " 1 asked, 4 No, I—I put on this dress morely Lo judge of ita offect. Losides I was 8o loucly without you that L could not sottlo myaelf to fead or do anything olao,” Tho lics sprang to hor lips with apontavoons rondiness. “ But you must bo it~ fast ; 6o, full of troublod thoughts and dark Tore- bodings, I turned into tho littio post-ofiice, Which waa catablished in & small storo junt noxt {o the station, intonding to purchaso thora o papor or ‘magazine whorowith to boguilo tho time, and, i poseiblo, distract my thoughts, I solectod Romo poriodicals, and, while tho boy was wrappivg thiom up, tho Postmasler, who wan algo tho pro- l’niotm‘ of the storo, cama inm, unfastened tho ottor-box from the window, unlocked it, and {ourm its contents on the countor, proparatory o putting them into tho mafl-bng for tronmmis- glon to Now York, I watcliod Lim idly, with o gort of vaguo cariosily, and saw-that, a ho did g0, ono of tho lotters foll hoavily, as though some hnrd substanco wes inclosed® in it. Iv dropped near mo. Iglanced at it, and recog- nised at onco tho stonder running hand, tho croamy papor, and tho dainty, twisted medimoval monogram in gold and gay colors, It was writ~ tan by my wifo, aud was dircoted to Gordon Ar- nold, I was about to goize it, whon tho Postmaster swopt up all tho lottors, and, with au angry glanco at me, thrust thom iuto tho letter-bag, ¢ Boo here, mister," eaid bo, ‘‘nono of that n?\v. .*,lo tamporing ' with tho lottors, if you oago.” - ook ont my pocket-book and draw & hun- dred-dollar note from its deptbs, This I laid on tho countor. ¢ Givo me that lottor with tho gny monogram on tho"auul,"laud inn whisper, ‘‘and this is ours, H ‘Tho Postmastor hesitated for a moment, and looked at the monoy, aud thon at mo. Justithon tho whistlo of tho approaching train was heard in the distance. Ho locked tho mail-bag with a jork, tossed the note back to me with 8 shako of his head, and burried out to tho platform, ns i in_haste to got out of tho way of tomptation. I followed lum without o word, In that one inatant I had resolved upon thodl:aumu of activn whioh I aftorwards pur- suod. ‘What conld that object bo which was inolosed in the letter? Unfortuuntely, I could guess ouly too roadily. I hayo boforo £poken of tho small baclk door glving ingrass tomy wifo's apartments from the grounds, and have slno montionod thio fact that it wos clogod with » dead-latch. Now, tho ono glance I had cast upon tho lottor had ro- venled to 1o tho fact that the inclosod objeot was & Iy, and tho paper Lad beon 80 adaptad by pressuro to its form that the outlines conld bs cloarly distinguished, tha peculiar shape of tho bandle and tho odd, pyramidal form of tio wards bolng very percoptiblo. 1t was tho Loy of tho littlo back door. Dy the time tho train was fairly on its way to Now York, Ihad rocovered my rolf-possession. T was porfectly caln and cool. I had rocognized, ats qlnncn, the magnitude of tho ovil that had befation mo, the dopth and binckness of the fiulf of infamy that yawnod beforo my fot. viflos, light a# oir, confirmod the atory told by the sending of tho koy. Mauda's caroful quos- tioning a8 to tho longth of my proposbd ab- souce, tho fact that my usually unvarying wateh was twonty minutes too fast, thus showing that it had been tamporod with to pravout tha possibility of my being loft, the macrecy with which eho wroto aud ' ent off hor lottors, tho rofueal of tho Cartorof fam- ily to associato with lor, all roso befors mio in an justant, cach soparato incidout crying, trumpot-tongued, Botrayed! hotrayed ! But tho vory extout aud ‘cortainty of tho ealamity gavo me composure. Hopo, droad, wrath are ngiimtml and unreasoning ; yeugoance is calm, cotlootod, and deternine Ireachod New York, announced overywhero that I was goiug to Philndelphia, snd, fn fact, went 80 far 08 to cross tho ferry to Jeracy City, fearing that Gordon Arnold might sot s watch upon my actions, I ordored dinuor at a restau- rant théro, and forced mysolf to ent and drink, for I know I should neod all my strength. Then I.wont back to New York and took the train to Wostbrook, awiving there about 8 o'clock in ‘tho ovoning. I bod calculnted thnt Ar- nold would soarcely got tho lotter in timo to tuko thav &rain; and, moreover, I supposed ho would wish to wait till hin doparturs would pasa unuoticod on secannt of tho darimess, ‘L'honoxt train that stoppod at Westbrook did not come in till near 11, the intormediato ono being the fast express. My calculations Era\'ed correct, a8 no traca of him sppearod eithior in the carsor at tho staion, greatly to my satiafactiou. I walkod to Maudesleigh, and, avolding tho main_outrance, mado my way by tho sorvants’ gato into the grounds, and concenled myself in & littlo summor houss, ‘There I waited till my ropontor told mo it was half-pnst 10 o'clocl; 1 thon loft the summeor-house and wont rouud to the kounol whors Czur was cbained. “Lho noise and motion of tho cars iu travoling so worried and excited him, that I sel- dom took him to the city; ond, by Mra, Korrison's commandy, he was kept con- oluutly chainod, oxccpt when I was ut home, 1 Lnovw, therofors, exactly whoro to find him. Ilo recognized my stop st onco, and startod up with quick, joyous bosk; but o whisper from mo gilencod biin, and bo crouched at my feot it an agony of mute dolight, Stooping down, I wi- cluapod the chalu, aud, taking him by Lho collar, I lod him to the littlo back door. #Ljo down, Czar,” Tho intelligont auimal oboyed, his dark form boing tolelly invisible ug-fuuc tho dusky greon of tho sward and iu tho dounso elndow of tho shaded walk, It wasa moonless night, though o porfoetly clear ono, and tho faint xays of tho stara lout but little light beneath tho troos. “*You must not stir, sir, Lie thare, and wait nnd watch,” Aud giving him one of my gloves to guard, as_an odditionul procaution ngaiust his Birzing, 1 oponed the door (having un it chanced a duplicate koy), closod it softly behind mo, shot tho Lolt, and ascoudod tho stairy with nolsoless tread, T oponad the door of the littla library and shut it bobind me with due precaution, There was 10 ono there, and the roomn was in almost totnl darkness, Lut, boyond, the drowsing-room was Drilliant with light,” aud tho arched doorway ro- venlod to mo tho protiiost picture that evor ou- chauted o lover, or charmed a paintor's fanoy—o Jovoly woman’ in_ oxqulsito dross. Muudo was standing boforo tho dressing-tablo puttiug tho lust fulshing touches to an uluborate toilot, Bho was uttired in a robe com- osol of Yalonoiounes lncoand transparent mun- in, worn avor a drous of azuro silk, and fluttor- ing with bows aud _sash of pale bluo ribbon, It way oluspod 2Y tho thront Wwith a wpray of tur- quoiuos aud diamonds, o portion of my firt gift tqLor; oud o dismond locket, which1 kuow inclosod my minialuro, hung suspoudod from hor noek by o slondor antique chain, Bhe was singiug gally Lo Liomsclf suuichos from popular oporus aa sho flitted to wnd fro, setthing her ribhous, altoring tho position of her brooch, or ylachu ‘o onil ot effesivaly. Thon n littto ocoration was needod for hor rippling goldon heir, and tho seleetion roquived much care und deliboration, ~ First o whito rosebud wau vrled, noxt & kuot of forgel-mo-uots, anu thaily & uny § batterly bow of blue ribbou, whioh Just proved sutisfactory” and . was adopted aud fastoned sqeurely to Its placo amid tho cropo gold of her shinluy trossos, Sho glancod at [0 Slack, gavo hor gossamer skivtd 5 final shako, und, still sing- iug geily to lorsclf, sho touk up tho bisuched od, Richard. Come, lot us go to my room.” Sho came towardd me and bout over na if to kivo me, but at thal oction my hord- ly-maintained composurc geve way, and I thrust ber from mo with no gentle huid. Do not touch mo g you valuo your lifo!” I eriod, . #She rocoiled from me with o now terror umur- Ing over bor wan fostures, for sho realized in thut momont that I kneyw tho truth. Juat thona atep sounded on the gravel-walk without. Mauda boord it and turncd to spring to tho window S\vhluh was closed and the painted shades diawn own), but I caught hor wrists in o vise-like e 8 Btag," T eald, fn & hoarse whispor, You cball not go nent that window.” Bvon ns X apoko a loud Lark from Czar broke tho stillncss. Thon Hicro oamo & cry—not a shout, but a scrosm of wild torvor, though ut- o a ey vaien, . Holp—the dog—help—holp 1" w4 0r oy Go | Ja Uzak Tooso 7" gasped Mando, as g writhod in vain $0 1rqo hersail {rom my grosp. “ Ho ia 1" I cried in fiarco exultation. “ Lot mo go—cell. him off—oh, ho will kill bim | he will kill him !" “EKill whom? Bomo. wretohed thiof por~ haps. Tt g no thict] It Is—it fa—" ¢ 1t i8 no thiof, you say ? What, thon, is ho who comes to rob my wifo of Lor honor 7" # Thon you Lnow it is Gordon Arnold! Oh, 8avo him ! ‘ Bave him!" I llstoned a momont intently. AlL vas silont, ‘*Go," I snid, roleasing her. 1 give you per~ migslon to reek for him nosw.” Blio totterod & fow ateps towards the door. Then sbo turnod and looked into my faco, and ‘must bavo road my menning there, for with a wild cry sho throw up hor arms, wavored o mo- mont, and foll senseloss at my foot. frivolous buttertly—vai, falsc-honrted, shallow- souled obild] Which of us wad the most to blaniq, she who had wronged me, or I who had Blacud tho koy of m‘f’ destiny in _such unworthy ands ? And I coutd afford to pity bor, for oven as 1 taok tho light nad turned from ber to de. seond tho stairs I know that L was avengod. 1 opotied iho outor dovr. All was quiot, the silonco broken only by the quick pantings of tha bloodhound, aud Ly o low, supprossod growl that told of his intonso excitoment. 1 lowered th Tight and boliold him croucling on the proscrato form of & man whoso white fuce was turnod blaukly to~tho sky, and whowo throat boro tha scarlot imi:rint of tho pitiless tocth of my avenger. atooped and pazed upon the vigid foaturos, Yes, L had made no mistako, Gordon Arnold. My divorce waa granted last wook. To-night I pithero s frve man. Freol What shall froe my soul from rewombsring nuy vawme from dis. honor, my homs from dasolation ? Tho name that was onen_bold honorble smong men lis been dragged into o shameful colobrity ; my faco Tiss scowled on the public from the pagos uf Po- lice Gazelles aud illusuated journals, and Maudo's photograph bas heen on salo at all the nows stands on Droadway. Dearly hus my froedom been purchased, but it is mine a: Inst. I have sbaken that wrotched womau from my life even as I would have shaion off a vipor that had fastonod itsolf upon my hand, but the poison has curdled tho very lifo-bluod in my heart. Over and over again my sick fancy rohonrsos tha scono in tho court-room, tho slammoring wit- nesgos, tho smirking, jlucouc Iawyors, the un- ‘blushing spootators, my lato friends and guests, and I hear sgain the reading of thoso lettors that proved, beyond a peradventure, the guilt o the woman T had onco ko loved. Wall, ono sin—tho sin that poots and romance writord dolight g0 to boautify and praise and linger over catcssingly, decking it with fowary rhetorio and touder fancios—has wrought o mighty work. For, through ita influonce, Gor- don Arold sloops’ to-day in Greonwood Cemos tory, nod Maudo Pemberton dwells a disgraced woman {n her mother's house, and I sit hero be- sido my dosolato Loarth, with tho faturo lying drosr nid joyloss beforo me, while my Land rosta on the silkon hoad of my avonger, and tho loap- iug flames reveal to ma the ominous scene ot tha prophetio picturo of the ** Bloeping Duouus," —Lucy U, Hooper, in the Victoria Magazine, B S THE WINDS. It wag The South wind sings of happy springs, ‘And wumnuicra lwstondug ou their way'§ Tho South wiud smella of cowalip bel¥, Aud blossouenpanglod meads of My * Bt sweeter Is hor rod, red mouth Flzan all tho kieecs of {ho South, "Ths Wont wind breathen of russot heaths, And yelluw pride of wooda growa old Tho West wind flics from autumn skico, And suu-clouds ovariaid with gold § But tlie goldon locka T lova the bogt Qutshiino th glorles of tho West, The North wind sweepa from cryatal deop And Arctle halls of endlesa nigh! Tho North wind blows o'er drifted enows, And mountains robed in virgin whito; But puror far her malden's soul “han all (ho snows that shraud the Pols, Tho Tiast wind shrille o'or deaert Lllla Aud dreary coasts of burren snud § Thie East wind moans of sea-bisuched bones, Aud chiga that sluk in sight of land ; Bt tho cold, cold Exrt may rave aud moan, For her oft Warin beatt {a all my own, —Chambers' Journal, —— Tho Story of David and Gelinth, The Cumberland News of Aug. 20 soys : Whila on the Union Grovo camp-ground, vestorday, aud prosont as & spectator at thochildron's meat: ing, nn amusing fueldont came nuder our obsor- yation, Au olojuent divine—whom wo wili des- fgnalo aa tho Rov. W.—wag addressing tha buys, and sought to impross upon_ them tho idon thal aich ouo of them waa capablo of accomplishing somo groat or good act, ‘To illustrato his propo- sitlon, ho relatod tho atory of Jaol, the youth who itled the giant on tho bean-stalk, and meda Juol out quito & horo, avidoutly deoply intoreat- injg his youthful hiearora. Tho interest, howavor, W dodbod when tho mintator Tomuriod thid tho only drawback to tho story was that il was mot truo, Ile thon askoed: ' Roys, do you beliove tho story#” With ono ae- cord tho Inds orfed ont, **No, sirl no, sir!* Tho mmieter then eald ho would il trato hin idon with another slory—from the Hible thiy timo—nand rolated, with ail tho embelliah- ments of datail, the remarkablo accannt of ow tho youtl David slow the giant Golinth with o aling, und thereby suslated i vangnishing a hos- tilo army. Tho boys waro again dooply intor- ontod, and lintoned pationtly throngh tho voeital, ‘Whon bo lind concludod it tho mindster sgain in- quired ; * Now, boys, do you bolievo that sto- Ty #* With ono nocord tho lads nfl\in shonted, ¢ No, pic | no, gir [" Tho apparent discomfiture of the roverend gentiawen wil nos etract & bit 1om w00 Alunscinonl wahnen thoincidont \was rocolvad by the older persona prosent. Al ‘though ho quickly and noatly eseaped from his ombarragemont, wo concluded that when he wauts to “ illustrato " any moro to the boys the Rtov, Mr, W, will not conneot tho maryelous in faot and fiction oo close together, T looked at hor with a strauge pity. Poor, - ©