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‘Ah. yes I 1 remember seeing - jething of
it. Poor women I’
‘Poof women, indeed I’ said Francis, quietly.
waste your sympathy on an adventurers,
dear Mrs. St Clair.’
•Don't be harsn in your Judgments, Mr. Jos
aylyo. Why call ter an adventuress ?'
. ‘Bead ber own confession; she followed
hln to the Crimea ; sbe rao him down, site—
‘Stop; ah > may have done so, and that was
very ueilghty. and un ewinme, and there J
aoaj tou tier. We an o’ «■> will edmit, won’t
we, ibidatnee. that a woman who runs alter
a mau ia an unnatural monster ? So far, we
have not a word lu ber deience But be, be
ackuowlecUci, doe- ho not, that Slie would not
live with h.ui on bis own terms, however much
aha may in the Oral instance have mu after
him V *
•Yes.’
‘Then abe had principle, if not great modesty
and decorum us manner ?
•Not at.e; sbe « ant d Ida name, and the po
sition that it would give her.'
‘Uuw do you know ?'
‘Let s hear tBo story,' aaid Betiioa.
The bare atory ia very simple,' aaid Fra nos;
'a pretty and a tractive girl maois a tiaousome'
mau uoove mr O-vuStatiuu iu nfe; be instruct,
eha is Haltered, anil more by bis rank than by
hta admiral ou.’
‘fiecu.l.ct .hit last is Mr. Josselyn's own con
clusion. Stick to toCta, on, p-ejudiced travel
er! and'toil her aiory, tint bis.’
•Very well. Tuey put; they correspond
without mieiiug tul he gets to the Oilm.a,
and there she gues at ouca ua one of the band
of vulunteer nurs s ; 8 uJa after her admirer,
aud ue fads eg on at ber leet, out leila her be
caul mairy, Uiat because.ho ha 1 no money,
auU eecunuly, because hie relauona w»u t like
it. So she then proposes a Ct.huue ceremony,
not binding in law, out eon,for .able tor her cou
toieLCeud it takes p ace.’
‘Be et-uring her, interrupted Beriha, in
every possible way of ms affection, uud now
pursuing ber as steadily uud as persistently
with lua devo.iuo, es sbe ever did mm iu h r
thoughts, di.-cueti. g wim bur it e iniposnb>li
ty ol legal marriage >ut ready to ,o through
uuy religions c.remouy she cuoope. Ho guVe
ber a ring—’
‘Be gave her a ring, aud a priest blessed
them, tuat a true.’ ,
Bui ttio gallant Major don't believe in
priests. la a your or so, when he grew tired
of ber, he left ber, end without expluuut,Ou or
preuaratiou, or eppuiem change of feeliug, he
muiries u tich widow, tiring it all ua secrtctly
ae possible at firet so as to jiicVebt tuo intei
lnei.ee us his leul wile.’
But, my dear Ills Si. Clair, what port of a
woman cuu she be ? lhut apt ecu to the Irish
inob utle. the veruiut tu her Uvor I'
My uear Mr. Joeetlyu,'! am not <l. fending
the wornau j iam luuignant at me teed. Ware
you to murder ll>o lutui ear man iu tue worn!,
1 shuuio i u. ttie ie.-a coualder you u inumerer.
The honorable Major had to pay a Ceilaiu
pi lee lor a Ceitaiu piece 01 property, end i.
tua.teis uot whether the value received were
ut utl piopuriiouute to toe s in diebuiacd. It
was u prendre on a tauter ou p uiovo nuuuiuous.
tie u,Uutwuh to Uniter it, uud when ibe
puyuitui giew bur.' ensOlue, he deuieel tbu
deou 1
‘Come’with me, Gerald; ill show you the
pretty picture,’ aaid Cieay to the hum boy.
(diary's leelmga weie in process of laceiatiou
fioui this uisousdou.
•What ia your opinion, Buth ?’ ae sea Mrs.
Si. Oiu r.
•ltuiiiely with you. There is no excuse for
mm. 1 agree with the sergeant, who, when
he answered a question ‘upou his houur,’ oiied
out, upou your Oath, eir; Ido uot waut your
notions of huuor.' lam hearuly glad to see
her righted.'
‘Wny, Ru’h, whete have you been etudyiug
H e X—— case ?' U'kya Gerald siuiiiug.
‘Tue paptra cauiu nature we l.ftj while wail*
in, for ait of you iu me hall 1 su r them.’
•Do..r«Uutb, emu Francis, ‘how can you be
so bard upon the rougher sex I ludeed I
t ought you wouid come tu ruy assistance
ugait si,Mis. St. Clair.' 1
•lu the cause of sire; gth and his, against
weakness eud truth, never) 1 may have
thought Major X uuiortungte. if his fancy,
be.ug ilia master, bed led him biiudty to eacn
hce liisilfe and fortuua to an uuworray woman;
but a gebtnmau's phgiitea word, bid aworu
lai.u c u never be gmusayed, simply • ocause
u» wtarus of ms baigaiu.' *
•Do you recollect lhut beaut it I sir mint
in tee Roman dun Jeune Homme p . rV
said Bulba;' 'll taut mi tax outre purser l
lionneur ijut dt tetter endtea; tn matu re dt
st'merit-, tout ceuxqui m nous sent pas deman
dtt sms la Buinie du couteau c » ala boueht
d 'unpistolit, 1 1 nefavt pas Its fair*, oei-.l favl
Its temr,'
I .
‘Voilamon avis,’ added Geiaid. finishing the
qn tntion, and bowing u\ the Indy.
Wi at you too, old fallow? I thought you
would l>a wmb me.' said Frauds;' ‘well, i sup
p i-u i ia.iy as well.pivt* up the de'ence, which
I was. I beg Mr.. Mt. Cieir to believe, only
Uiiiug 10 brnr out her •enthusiasm.' and I am
g tttt to piocisim iu m v natural character, thai
rab^^MaicrX— —is a dishonorable
THE SOUTHERN FIELD AND FIRESIDE. '
Why auppooe U&t any gentleman would up
hold a creature who is a disgrace to hia name
and position ?'
‘Ah, here conies an avalanche,’ cried Francis,
playfully, holaing up bis bauds. ‘Don’t throw
your plate at my head, dear; you will certain
ly break the plate. Don’t you know men
always S' and by each other? Mrs 8t C.air
aays so, aod I say ditto to every thing Mrs.
St. Clair saye.’
‘Gerald wbuld nevey etaod up for deceit aod
falsehood in any shape. I should di.owa him
if he did,' Butb said, rinding piouoiy.
•Well,’ put ib Poyltis, ‘1 think allowances
ebnuld always be mads for geutiemen wosu
they fall under the influence of designing wo
men,’
‘Yea, poor things I’ said Bertha coniempt
uously ; ‘poor, belpleaa men I X am so sorry
for mem. They go through a deal of danger.*
•J shall be very much obliged, therefore, to
you two excellent ladies if you wilt kindly pro
tect me, a under creature, irom the vengeance
of that ‘deaiguiug female,’ my cousin, Mrs.
Gray, who will perhaps poison my. ooffee pres
ently,’, sail Francs, laughing.
'Don’t you know, Francis that Butb per
mits no anoaTon my periecfioua exes .t Irom
her own tongue ? There is written upon me.
iu visibly but ludailbly. a notice to quit,’ ad
dredged to ail human kind. 'Stick no bills here."
•1 8.0 it,' sain Bertha, -onyour noule or ok,’
raising her hand.
‘Range undisturbed amoug the hostilecrew,
But luucb not Gerald, Gerald t-my due.'
(Signed) Burn Ghat.
Ruth laughed and 84,<d that she supposed
there was uo u-e to discia m; so all ria.ng they
anjooruad to tbs drawing mom.
CHAPTER XX.
Passing through the hsil, they stopped to
look at a huge trunk.
‘Ob,’ aaid PuylhS, ‘that is from dear Mrs.
Armstrong, for me. From your aunt C< ar
lotte, Mr. Fordyce. It is full of old brocades.
—things ever to old. Droraea aud coals, end
all suits of head gear. Bee, bow beau Hull’
aba lilted the lid, and presently every irony was
upon (heir knees txao.loing the non alias and
embroidered velvets of au ancient Cute.
‘Wasu’iit gooa of tier lo give them to me ?
Here is tho lovely pink auu s.lver wfii.-b she
select, d tor you, Cissy. 1 wi.huvq were going
tu have a fauCy ball to Wear IboV’
•Why Shoutd'nt we have a Juacy bail to
night, all to ourselves?' sad Aubur.
Yes, that would be great luu.’
‘Would you be wining to lend these treas
ure- s, Pbyiiis ?’ asked Ruth.
‘On, curuiuiy.’
Tueu began a scene of luu and laughter
quite indescribable. Cissy, of course, had her
piuk and silver, aud Puyllis set cer eyes i-nu
Uauds flsuiiy ou a cenaiu goreeons ytliuw,
Covered with humming uiids. But to cnooae
lor tue olbera wa* uo easy tank. Tue meu es
pecially were beut upon gtlt ug the besi ol ibe
habniaieuis, and as there were but two hand
some coats, there was quiie a scramble ior
them.
Fiuelly, a moderately just division of the
spoils was tuaue, ai d after a whispered colu
quy beiween Ms D.nbaiu and Arthur Mcivur,
every oue went off to ureas; each piomismg
not io be more than an hour in the robing
procssi.
Bat rouge !’ exclaimed B-itha; ‘where ahull
we gel any rouge.? aud if we puwder our heeds
without louge we eball alt lu, k lUe gray
owl*.’
Mrs. Furdyce eagerly joined oa : ’Ah. Jet I
rouge I that is a grtai oiflieulty. What shall
we do? Os course nobody has any.
I have, said Buih.
*‘My detr Rutb, dou’t expose the secrets es
your dresaing-cuse,’ aaid Geiaid iu a loud whis
per.
•And of your color,’ added Bertha, reproach
fully.
‘i defy you all,l answered Rutb, ‘out I con
di-seud to ixplaiu that 1 saw ouly yesterday
a pot of Lub.n’a finest bloom, anil Ntoong my
’eflecis,' where it has net u s nee l went en
marquise to a French bull lu.t yeai.’
Ah I houcrabiy acquitted I’
‘Valerie shall suit on an excursion around
the house with the anlcle in question, tor tbe
ÜBe of both ladies and gebtiemen. Oh, Ger
aldine. whu.l u little monkey t’ *
Mi-s Geraldine came running towards hor
mamma, oreesed up m a waistcoat, ui which
tbe fl-ps made a train tor her, hotly pursued
by Mr. Taunton who was destined to appear
in it presently bimsiif.
Such p ah of laughter began now to resound
through the bouse; sudden nasties weie made
from room to room, and loud calls for curling
tongs, and Valerie, and rouge.
Valerie wae in her element; so full of im
portance end suggestions, and pearl prwdei;
modestly veiling her coffes-coiortd, French
eyes, and minciug ber words; whisking th o>
tbe paseage with her cap strings sireamu g
behind her, and ber trig little figure aar ing
iu and oet wherever summoned.
At length, about niue o’clock, they began to
rd-assemble. Butb, having heeu depiived of
her maid’s services. Gas almost the last to
appear. As she entered tbe draw ing room,
she was greeted with quite a buisf of admira
tion Her dress, being one she had already
worn,, was more soignee in its appointments
ohan the others. The powdered hair had ar-
Hhk] Curls—the bandeau of brilliants and
the graceful p umee bacame her vastly; so did
the very rich colors of ber skirts and train.
The lace she wore was magnificent; her state
ly carriage suited the sweeping robes ; her
dark eyes were dou’-ly lustrous from the effect
of the softly timed cheek. Three black paicff
es gave a coqueturh charm to her smile, and
r he wielded ber fan witn ihe perfect noneba
lenoe benefit iog her icletie.
g e was esstomlli of the type grande-dame
•Why, you aie lovely.’ cne i Beriha, Bail i g
up iifced aud white, \vi.h oci-ans of old blunae
flowing over ber, and targe Coral beads arouuu
her white lltroat
•Tne earae t. you.’ said Ruth, etui iog.
Poyllie looked very ha .daome wit a her hum
mrag-nirds, aud her d.rkunvd eyeiids, aud
0 aey was chaimihgly pie ty io the piuk and
s lver.
‘But where in Mm. Denham?
‘Not flowu yet,’ answered Mr. Taunton, who
was adm'rab y got up. Bath- she and MclvOr
are aliasing s ill ’
Mesgif Fordyce aod Aubrey row came for
ward, leading between them M:. B vans, whiiin
they proie* eo they toutd trying ,iu hide from
uis own knee breed e<
Os couree ibis *a fur gune fi r Gerald, who
joiuedin the Comment* lor and against Mr
Browue'e legs
Francis touched Bulb’s i rm; tbe w«s gas
ing tmeuily at Gerald, auo etait.d.
Own that yon think biin pe f.cton and
nothing more,’, tad her. i.omiual c-msin.
C riaiuiy 1 d',’ehe answtred uank.y.
‘lthnk B owue shoui ; pe iti. n the govern
ment to force every body brnk iutu lignt*
t'id Gerald. ‘I predlo. t iat Br.iW'e would ,
make a briliiaat mn ii ge it his calve* bud a
0 ua UCe.'
'He w. uld be a greater lady-killer than our
fr end X—, whose o*ae ne luve been oia
cussing.’
‘I go for wbat is in my head, uot for what
carries it,' aau Mr. Browne g md-humur-diy.
‘I prnte-i agaiurt resuming tne du-cffselnu
of Maj n X—,’ »aid Beriua ; 'unie.-§ every
body agrees that he ought to be ba- ged.’
‘i dun't at all ag'O ,’aaid Mr. B uwne : ‘I
think be is a plucky leliow, and behaved very
naturally.’
‘ludeed 1’
•Yes un man eqa love a woman long, to
whom he is not legally ,-m ed;‘ add Mr B owne
tounded b'( eyes anil 100 ed solemn. Every
womau ougl t to lei i ti ac’
‘Thai is your opiniuu. ia it? But yon like
wise believe ibecouverse case, that he alwoy
loves nne tu whom be t< legally uni,to ?’
* 0. couise.’
‘How nsuic-l I wmder Irom wbat you argue?
Not Irom itniiidug you ever said, surely. It
Dever occurs io you that beca, se mariiage
forces a mau tu siftn outwardly by bis wprd,
inwardly be i» not any the nu- r 1 B-feve me,
oce- who would ue Inlet to a iove ottiy ui ding
i# honor, end which, by your creeu, can be
brosi n, will Ltvor keep auy l oiler i e vows
legally aworo, and wh cb, iu a meaauro, ibere
fee he must seem t-i respect'
•Not my o'eed; U>>o kirbia I' said Mr. Browne,
backing down be'nre the u>d>gnaut Hash oi
M *. St. Clair’s tycs; ‘1 have uu op moo pu
the auiijeoi.’
No txperienre, you say,’ said Gerald us
vhievousy.
‘My . pinion -is,' said Bertha, ‘that you had
bet er leave off being proud ofeilhe'yuurhoac
or tow heart, and accept ivej your legs iu
a ead I’ turning ht r look upon turn
• i‘i a U ~ne of vl s. dt. Ola r’s Ward =o echos,’
whispered Fr-uca
I kbnw it,’ said Barths, candidly. 'Poor
Mr. Br w, o is uolhwsi# that be i- t«kiog part
iu a c-imeiy, aud g ttmg the sort us treat
mint, mentally sdmiuis ered, whic , in BaVel
pauiomniea, passe- for wit—har-l ki kr.’
Do you ih u< ii at Gerald sus ecta lharwe
afe lecturiag him oVe-r everybody’s shoulder ?'
'Not in the v«ry least. Ido belUve that he
is sweetly uncous ous. or else be pleys into
our hands with calm impirteuence.’
* “Yea, hr helps n* mure thuu anybody.*
‘I thiuk Mr FoidyCe will .bavfe a fir, if I
launch auy mure plaid phrases st V 0 X
case. He looks upuo me now, why—see that.’
(TO as OONTISOKO IN OCB NEXT.)
LIFE'S VICISSITUDES.
Thirty years ago bn old house was standing
In Cologne, which showed to the street a front-
a o e of five amali windows. It woe the house
io which tbe first painter of the Flemish aeoool.
tbe immortal Reubens, was born, A. D. 16TS.
Sixty years later than this date, the ground
floor was occupied by two old people—a shoe
maker and his wife. Tbe upper story, which
was usually let to lodgers, was empty at tbe
time we write of. Two, however, ccoupied the
garret Tbe evening was cold and wet, and
t fae shoemaker and bis wife were sitting to
gether in thelroom below.
"‘You had better go up stairs again,' said the
man to his wife, ‘and see bow the poor lady
is. Tbe old g«P‘leman went out <ary, and
has not been lu t*nce. Has she not taken
anything?
‘lt is only half an hour since I was up
ud he had not come in He took ber dome
broth up at noon, but aha hardly 'ooehtd it,
and I was up aga'n at three; the was asleep
then; and at five aha said aha should not want
tu. thing more.’ (
Poor lady ! This time of year, and neither
fire nor warm ch-tpes ly.d not even a decent
bed to lie on ; and yet I am sure aha is some*
boiy or other. Have you nodc“d the respect
with writ'll the old gentleman tre .ts harf’
•If she wants for an-thing, tt ia her own
fault. Thai ring she wears oh her finger would
get her the best of. eviry thing. ’
Then came a Knock at ihe door, and the
woman adinicea ibe old man Uey had just
sp ken es wh i e giizz'ed beard fell dowo upon
hia tarniahed velvet coat. The l.qstera saoly
wanted to have a little gossip with I ion; tut
he parsed by, and, Li Idii g t cm a short ‘good
niglii,-’ groped his way up the ateepand crook
ed staircase. On entering tie chamber above,
a feeb e voice iuquirtd the Oiuse of hia long
abyeni-e.
‘I cdu d not h-lp it,’ he said. *1 hid been
copying tu-inug -ip', and aa I was ou my way
here a servant met me. wlio was to fetch me
to raise t; e horoscope if t«o ladies whom I
hsv3knoA.il heroic. I th uaht I could get a
litt e m uiey to («y for gome aimplta which will
be of service to you.’
. 'I am cold.’
‘lt is fever cold I‘ will make yon something,
which you mm take directly.’
The flame of a small tin lamp etiffloed to
beat some water and ihe.palient having 'sken
whntih-od man had provided, wds ddigeut
ly covered up by him wiih all the cloihes and
ariiclea of dress he rob'd fiid He stood hy
her motionless, ill he p-iceivd that she was
fast nglesp, -end ttide d, long alier; be lieu
iet red into a small cioaut, and sought repose
on the hard fl -O
Tue next mo i ig the lady was so much
bettor that her attindant proposed she would
endeavor to leave the house lor a moment or
two, a d he succeeded id getting her forth *•
fa as tue Put.e St. Cxciha It was sclJm|
tu .t-ie left‘i e hue; or. m t tiutn^H. .
the neenoc-a of her ilre-s. ihe e was tnH
about her carriage .which rendered it difflciW
to avoid unpleasant chservati >u.
‘Do you see tha’ person yindtr? she said,
suddenly. If I- in not much m-stakeu, it ia
cer-aiuiy the Duke of Guise.’
The strangers attention had also been at
trac ed, and he now approached thins
‘Parboil said he; ‘why, that ia Ma-Ouli.
Wnatl are you m riled !’ .
He does not know me,’ aig!ed the lady; ‘I
must indeed be altered. 1
‘il Scab had, however, wt 1 -pered a single
*o-d in (be Duke's ear, and ha ca ted as if
struck by a thuudi r bull; but, in -taut y recov
er ng himaeif, he hag dy uncovered, and bowtd
ne- r y to the ground
1 beg your panlon,' be a id; ‘bnt my eye.-
are growu so we-k, and i could so tit le ex
poet to. havd ibe h i»or of meeting your —'
‘For the love of God,' interrupted the lady,
hastily, 'name me not hers. A tide would too
airaugely,co-ilrasi with my present cireum
stanoei. Have you beau l-iug iu Cologne?'
‘Three days lam on ary way from I t'r
I took refuge there when our common enemy
drove me forth, aud c uflscated all my earhly
goods. lam going toßu s-ela.' -
‘And what are your advices from France T
Ia the helm itill In the hands of that wicked
Caitiff?'
‘Ho is in the eunitb of his power.’-
‘See, my Lord Duke, your fortunes and my
own are much alike. You, iha sonnf a mau
who. had be not too much d>>p eei danger,
might well have set tue crown upon hi* own
head, aud 1, once the quern oi the mightiest
nation in tie universe; now both cf us are
nd-a. Bui, adieu,’ she s-id suddenly, aud
drawing herst-lf up; ‘the sight ol you, my Lotd
D ike, has refreshed n e much, and I pray that
fortune once more may arnile on you.'
'Permit me to atiend your Maje-ty to -
A slight color ringed the lacy's features, as
she answered wt h a g-rulv commanding tore;
Leave us, my Loid-Duke, it is our pleasure.’
Guise bowed low, and taking the lady’s
hand be pressed it revereuily to his lips. At
the corner of the street be met tome one. to
whom he pointed oat the old lady, and hasten
ed away.
Tbe-next morning a knock at the door an-
Unounc d a person inquiring for MoDgieur Mas-
Cali. Sue had a small packet for him, ana also