Show A UE D I 1 F E ae BY YRA MARION 7 R am 11 international PRESS association 6 CHAPTER VI vf CONTINUED it was october before the family made a formal removal to town one of the brothers sometimes both spent two or three days a week there in bep and s nce the uncertain aln u shine and cold rains of autumn con fined the lad es for the most part to the house hoube they were rea realy ay to second the proposition to seek their t inter minter quarters edward withers was regu barly installed as one of his brother brothers s household and under his auspices city life also put on a new face tor for con stance he had a box at the opera and elnathan nathan Ei was foremost to suggest that constance should accompany him thither that Is when you are not engaged to escort single ladies added tha the se alor with a dry smile which will not happen often t f I 1 can have my sister a comeal ins ead replied the other cordially but can not we make up a family party of four for to morrow night I 1 can promise you a treat musical treats when they ire op bratic are axe thrown away upon me was the answer but I 1 am anxious thit that ConA constance ance shall keep up her ing and to this end desire her 0 have every opportunity of improving her taste and style you and she can give home concerts of the latest gems in this line tor for harriets harriet s benefit and mine harriet applauded the idea to the echo and was careful that he should not regret the young people S absence ou on the evenings they spent abroad playing chess with him for a co aiple of hours and then reading aloud mone tary or political articles selected by himself until he dropped into a doze they were left thus to themselves more and more as the season advanced in citations to parties concerts and din ners rained rallied in upon mrs and the withers and to most of these constance went attended by edward only mr withers had never been so cial from inclination and he was only too glad to delegate his duties in this line to his wife now that the crotee tion tiou of his brother rendered his attend ance unnecessary constance did not confess in to herself how greatly her plea pleasure ure was augmented by the exchange of escorts it was natural that a man of her bus band a age and disposition should pre fer his own fireside to dancing and small talk and a wearisome feint of hearkening to harmonies that were un intelligible and without sweetness to him she enjoyed gay scenes nith mith an easier conscience that she did not bee his grave visage at every turn of vie rte waltz or promenade and was not haunt I 1 ed by the thought ht of her selfishness in having dragged him hill from his beloved retirement how haw much this feeling of relief was intensified by the cdrum stance that her willing cavalier was the most delightful talker one of the best dancers and assuredly the most grace I 1 fully attentive to his fair charge in the cordon of beaux who frequents d the fashionable resorts just named did not enter into her com complacent placeit calculi eions she was on excellent terms with herself and all about her at this june ture the acquaintances who hd lied h d carped at her reserve and want of ani matlon mation in the few assemblies at which she had appeared as a bride candidly avowed that nothing could be more charming than her affability and gay good humor and that she was fai hand somer than they had supposed at first sight the more captious subjoined sub roea rosa that it was evident she app eci abed convenient word mr nir edward withers and how fortunate she was in securing the services of an escort so unexceptionable in every particular cular since her husband seemed to have re nguu bounced ced society just as she fairly en it L but subjoined no 2 audibly de livered people had different was of looking at these things and so long as mr air withers lived happily with his wife and countenanced her in all that S she h 0 did whose business was it to aint at impropriety or misplaced conal dence that mr withers did countenance his wife in her lively career was r ot to be denied it gratified him to see her magnificently dressed go forth to gath brings at which as he was sure to 1 ar afterward she was the object of gan eral admiration tor for her beauty and vl vi lacity it tickled his vanity 0 lave her do the honors of his mansion to a choice company of edward s friends and hers people in whose eyes he the sedate millionaire could never hope to be more than the respectful re presenta tive of his money bags they were glad to congregate in his stately salon now to partake of his fine old nines mines and excellent viands and unite in laud allons of the handsome woman who bore his name adulation did not spoil her he was pleased to observe she had never been more deferential in her deportment to himself more ready to consult and obey him than when the star of her popularity was highest and brightest IP this sho she tes tidied her good sense and feeling heart to whom should she be grateful and dutiful if rot pot to her benefactor the architect arc hitech of her fortune and happiness 7 association with him and with his brother had developed her finely he took credit to himself tor for the genetra tion that had dc acted ted the germs of so much that was t u mable and attract tive when she was still in the obscure ity of her brother 5 house A happy family a thoroughly wll wr organized establishment remarked re charles romaine to h s wk at the cloae close of a visit they paid his sister in jani jant ary constance sl be thank ful to us all her days for opposing her absurd tran about congeniality and mutual attraction and the like p ierise nonsense what a wreck she would have made of her hai hal had she been left to pursue the course dictated by her own caprices I 1 hope margaret that we shall not have to combat the like errors in our daugh when they grow up constance had a fund of strong common sense gense in spite of her crudely extravagant theories upon certain sub ejects rejoined mrs romaine thanks to it and as you justly observe to our counsels she has married better thac any other young woman I 1 know yes I 1 can ask no more enviable lot for our g ris than one like hers according to these irrefragable au thon ties then our heroine had steered clear of the rock upon which so many of her age and sex have split kept out of the current that w ouid have strand ed her high and forlorn n upon the I 1 ar ren headlands of celibacy had virtu bously ec eschewing hewing crude instinct and heart and natural laws f fit it only in mrs Po Poin malnes alnes cleed for the guidance of beasts and birds ai at I 1 other irrational things rendered just and graceful obedience to the equitable principle prescribed and practice ay I 1 y the autocrats of the best circles irel s these burning and shining b afons fhe cease not night nor day to varn off the impetuous young from the rigors and desolation of scylla and cast such illusive glare upon as makes its seething rapids seem a pacific of delicious calm CHAPTER VII PON as smooth a current were con stance withers conscience ind pru dence rocked to sleep during the early months of that winter win ter never had summer been so re with light and warmth there is a divane delight in the slow sweep of the outer circles of the maelstrom the halt half consciousness of the awaken ing heart like that of the babe who aroused from slumber by his mothers mother a voice smiles recognition of the dear music before his eyes are unsealed by her kisses or his head is nestled upon her bosom that to every human heart such awakening comes sooner or later I 1 hold and believe tor for certain deserts of salt and bitterness there are in the spiritual as well as in the material world but there was a time when the creator whose name is love pronounced them very good when as yet the flood and the rain of fire and brimstone had not made havoc of ill all their pleasant sant things nor the soft soil been hardened into flint and gravel by dearth and heat and to that garden of the lord a planting there came a day when or of what duration he I 1 and perchance he alone when the south wind blew softly and all the spices thereof flowed out spikenard and saffron calamus and cinnamon with all trees of frak frankincense incense myrrh and aloes it may have been but for one glad hour one moment of beail dering bliss that the heart thus visited was transformed into a fountain of gardens a well of living mateis and streams from lebanon the next may I 1 ave witnessed the rush of the deluge 0 the bursting of the pitchy cloud and behold in place of eden a lair air of wild beasts a house full of doir doleful ful creatures meet for the dwelling if f owls and the dance of satyrs other visions than these images of woe and terror abode with constance Con formless fancies fair as vague ape clous cious reveries in which she lived through coming years as she was do ing now surrounded by the same out ward comforts her steps guarded by the same friend whose mere presence meant contentment with whom the interchange of thought and feeling left nothing to be desired from human sym it was a severe shock that I 1 showed her the precipice upon the flowery verge of which she lay dream ing the brothers were one morning dis cussing at breakfast the merits of a i dr of horses that had been offered for sale to he elder for a wonder ed ward displayed more caution in ill accept ing the jockey a declaration ot of their fitness for family use than did his staid relatives mr withers was atry obstinate in his adherence to whit what ever principle or prejudice he believed that ho hr had seen cause calse to adopt and his eye had bad been captivated by the show team his credulous hearing gained by the adroit tongue of the deale all that edwards edward a could f affect was acquiescence in his prop proposal osil that they should try the horses before the sleigh that afternoon before deciding upon the purchase harriet clapped her hands vivacious ly and then you 11 drive by and give us a turn behind the beauties I 1 am sure they must be heavenly from what cousin elnathan nathan Ei says I 1 am wild to see them there is a look in the eye of one that bespeaks bespeak a the spirit of another legion said edward apart to con stance dont dout ride after them she en treated quickly your brother will yield it if ou cu tell h in plainly how un safe you consider consid pr them not unsafe for him and myself perhaps but hardly the creatures crea turis to be entrusted with your life and limb he rejoined rest assured that I 1 shall M PAW 77 1 make a test of them before consenting to the denture I 1 shall Ishall drive them myself and speak out frankly the re result suit of the trial in whatever else we may differ elnathan nathan Ei and I 1 are a unit in our care for our welfare wel so if we show ourselves and the beav enly span of quadrupeds at the door today you need not tear fear to accept our invitation the gentle and affectionate reassure ance contrasted pleasantly plea santi with mr withers a authoritative mandate constance you will hold yourself in readiness to drive out with us this at af hernoon we shall call for you at three 0 c ock I 1 wish ou on and harriet to be entirely prepared for the ride when we come young horses do not like to stid in the cold 1 an impulse she did not stay to de fine drew constance to the win low as the two gentlemen descended the front steps side by side mr withers vas a trifle the taller of the two but hie ills figure was angular and unbending edward edmard a supple and nd elegant while sc se arcel a trace race of family likeness ex isted between the swarthy visage of the elder with its deep set eyes long up per lip and high fligh narrow forehead and the lively glance clear complexion and spirited mouth that made edward a physiognomy a goodly sight to more eyes than those that met the parting smile he case cast up ati at the parlor window when he gained the pavement whereas mr withers stalked solemnly on apparently forgetful already that he had a home ind and wife enow that Ms his face was set office dardr wardt shadow shadow and sunshine reflected the gazer and they are not more unlike in countenance than ban in dispose eions alms and conduct as dissimilar as two upright men can be harriets shallow treble sounded at her elbow like a repetition of the last thought no one would ever take them to be relatives she said yet each Is excellent in his way dont don t you think soa yes answered constance moving away only their ways are so different 1 persisted the cousin I 1 like Ei nathan best of course but edward Is the more popular man of the two I 1 believe ion t he I 1 really do not know constance left fhe the room uttering the falsehood harriet had a trick of making her intensely uncomfortable whenever the talk between them turned upon the brothers I 1 hate comparisons she said to herself when she reached her room and it is forward and indelicate in her to t institute them in my hearing convened that the sudden heat warming her heart and cheeks vaa vas ex cited by harriets harriet a impertinence she made it her business to stop thinking of the conversation and its origin so soon as she could dismiss it and turn her attention to pleasanter things it was more innocent and agreeable work for instance to write out edward a part of h new duet upon a fair sheet of paper which he could hold in his hand as he stood by her at the piano the printed copy being so blurred as to try his eyes he was very slightly near sighted although a casual acquaintance acquaint aice would not have suspected it she copied music legibly and rapidly and lately had hit upon this happy levies lovice of making him some poor return for the manifold sen ices he had rendered her all that I 1 can do leaves me deplorably plora bly in his debt she reasoned 1 I never knew what was the fullness dmd nd disinterestedness of a brother a love un til I 1 met him but all brothers are not so 80 considerate or devoted as la Is he I 1 should understand that TO ba i |