University of South Carolina Libraries
WABsmatt . ?5 i lewis m. gkist, Proprietor.J %v. fnkpcnknt ^amilg fbfospper: Jfor t|t ^romotiira of % Social, ^grintltoral anlt Commercial Interests of tjje Smrfji. terms?$3.00 a year, in advance. vol. 17. ....... yobkyille, s. p., thubbday, febbuaby q, 1871. 3sto. 5, ~ "" 1 " ? I "" "V?.. na.ul/ul mo T I tin of Viim a a Via a aid tVlllL A SUDDIGSttd BQlllo jto Original ?: nst y Written for tbe Yorkville Enquirer. JL "V Jk? BY MRS. M. A. EWART RIPLEY. CHAPTER VIII. . MENTOK8HIP AND OSTRACI8M. The female portion of the family were all very much engaged, the following day, in preparing for the festivities consequent upon Jennie's reaching the mature age of nineteen. K Lee kept out of the way as much as possi ' ble, and it was not till toward evening that he saw Avlona. He thought he had scarcely ever seen a more beautiful picture, as, opv 'enttring the open door of the sitting-room, he ? * r* I " 1 ] saw her seated near we nre, Dusuy eug?geu in fitting over Jennie's fair curls a wreath ?of i evergreens^?x^*^urlet geranium, while Katie in mute admiration of the work. Advancing softly into the room, he emptied* the oontents of a basket of hot-house flowers into her lap, and as she hastily looked up, her countenance was illumined by the dazzling smile he had caught the preceding evening. Bis face flushed in answer, but almost instantly her head was bent to her work. "Oh! Senora, make me a wreath, too," cried Katie. "Certainly, you shall have one," said Lee, handing an exquisite little boquet to Jennie, and seating himself by Avlona's side, while he picked out two pure white japonicas. "These are mine?one for the sweetest, one for the prettiest, and two for the one I love best," he said, laughingly. Jenuie glanced at Katie; Katie shook her curls and blushed, while Avlona quietly completed her work. "Go and dress, najv,, Jennie; I will be up directly to assist you,*"said Avlona, as she handed it to her. "Now, Katie, we have flowers enough, thanks to Mr. Lee, to make you a coronet. Stop, and let me take the dimensions of your brains." "You ought to have a thimble, then," said Katie, laughing. The trio were very merry, and Lee could not help mentally remarking ? on Aviona's utter absence of all resentment. She was more than usually unreserved, and was constantly surprising him by the most original and witty sayings imaginable. He selected the flowers from her lap while they discussed contrasted colors and soft groupings. They were so merry over it, and delayed their work so constantly, by acting on different suggestions, that Avlona finally said she must be in a hurry, or she would not. have time to dress Jennie and Katie before the company would arrive. "Hurry, Katie !" said Avlona, as she handed her the wreath ; "I will be with you dib rectly to give the finishing touches. I will F gather up these flowers, and arrange the room before I leave." ".A nrl unn " aairi T .on "am iu\t nniiMM&n appear to-night ?" BR "Certainly ,'^fce replied; "Jennie's birthM night! I could not absent myself, even if I BR wished." HB He assisted her in removing the flowers; HH then taking up his japonicas, went to his room. City customs might require late arrivals, to be fashionable ; but in the country, company frequently assembles before dark. Jennie and Katie looked very pretty in their white dresses and tasteful wreaths, and as they entered the room together and greeted the different guests, Lee, who had been down for some time, watching for their appearance, went again up stairs. He had been in his room but a short time before he heard AvloB na's door open. Quickly crossing the passage, B he met her. B She was dressed in a robe of blue silk, a BB black velvet bodice was laced with silver B cord over a white stomacher, and her beautiB ful hair half fell in clustering masses from a HB pearl comb. This, with a brooch of pearl, was 8MB the only ornament she wore. PR "Beautiful!" murmured Lee, as his eye 1 rested admiringly upon her. She blushed I and smiled. "Let me add one other ornament," he said, as he presented his japonicas. She looked surprised, butjtook one, and attempted to fasten it in her hair. "Let>me do it," said he. "Come to the glass, children," said Ysabel, / iwho was standing in the door; "come to the ' glass and the light." "It is not worth while," said Avlona ; but Lee drew her in. She stood before the glass, as he arranged it to his taste. It took him a long while; but when she attempted to assist him, he would not permit it. "Now I have arranged it to my satisfaction," he said ; and before she was aware, he drew her hand through his arm and stood be19 fore the mirror. It was a lovely picture. Refleeted back, the stalwart form of the young maQju^jandsomecountenance glowing with and tlie gracef>ul % I ureoi tne girl, a questioning look on the.lovely face, as blushing and shrinking, she drew hastily back. "Don't you like my tableau ?" he asked, laughing. She did not reply, and he said in a low tone, as he offered the other japonica, "place it in your corsage, it is all your dress needs." She hesitated a moment, then fastened it above the velvet bodice. "Thank you," he said, very earnestly. "Will you dance?" said Lee, as they went J down stairs together. ^ "I think not," she replied, turning her head away. "Not on Jennie's birth-night? I have en/ gaged her for the first; let me have the second," he said. They were selecting their partners for the dance, and Lee had just time to find Jennie and lead her to her place before the dance opened. Enjoying very much the novelty, animation and life of the scene, he did not look around for Avlona until the dance was nearly ended. She was not in the room, nor did she appear during the next dance ; but on its close, he saw her entering from the piazza, with Henry. The next dance, and the one succeeding, Henry was his vis-a-vis, alternately with Jennie and Katie, and Avlona stood near watching them. L x Lee, who had thrown himself into the amusements of the evening, strolled up to hei " after the dance was ended, intending to asl her into supper. Henry was advancing a! . the same time. "You have not danced with me this evening," said Lee. ' "I have not danced at all," quickly replied Avlona. "If I ask you to go into supper, will you refuse, also ?" he asked. "I will tell you when you ask me," she laughingly replied. At this moment Henry came up. "Senora, I claim you for supper," he said. Avlona glanced at Lee and hesitated, evidently in some embarrassment. Lee drew haughtily back. * "Come," said Henry, offering her his tTrm, "Miss Jennie says you must stand near her, and the crowd is advancing." Lee turned carelessly and offered his arm' to a blooming country belle near him. Katie passed him, leaning on the arm of a youth who had been paying the arch-coquette special attention all evening. She leant to 5 ? ??J lenow Iwaru mm uuu uuuiuij ttuio|/viv\?^ .. ^.. whom you love best." Before he coMd reply she shook her finger at him, and^&ntchJug Avlona's sleeve, in an equally audible whisper, said, " 'the prettiest and thq sweetest whom does he love now ?" Henry caught the words, and was evidently seeking an explanation; but the crowd separated them, and Lee could not see with what result When they reached the supper-room, Lee found himself opposite Avlona, and noticed that one of his japonicas was in Henry's button hole; the other she was industriously picking to pieces with her fingers. Lee immediately became enthusiastic over flowers, and insisted upon his lively partner ornamenting every button hole of his coat with sprigs of ever-green and paper flowers, which had been used in decoration, and which she took from the table. They were enjoying themselves so well that they did not notice when the opposite party left the table, and 1 ^ ??? Via when Liee returned to me oimug-ivuiu,- no found the company were amusing themselves by promenading through the passage and the open rooms. Resigning his charge to another claimant, he stood near the door, interested in watching the different couples as they passed, or gaily replying to some bantering remark. While there, he was a little surprised to see Henry standiug at the foot of the stairs alone; but this was soon accounted for by Avlona's running down the steps with a sca^f thrown over her head. Accepting Henry's arin, she went out into the piazza. Lee turned on his heel, with a look approaching a sneer, and looking for Katie, joined the promenaders. It was after midnight when the company dispersed, and the younger portion of the family assembled around the fire to discuss the pleasures and events of the evening. "You do not speak of your pleasure," said Lee to Avlona, who was doing more listening than talking; "was it so deep that you cannot discuss it?" Tli^^^^^th^von^^^mg r^tner ^o!ng and tiresome. "Meaning," said Lee with an ironical smile, "that you could not be exclusive enough ; you could not devote yourself entirely to one. I think, however, you succeeded, if not to your own satisfaction, to the observation of the company in general." She flashed a look on him that almost blinded him ; then with a curling lip, taking her candle, she bade a general good-night. Lee chatted with the girls awhile, and then went his room. As he walked up the upper passage, he discovered the front door leading into the pii . 1 . ? j. azza was open, and advanced to ciose it. Looking out, he saw a figure leaning against one of the pillars, at the farther end. Wondering if it could be Ysabel waiting for Avlona, he called to her, receiving a reply in Spanish that she would be in directly. He turned and went to his room. After entering, he thought the voice had j not sounded like Ysabel's, though the answer evidently wa3 intended to lead him to that j belief; and wondering if it could be Avlona, and why she should have gone there, he stepped back. The figure, whoever it was, had advanced half down the piazza, but on seeing him, immediately turned back, and walked to the farther end. Convinced now it was Avlona, he walked rapidly to her and said, "Avlona! and here ? why are you out in the night air?" "1 was warm," said she, "and came out a little while to get cool, before I went to my room." . "Warm?" he repeated; "why the air is chill; you should not be out here." She did not reply?but leant out over the balustrade. "Are you dreaming the evening over again?" he said, scoffingly. If so, I interrupt your maiden meditations and had better leave you." He half turned. "No," she said, impetuously, "I not j dreaming, except to wish that the evening had never passed." "WViof 1" caul T?i in nffi'fted snrnrise. "re .. , ... x , sign a pleasure that would not even permit you to dance, lest you should lose a moment of it." "I do not understand you!" said she, haughtily; "I would not dance because?" she paused, and in the starlight, Lee could see a timid glance at him. "Why?"said Lee. "Because," said she, hesitatingly, "you said it was uot proper, or something to that effect." "I said so!" exclaimed Lee, a thrill of pleasure vibrating through his frame, to think that any of her actions had reference to him ; "you must be mistaken." "O, yes, you did," she said quickly ; "don't you remember, one night that?tbat about ballet-dancers ?" i "That had no reference to an evening dance," 11 replied Lee, striving to speak unconcerned, ly ;" what objection could there be to such ; an amusement as we had this evening?" i "I do not know," she said ; "I thought you meant?I am very fond of dancingand she i half sighed. , "And was that the reason you did not dance?" , "Partly she answered; "but Mr. Henry told me not to. "Told you not to," ejaculated Lee; "pretty presumption ! What gave hirn control over ; | your actions ?" r "He did not intend to control me," replied : | Avlona ; "he only said if he were I, he would ; 1 not, and I thought he had some good reason." I "No doubt he had," replied Lee, sneering J ly. "Did he tell yoa you should walk alone ! with him on the piazza, also ?" "No," simply replied Avlona; "I got tired looking at the dancing without joining it, and as he proposed it, I saw no objection. Was it wrong?" "Oh, certainly not! highly proper and polite to withdraw yourself from the company, and.walk out alone on the piazza with one individual of the party. You must have unbounded confidence in him." "I do like him very much," said Avlona; he is so honest and sincere and so sensible, and I believe really advises me for my good." "Indeed 1" cried Lee, an indefinable sensation of pain quivering through him at this announcement; "how fortunate you are to have such a mentor. I do not know which to admire most, your wisdom in the selection, or his fitness for the offiae." "I am fortunate in having one who does not laugh and sneer at me, but counsels me," repli&l Avion^ warmly. "He Js a man not &n1y to "be respected, but estelmed." "And why do you not add, loved?the transition is so easy to a woman's mind," he i said, bitterly. "A woman could love him?in time," she said, slowly. *"I did not know your sex took time for such things. I thought the gradations dovetailed so nicely into each other that they unconsciously reached the last while scarcely aware of entering the first," he said, with added bitterness. "Do they ?" said she, simply; "I don't know anything about love, except the love I bear my father and Ysabel. It, I know, is different from that-1 feel for the girls, or Mrs. Grey." His heart leaped, but he could not forbear saying, "Henry will teach you; it is a lesson your sex easily learns." She did not seem to heed him. "I have so often wished for some one to point out my faults; my father and Ysabel love me so well they overrate me, and Mrs. Grey and the girls give me credit for more superiority than I possess. I suppose it is natural for persons in their station to do so. If you?" she said, hesitatingly, "would sometimes tell me; I know very little of the proprieties of the world. 1 was educated in a convent, and have much to learn of the custom? of society. Now you dislike me enough not to be prejudiced, and you could tell me sometimes, whei^I err. I know I am proud, at times haughty and passionate, but I am trying to control these dispositions. Will you tell me when I fail ? Do not laugh at me; that vexes me, but tell me frankly and honestly." Not for a moment did he hesitate to accept the dangerous position, and as he lboked on the beauty, which in the starlight looked angelic, he thought how sweet would be the task to direct and control the heart. He promised, as gravely as his quickened pulses would permit, that he would do all she wished." *"I havtudone slje sa'iB gauyV'soyou may as well begin now, and tell me what it is." "I will tell you to-morrow," said he. "Oh ! but I will forget to ask you to-morrow," said she, laughing. "No you won't," said he; "you will ask )} me. "Well," said she, "I will wait; good night, now." They separated at the door of the piazza. "I believe my light has gone out," said she, "and I have no matches; I do not wish to wake Ysabel." "I will bring you some," said Lee. "No, thank you," she replied, "I can light my candle by the fire." Lee went to his room, and closing his door, sat down by his fire to read ; but the wards carried no meaning with them ; he could only think of the beautiful girl he had just left, pleading so innocently for direction, and from him?and because he disliked her. Did he? There was a low taD at the door: risifig - - - -- & v and opening it, he saw Avlona. "I failed to blow my solitary coal to a flame," she said, "and have come to ask for the matches." He stepped to the mantel to get them; she partly advanced into the room, and taking them from him, she stood as if she had something to say. He waited in some surprise. "I have concluded not to wait till morning for you to tell me my error this evening. I would rather know now." She looked up timidly. He was now indeed surprised. He looked at her, but did not answer. "May I guess?" she asked. He nodded his head. "It was because I did not dance." "That was certainly a breach of etiquette, of good manners," ho said gravely ; "but that is not what I am thinking of just now." "Well," said she, advancing nearer to the fire and leaning on a chair, "it was because I walked in the piazza with Mr. Henry." "That was a breach of propriety," he said, looking down to avoid her clear gaze, "and was very reprehensible, but that is not so S wrong as another of your actions this even! ing" i She sat down on the chair, and leaned her I ' j head on her hand. "I cannot think of anything else," she said. ' ur\ 1 i t i id ? j | "i7ii: i. Know now: auu uguiu sue iuuik.cu at him, though blushing ; "you mean about the japonicas." "What about them ?" he asked. "I did not give that one to Mr. Henry," ] she said; "Katie teased me, aud told Mr. i Henry ; and he said that in this country such i a thing was tantamount to a?a?well never mind what he said; but I took out the flowers and he asked me to let him hold the one I took from my hair, while I took out the other, ; and then he would give it back to me; and I when I insisted, he said I must value it very much; and then I said nothing, and he stuck it in his button-hole; the other I pulled to pieces, because he said I was keeping it to press. That is what you meant, is it not?" "I consider that a breach of generosity, and trust," replied Lee; "for I gave them to you, and if you had not desired to keep them, you should have returned them ; but that is not what I allude to." "Then it can only be my standing out in the cold to-night on the piazza, while I talked to you." "Which was a breach of prudence," replied ! Lee, smilingly, "of which any child would be ; guilty." I "You must tell me, then," she said, looking j questioniugly up to him, "for I cannot guess." | "Is it possible," said Lee, flushing crimson and speaking quickly, "that you do not know,, how very improper it is to be in my room, and alone, at this hour of the night" "I came for the matches," she said, starameringly, as she rose from her chair. "But you have gotten them, and yet have remained for some titr"?," said Lee. She attempted to spring past him, but his hand was on the,door. "Listen, to me, one moment," he said. ' "I did not?no, no," she cried. "I will hear nothing; let me go; let me go!" She had turned pale, frightened and trembling. "You are not to blame," he said, still hold-' ing the door. "Please don't talk," she cried; "let me go,"^ and she strove to draw his band away. "You dislike me, you hate me! Why do you keep mer . ' " Avlona I" * J She looked ud. nleadinelv. her lip tremb- f ling, "if youloye me, let me go," she pleadedi not knowing, what she saip^ ;, He* opened the door wide, and she sprtfi^j through, closing her own with a crash. The matches were lying on a table. He took them up and knocked gently at the door. : "Avlona, here are your matches." He heard hysterical, smothered sobs, as he knocked; 1 but everything was silent as he spoke. He knocked low, again. "Come and get your matches, Avlona; I will promise not to speak , to you." There was no reply, and he said, "I will lay them on the floor; come and get them when I am gone." He went to the door, and closed it loudly enough for her to bear it The next morning when he came out of his room, he> saw the matches still lying there. He did not see Avlona that day. Ysabel said she had one of her head-aches. It was remarkable; but she would think she had been crying again, if she had anything to cry j for. She was very quiet, though, shesaid,and did not want to talk. 1 Lee did not see her that day, nor the next, nor for several succeeding ones; and he missed i more than he was willing to acknowledge; the bright young face and low sweet voice, i At length he asked Katie if Avlona never came down stairs. "Oh, yes," replied Katie ; "when you go to Brookland, or to the village, she is always down ; but what have you done to vex her ? ; I believe she dislikes you more than ever, now. 1 She will never mention your name, and she tells me if I mention it she will not stay with me. We used to quarrel about you some-.* times, but now she will not speak of you at all." "What time does she generally coflae down: asked Lee, without noticing Katie'squestion. "Just as soon as you ride to Brookland in tbe morning," replied Katie; "and if yob go to the village in the afternoon, she comes i down again." "Well, Katie, I am going to Brookland ' sooner than usual this morning; and if I do i not return before dark, you need not save any. . dinner for mfe. Ask Tom, or Jack, if they do a gq withimnj i VYPf Btose can ^t us all dinner. Tell the boys I will ride slowly on?they can overtake me if they cross the fields." The two boys were soon scampering across the fields, glad to have a day at Brookland with Mr. Lee. They soon overtook him, and after riding a little farther, Lee dismounte4 and told the boys they could ride time about till they reached Brookland, and to tell Rose to give them a bag of walnuts and apples, which were there, and when they got tired, they could come home; he had changed his mind and would return. The boys liked no better fun, and rode on, while Lee returned, by their path, through the fields. Reaching the house by the back way, he entered the sitting-room. Avlona was seated near the fire, reading. There were several books near her, and her work was thrown by her side. He advanced across the room, and going up to the back of her chair, dropped a sprig of arbor-vita, which he had plucked in the yard, on the open volume. She smiled, without looking up ; and placing it between the leaves, continued reading. He dropped another tiny piece. "I did not give you credit for so much sentimentality, Mr. Grey; though it is a very graceful way of calling ray attention. "Do you wish to speak to me ?' she asked, still without looking up. Another piece was the only answer. Suddenly her cheek, brow and neck, were suffused with blushes, Still she did not look up, but bent her head lower. Lee took the vacant seat by her side. "What are you reading?" he asked. "Prescott," she replied without takingher eyes off the book. "And how do you like our American author?" he asked. "I have found it all yoij promised," she replied, "and am as much fascinated as if it were romance." "What are those books near you?" he asked; "arethey for reforepce?" ? "No," she replied stooping to raise some of | them, still in evident embarrassment; "I wrote for some books from Charleston, leaving the selection to the option of the bookseller, and I have been looking over some of them, and think I shall like them." He looked at those she had brought down, j "Dumas, George Reynolds and Sand have i you read these?" he asked, throwing them on j the table. ""No " cVin renlipH "T hftVA lllfit, llfld t.llA box opened, and brought these down to look over them. There is one I wish to finish; it is the story of a young girl who is compelled to marry an old man, and who loves a young poet; I want to know how she reconciled it to herself." "These books are not fit for you, or for any young woman to read," said Lee, gravely. "I am surprised, if you have read this work at all, that you did not perceive it unsuitable for you." "You have a poor opinion of my intellect," she replied, slowly turning over the leaves of the contested book, "if you imagine I cannot read such works without danger to my mind." "I cannot imagine the heroine even interests you," he said. "No, not so much," she replied; "I am reading more for the style than the story." "Then I would wish, for your sake, that some parts of it were not so warmly graphical. It would be gross flattery to tell you, that i you, or any other girl of seventeen, could read such books without danger. The free-love ; and irreligion presented in suth enticing forms as are depicted in that book, are enough to contaminate the pure mind of a girl; and as i.ti> your heroine reconciling herself to her conr&iQn. and accepting its trials, in patience and submission?read of crime, in which she excuses herself; of sin, which she palliates and allows" J "I do not see any harm in the book," said Avlona, who evidently wished to finish the T7' r'Perhaps not," said Lee, indifferently; "I j^ryou have been reading some of Prescott's glowing pages; they are graphic enough, jliad that." jShe read some of his brilliant descriptions, aid looked to find Lee's face glowing in animation. As she paused, he silently put George Reynolds' work before her. "Where shall I read ?" said she, flushing a little as she spoke. "Choose your place," he said, "it is immatel^ltome." tShe turned leaf after leaf. jr'I do not thinkr-ft is exactly adapted for mr 1 ? /. '.i . said at jengin* IW5^f)od tfitoFion by which you may di?ct your reading for some time to come," he V*id, still iu the attitude of waiting. * "I dare say I can find parts which are not 4 all objectionable," she said, j "Very well," said Lee with a provoking sSiile; "but they seem difficult to discover." j "No," said she, dashing into the middle of JmB-book, "I may as well read anywhere ; if one part is objectionablfe it would necessarily all be so." "I think so," replied Lee emphatically. .^Avlona began. . "The descriptions are graphic," she said, after reading for a few moments, "Exceedingly so," replied Lee; "butgo on."', She continued; her voice, low but clear, became still lower ; she partly turned from him, as she felt, more than saw, his eyes bent on her. A deep blush gradually overspread her face, her neck reddened, and he could see eftren the small ear glowing with the crimson current. *^he words became inarticulate? y"Stop?" said he; "if you are reading for style, you are omitting some of the most gloriously glowing passages. You are skipping unmercifully."" "You are right," said she, throwing the book from her; "I will read no more, and I thank you for wkrning me," she continued, courageously looking up into his face. "Did I not promise to do so?" he asked ; "lwifc mftv T look over vonr hooks, and we will . ostracise the offending ones." "Will you?" said she, eagerly, "and I will read all you mark as good." . "Let me see the box, then," said Lee. j She ran gaily before him up-stairs, and they were soon seated on the divan together discussing the merits of the various books. i _ %> many were the observations to which ( this simple business gave rise, that two hours , scarcely sufficed to bring it to a conclusion. Avlona was to burn all that bore a broad j^^^ork^mic^he rest were for her leisure ( CHAPTER IX. TI1E TRUCE AND THE STRUGGLE The next morning, while the girls were putting up the breakfast dishes?Avlona, flitting between them, assisting, and Lee, seated with a newspaper near the fire, pretending to read, but in reality listening to the conversation, which was on Christmas festivities?Mrs. Grey entered and proposed that as the day was gone, they should accept the oft-repealed invitation of a neighbor near, and spend it'at Farmdale. "You were included in the invitation, also, Mr. Lee," said Mrs. Grey; "the people are plain, kind people, and they will be glad to see you. Go and tell your aunt Ysabel, Katie ;Ai&e has been complaining lately, a<id it will do her good to get out a little. Mr. Grey will have the wagon got out; we can spread a carpet in it, ana witn cnairs we can mase ourselves* very comfortable. The whole family-can "Thank you, Mrs. Grey," said Lee, looking around; "but I will spend the day at Brookland to-day. I have some work to attend to ther,e, which needs my supervision ; and as ypu will be gone, and I will have nothing, nor nobody, to tempt me home soon, I will remain till I complete it. "Besides," said he, glanciug mischievously at Katie, "were I to go, I would destroy Katie's appetite for roast chicken and pudding; her attention would be so distracted between Willie Flemjng and myself, she would not be able to eat; for I would be sure to quarrel with him if he looked longer than ten minutes at her." Katie laughed and blushed as she ran from the room saying, "Willie Fleming would be too busy discussing his own share of the roast chicken to pay much attention to either." Jiennie looked up and said, "Mr. Lee, if you had said that to Katie a few weeks ago, I toould have been vexed, and thought you but now I know it isonly a* lit* .^.tfimlesg pleasantry on your part, andJKatie understands it as such, also." "Then we are friends, are we, Jennie?" said Lee, smiling. "Yes, sir," said she, blushing; "for I really like you.;very much." "Thank you, Jennie," said Lee, warmly; "I appreciate your friendship. Will you give me your jiand on it?" and he held out his. ? 1 ? J La aiiin i*afaLnrl ann on/1 i OI1U jJIUUtU UC13 ill HIO VUlOll ClfVUWU \jMt\sp uiiu I returned his hearty pressure. "Are you to be a party to this truce, also ?" j said he, turning to Avlona. "Yes, Senora," said Jennie, eagerly; "for I j prejudiced your mind against Mr. Lee, by' complaining so much of his conduct toward Katie, and no doubt often misrepresented him. I did more, Mr. Lee; I was afraid to speak to you?too much afraid of you to show, even by my manner, how much I resented your flatteries to Katie, and I would frequently beg Senora to act in my place. Give him yotir hand, Senora, and forget all I said against him." Lee held out his hand. His gentle pressure was not returned, though a very eloquent blush showed it had not been felt unregarded, whether by pleasure or displeasure, Lee could not tell. | "Now, we are all friends," said Jennie, trii uraphautly, whose spirits seemed much elated at Katie's growing indifference to Lee, and her new penchant for Willie Fleming, the young farmer, who had been so ciptivated at the party. "Friends ?" said Katie, entering, and who had caught Jennie's words; "whoare friends?" "All of us," said Jennie, gaily. "And Senora, too r saia jvaue iu uuiueBurprise. "Yes, and Senora, too," said Jennie; "she was always a better friend to Mr. Lee than yon gave her credit for, and would often defend him very warmly. She frequently told me I was mistaken in my estimate of him : that?" "Hush! Jennie," said Avlona, who had contrived to get behind Jennie, and who was endeavoring to conceal her crimson face. "Defend him!" cried Katie; "I never heard her defend him, except the day Mr. Henry called him a black-eyed, long-legged South Carolinian, and Senora said his eyes were not black, but grey; and Mr. Henry insisted they were big, staring black eyes; and Senora said he knew nothing about them; and after Mr. Henry went away, Senora said they could be soft aa a woman's, and keen as an eagle's; for sometimes she thought they would pierce her through, and as to being long-legged ?" "Silence, Katie I" said Avlona, who had in vain attempted by frowns and gestures to stop her; "I believe you grow sillier every day. I desire to hear no more of such nonsense." "Nonsense!" said Katie, boldly; "yousaid it yourself, and you said if nature had chosen to make Mr. Lee in a nobler mould than most men, it was no reason why every crow shoul/l strive to pick him to pieces." "Katie," said Avlona, "you have the greatest aptitude for remembering things that everybody else forgets! You know nothing about what you are talking of." "Yes, I do," said Katie, shaking her curls ; "you scolded me about Mr. Lee that day, and said he was just like a hero in a book?so selfpossessed, and so self-reliant, and yet so con 8iderate; and you said such a character wouia r^uire a woman?" "Katie!" said Avlona, springing toward her and covering her mouth with her hand. She whispered low and rapidly; then running hastily out of the room, she stopped on the stairs and called peremptorily, "Katie! Katie !" Katie laughed and ran to her, and the two went up 8tairs together. Lee had stood by the mantel, facing the parties, during the enacting of the above. His eyes were black and brilliant enough, as they darted from one to another, and a suppressed smile curled his moustached lip. He 3at down again, as they left the room, and took up his paper, resolving that he would find out from Katie, yet, the character he would require in a woman. After awhile Katie cane back, and as she passed behind him, she suddenly stopped and then burst into a fit of laughter. "What is the matter?" ashed Lee. "Senora always told me you were very amart, very intellectual, and all that, but I did not know you were smart enough to read a newspaper upside down." "I was not reading the newspaper, at all, Katie. I was reading something else, or rather endeavoring to do so," said Lee, Jthrowing tH I J HJI I fii^n liim I "wmi I niiili j + Inly nie. What sort of a character was that Avlcjna said I would require in a woman ?" ' "Oh, I can't tell you," said Katie, striving to get away, as he caught her hand. "Avlona has just made me promise that I will never speak of her to you again." ' But, Katie," said Lee, "it will not be speaking of her, it is of the woman who would suit me" "No," persisted Katie, "I can't; she would not like it." "Very well," said Lee; "I will ask her myself, and you can tell her so." "No I won't," said Katie; "for if I do, she will not come near you ; I believe she is afraid of you. Isn't it strange! She says she would not marry a man she could not fear; the idea of being afraid of * as own husband! But she says she would despise a man she could control; she wants to feel his superiority, and defer to him! He would .hare to be a Blue Beard ; for she likes her own way, and does not readily yield/ Now I don't see any use in marrying, unless you . can do as you please. I'll never marry a man that will control vie; he must do exactly as. I say, or I'll pout, or fuss all day." "J believe you, Katie," said Lee; "it is an ambition which a good many of your sex cultivate ; and woe be to the poor fellow who does not succumb ! But I must be off; give a great deal of love to Willie," said he teasingly; "but I know you'll do that. I say, Katie, would he not be pretty good material to make a husband of? I'll warrant he'd let you lord it!" Katie poked out her pretty lip, but finally laughed, and bade Lee a merry good-morning. Mounting his horse, Lee was soon at Brookland. He was no dreamer ; but when work was before him, he gave his mind actively to it. Consequently, he accomplished a great deal in a very short space of time. It was only about noon when he concluded to ride to the village; but the day had changed, and from being warm and sunny, had become damp and chill; and he determined to go by Hillside for his over coat. He was afraid he would not be able to enter the house, but he remembered there was a window into which the boys were in the habit a climbing, and which he thought he might raise. The house was all closed, as he had supposed ; but on trying the window he found that he could effect an entrance. He *aa?y> onrl fllnrflnOAQf nXTGV WCIIl IVJ UlO x winj nuu xitugiug iiuj wuw v?v* his arm, was about to descend the stairs, when he heard a rustling in the room opposite. Surprised to find the door open, and thinking it possible some one had entered the house, he stopped, and looking in, saw Avlona seated with her back to the door, half-reclining on a sofa, which was drawn to the fire. She was reading intently, and so absorbed as not to have heard his step. Her profile was turned to him, and the fire-light had imparted a rich warmth to her oheek. Her crimson dress fitted tightly over her slight figure, and Lee looked for sometime in admiration. Suddenly, he-started; there was something in the book which attracted him. Could it be possible, he thought; and, flinging his coat from him, he advanced, without a moment's hesitation, rapidly into the room. She sprang from her seat, and childishly put the book behind 'her. The box of books was by her side, partly emptied; and there were several lying on the floor. "Pardon my intrusion," he said, forcing a smile; "my senses may have deceived me. May I ask what you are reading ?" and there was something in his look which frightened her, for her glance quailed. "I was reading a book," she said, striving W luurk. up OliCOUUJT. x uu dwiucu WD , x thought you were at Brookland." i i "I know that," he said, scornfully, not heeding the conclusion of her remark; "what book?" "I do not choose to tell you," said she, defiantly; "You shall tell me the name of the book, or let me see it," he said, in low, firm tones. ( "Give it to me." "I will not; what does it matter to you ?" she asked, proudly. "Let me see it," he repeated, less sternly. "Much depends upon it; for on it depends my future opinion of you. Give me the book, Avlona." She did not answer, but sat down upon the sofa, her hand still holding the book behind her. Like most usually quiet-tempered per sons, JLee, when once roused, lost an command of himself. , ''The book, or.the name I" he said, grasping . her disengaged hand and seating himself by her side. - > "Neither! Let me go, instantly, sir." ( "When I see that book I will release you," said he, struggling to reach it She drew it quickly from behind her and attempted to throw it it into the fire; but he 1 caught her hand, and it fell at her feet Aa he stooped to read the title she strove to cover , his eyes with her hand; but as he pushed the hand away, she brough it down violently upon his cheek, more than once. He was perfectly stunned, and instantly sprang to his feet, kicking the book from him. For a second ! he look at herin unfeigned astonishment She was very pale, but her eyes flashed back the fire ofhis. ! "Do you think," he at length exclaimed, vehemently, "that I wilhpermit you to treat me as you threatened to no Henry, and with 1 impunity?" 'Then catching herin his arms ^ he kissed her cheek, brow and lips repeatedly, 1 and with a violence that terrified her. 1 "There," said he as he at length released her. "I warned you; you knew what you 1 had to expect. I gave you fair warning." 1 She covered her face with her hands and 1 burst into a passion of tears. { "I cannot imagine," he continued, walking 1 impatiently up and down the room, "why 1 you did not tell me the name of the book at once, and prevent such a scene." 1 She only shook her head, and wept more unrestrainedly. 1 "And so," said he, bitterly, seating himself < near her and picking up the book, "you are 1 no better than the rest of your sex ; all Eves, incapable of resisting the temptation of for- 1 bidden fruit; and I imagined you such per- \ fection! I could have forgiven anything but the untruth." ' . u Avlona looked- up. "I have not told you an untruth, and I desire you will not speak in such a way to me." "No; but you tacitly promised ine you i would not read the marked books ; the very c one, too, that I warned you to avoid," and he t held the book toward her. i * "Appearajre jug again. 1 roe." >aid f>h^ ^ "bud ytit 1 nay not deceived you. I told you c they should be burned; see there," she said, i pointing to some smouldering remnants on the t hearth, "how I was fulfilling my promise. I ( burned al' of thoee, without even opening 1 them, until I came to that one," said she, shrinking from it, "and I thought I would ] just glance at the last pages to see?to see?" ' said she, stammering, "how- the heroine over- < come her love for the young poet and if she ' became reconciled to her lot, when you came. < The book has haunted me, but I resisted the i temptation of opening it until today, and so?" and again she burst into tears. Lee leant back and turned in affected calmness, the leaves of the book. It was as she said. The obnoxious works were all burned, but the one, and he noticed that only a few leaves had been cut at the opening chapters, and two or three of the last pages. "And so," said he, "I have judged you too hastily and harshly; will you forgive me ?" "I do ngt care anything about your judgment," she said, bitterly; "I cannot forgive ? T kn*?/\ /IfUof X nan. uijseii, xiuw iimiJL uatcuiakuvucu utat i vuu not resist temptation." "Then you do not care anything about my ' good opinion," said Lee, still turning the 1 leaves. ( "Not now I don't," said she; "you have ] disappointed me, and I do not value your i opinion." ' 1 "How do you mean ?" he asked. "You have proved yourself rude and un- 1 gentleman-like," said she. Lee bit his lip. "Those are faults not be forgiven," said he, "what else?" "You are suspicious, also," said Avlona ; and you?you were the last person frorh whom I should have expected such treatment," and the tears started to her eyes. "Suspicious!" said he, starting up; "had I not a right to be so ? Why did you stay at home to-day alone, if not to read that book ?" "I was ready to go," she replied; "but just as we were starting, Mrs. Grey, who expected one of the servant men to be at home, discovered he could not remain to-day. Mr. Grey was needing him, and as I really did not care about going, but wished to stay at home to finish Prescott"?said she, glancing at the open volume on the table?"I told her I would stay. She was afraid of fire, and did not feel comfortable to have the house left without some one on the premises." "In case of fire, what could you do ?" said he, incredulously. "Mr. Grey is only about ? r,"no milfl lioro " ooirl alio lift* a ijuaiiu yjx u iivm uv&v^ ww?v? wmvj *?? iug her clear eyes to him ; "and he told me to blow the horn if I needed him, and Mrs. Grey said they would return early in the afternoon. She left a cold lunch for me down stairs. You may get it," said she, childishly; "I do not want any, now." She took the i keys from the mantel and went out of the room. Lee followed her. She turned, as' he passed, \ to close the door behind her. i "Avlona," said Lee, stopping her, "I have misjudged you; will you forgive me?" She bit her lip to still the tremulous quiv- i ering, and turned away her head. * "Stay," said he, as she would have passed < him ; "hear my excuses." "Excuses!" she exclaimed, "you have not ! one to offer." I "Listen to me, at least," said Lee, eagerly; 1 "I was suspicious, but only suspicious lest you i were less perfect than I imagined. I was rough, but I forgot to be gentle, in my eager- ] ness for proof; and though I do not attempt to justify my subsequent conduct, yet I must plead your own words?'the temptation was i great.'" She had partially turned, and was looking I showed itself in dimples around the mouth, and Lee, taking courage, whispered hurriedly, "You will forgive me. You will exercise your own beautiful law of memory?to forget everything unpleasant, and keep only forms of beauty and emotions of love as abiding images. You will forgive me as you listen to my last excuse; my last and best It is, that I love you. I can no longer hide it from myself, and would not, if I could, hide it. from you. Tell me, Avlona, that you do'not dislike me; that our quarrels have not made you hate me; fbf you must have known, long ago, that I love j 1_ : ? you ueepiy, ptueiuunMuy. Her face became absolutely white, as she spoke; her breath came quick and abort, but without uttering a word, she sprang back into the room andlocked the door. He stood for a moment, then knocked. "Avlona,"hesaid, reproachfully, "is this right, is it generous ? Even if you dislike me, yon should tell me so." "Go away," she said, in a very low tone; 'you should not be here when I am alone." "Nonsense," he said; "why did you not think of that before ? Open the door. I will anly speak to you one moment, and will leave the instant you tell me," "I cannot; indeed, I cannot," she said; 'please go away." "Will you tell me to-morrow?" he asked. No answer. He walked slowly into his room. Even before he reached it he thought, "what a fool I am; she has ten times the. sense I have on the subject A declaration of. love to a girl I know nothing about; what an absurdity! How Alice would laugh at ma! How angry my father would be, and how it would grieve my mother! I am more silly than Henry. A foreigner?my father's abhorrence ; a catholic?my mother's; and a ba> trothed woman! How Mary would curl her pretty lip I" "I believe she likes me," he thought, a warm thrill running through his veins; "but it will lot do, I must be more discreet, ana -imitate i taciturnity that is a rebuke to my loqua* piousness. What induced me to betray myself?" he asked. "That kiss ? I wish I could repeat it I feel the fragrance of her Hps yet, and will, for solne time to come," he ;hought, sighing. "Well, there is nothing left for me but to mitate her discretion. I will be more guar* led, and as I may as well begin at once, I vill ride to the office." He descended the stairs firmly, sprung from be window, and soon his horse's hoofs were attling in the direction of the village. [to be continued next week.] [Copies of the Enqdiui containing the pretloaa chapters of lila Story con be furnished to new subscribers.] THE SAN DOMINGO COMMISSION. The commissioners appointed by the Presdent to visit San Domingo and make an iffici -eport of their observations and invesigations, have embarked, and are well on the ray to that delightful locality which has so wonderfully aroused the enthusiasm 'of Presilent Urant. As the annexau&ll 01 lllU UUU1U ? nay be regarded as a foregone conclusion, he following brief description, in anticipation >f the report of the commissioners, may not >e uninteresting: The Dominican Republic is the eastern portion of the Island of Hayti, comprising learly three-fifths of the island. Its area is estimated at 17,500 square miles, aud its pop* illation about 136,000, of whom one-tenth claim to be white. The boundary between it. and the Haytien nation is an irregular line from the north to the south coast of the island. Hayti was discovered by Columbus in 1493, " * 1 'L -1 ana at isaDeiia, on mo uurui bhuic, nu wuu ded the first Spanish colony in the New World. St. Domingo was settled in 1496. A body of French colonists afterwards obtained a foothold in the west of the island, which finally ceded it in full to France. At the termination of the insurrection of the blacks in 1801, the independence of the entire island was proclaimed under one government Civil war, however, ensued and the Spanish section was.again restored to Spain. The whole island was, however, once more re-united in 1822 under President Boyer, but in 1842 a revolution against Boyer began, and the inhabitants of the east rose against the Haytiens, overpowered them, and in 1844 formed themselves into an independent State under the style of the Dominican Republic. The western section, known as Hayti, has always been the best cultivated and richest part of the island, as it is the most populous. It was the most valuable of all the French foreign possessions in the west, and toward the end of the eighteenth century supplied Europe with one-half the sugar consumed by its people. In regard to fertility and variety of production it was surpassed by the colony of no other nation. The staples of cultivation in the island are coffee, cocoa, sugar, indigo, cotton and. tobacco, but in the colonial times the same country produced for export five or six times the amounts now exported. The usual tropical esculents, grains and fruits abound ; the mineral wealth is great and various, although neglected for want of machinery and capital, and the mountains are clothed with majestic products, including the most valuable woods. Another Earthquake in New England.?New England is never without a sensation?something to startle all the rest of mankind. Indeed, we may say her existence under the name of New England commenced with a sensation, by the landing of the Pilgrims on her inviting shores; and the reputation thus acquired, has been zealously maintained ever since, to say nothing of witchburning, thc^onversion of Quakers and anabaptists; the discovery of the sea-serpent, and the more astounding fact that whenever Btones fall from the moon-they invariably tall upon some favored spot in that delectable region already made famous by some event of a startling character. The latest New England sensation, accord ing to the telegraph, is an earthquake, the Bhock of which was felt in New Hampshire, on the 18th. This is only one of a number of severe "shocks" that have recently been felt in the New England States; and the public are naturally led to believe that thoee ingenious people are experimenting, with a view to ascertaining whether, as an investment, * earthquakes will pay. Should the experiment prove a success, we may soon look for a Congressional appropriation for the encouragement of earthquakes, or at least, an endorsement by * the goverment of New England earthquake bonds. Fortunately, no damage was sustained by the recent "heavy rumbling," so di* tinctly heard in New Hampshire.