After the Storm

Yet, even as he said this, his hand reached out for the miniature,

and his eyes were on it ere the closing words had parted from his

lips.

"Poor Irene!" he murmured, as he gazed on her pictured face. "You

had a pure, tender, loving heart--" then, suddenly shutting the

miniature, with a sharp click of the spring, he tossed it from him

upon the table and said, "This is folly! folly! folly!" and, leaning back in his chair, he

shut his eyes and sat for a long time with his brows sternly knitted

together and his lips tightly compressed. Rising, at length, he

restored the miniature to its casket, and the casket to its place in

the drawer. A servant came to the door at this moment, bringing the

compliments of a lady friend, who asked him, if not engaged, to

favor her with his company on that evening, as she had a visitor,

just arrived, to whom she wished to introduce him. He liked the

lady, who was the wife of a legal friend, very well; but he was not

always so well pleased with her lady friends, of whom she had a

large circle. The fact was, she considered him too fine a man to go

through life companionless, and did not hesitate to use every art in

her power to draw him into an entangling alliance. He saw this, and

was often more amused than annoyed by her finesse.

It was on his lips to send word that he was engaged, but a regard

for truth would not let him make this excuse; so, after a little

hesitation and debate, he answered that he would present himself

during the evening. The lady's visitor was a widow of about thirty

years of age--rich, educated, accomplished and personally

attractive. She was from Boston, and connected with one of the most

distinguished families in Massachusetts, whose line of ancestry ran

back among the nobles of England. In conversation this lady showed

herself to be rarely gifted, and there was a charm about her manners

that was irresistible. Mr. Emerson, who had been steadily during the

past five years growing less and less attracted by the fine women he

met in society, found himself unusually interested in Mrs. Eager.

"I knew you would like her," said his lady friend, as Mr. Emerson

was about retiring at eleven o'clock.

"You take your conclusion for granted," he answered, smiling. "Did I

say that I liked her?"

"We ladies have eyes," was the laughing rejoinder. "Of course you

like her. She's going to spend three or four days with me. You'll

drop in to-morrow evening. Now don't pretend that you have an

engagement. Come; I want you to know her better. I think her

charming."

Mr. Emerson did not promise positively, but said that he might look

in during the evening.