An Italian Count.

you can , how literally crucified I have been in my feelings by all these distorted narrations . Oh , the misery of printer ' s ink !" " In the article I saw , " said Jack , with a roguish smile , " you were the brave and beautiful Miss Louwinwhose daring and

, dip lomacy had outwitted the great chief of the bandits . Oh , I assure you I have been very proud of you , and if you could know how much patronizing attention has been showered on me entirely on your account—hoAV many times I have been

asked to give a description of your appearance—the colour of your hair and your eyes !" " No ! Am 1 then so ridiculously celebrated ? " and she laughed heartily . " If I was fond of publicity I might feel a little

proud , I suppose , and perhaps I should but for such exaggerated descriptions as have been given of the affair , so altogether false !" " Suppose you relate the adventure as it actually did occur ? " Jack queried , turning toward her ivith a more spirited count

tenance . "I like to hear of hair-breadth escapes . " " But about Fanny ? " asked his friend anxiously , not to be put off .

" Oh , let the dead past bury its past , " he said with a gesture of impatience . " Which means , let the false fair one marry her count , I suppose . Dear Jack , can you say that ? I hope yon are quite over the heartache . "

Jack winced ; but Miss Louwin , sweet and pretty as she was , never used much circumlocution , but Avent directly at the subject-matter , ignoring the little feminine dip lomacy of her sex in such personal affairs . It was perhaps , better for Jack to have his opinions , as it were , thus forced out of him , though he certainly would have borne it less patiently from any but so old a friend .

" Only tell me if she is here , pursued Miss Louwin , " when the marriage takes place , and why on earth her people are going to stand by and see her sacrificed to an Italian count , of all persons in the world ?" " Wellthen" said Jack desperately

, , , " first , Miss Fanny is in New York . I saw her at Trinity on Sunday , and she had on a blue hat with a white feather in it , or a white hat with a blue feather in it

which particulanzation of her toilet ough t to convince you that I have , in a measure , at least , recovered from the heartache . In the second place , I do not certainly know about the marriage . At present her noble betrothed is in the city , having lately returned from Italy , where he has been settling his estate . " " Which means a mile of hills and an old

tumble-down house called a castle , absolutely unfit to live in , " said Miss Louwin , in parenthesis . " They are to be married , I believe , very shortly—next month , perhaps . Ancl now enough of Miss Fanny , " and he waved his hand contemptuouslyas if dismissing

, the subject . " But her parents , " continued the persistent little lady , " are they willing ' -she should chrow herself away ?" "What ! in marrying a count ? " He laughed bitterly . " How can you ask the

question ? His moustache is fully a quarter of a yard long , and his pedigree dates back to the Deluge . You know what a soft , easy creature Papa Regis is especially where his idol , Fanny , is concerned ; and , as to mamma , she glows all

over , from the top of her heart to the tips of her shoes . To be the mother of a countess ! fortunate woman !" In spite of the raised hands and mocking gesture , there was something in Jack ' s eyes and lips—those beautiful , sensitive lips —that sent a little arroAV of pain straight to Miss Louwin ' s tender heart . If she had

not been altogether too young a woman to play the role of matron , she would have patted Jack ' s head , and kissed and tried to comfort him in a motherly fashion , he seemed so like the child he used to be when

they were growing up together . " But an Italian ! " she murmured , Avith lips depressed at the corners ; " not that I would be unjust to a nation that as so glowing a past , and whose children have been patriots , not wanting in either nobilit y or greatness—but both seem shared most

by the plainer citizens . As to the aristocracy proper , they are nothing remarkable—no better than the brigands , indeed . "

" Ah , now you are coming to something I want to hear about , " said Jack . " I suppose there will be no peace for me till it is told , " Miss Louwin responded