dream-like beauty and perfection.

There are statues and blooming plants in the great lower corridors and
porticos, and vast hall of entrance, oval and open to the roof, with its
marble gallery surrounding it and suspended midway, secured by its
exquisite and lace-like screen of iron balustrading. Pictures of the
great modern masters adorn the walls.

The skylight above floods the whole house with sunshine at the touching
of a cord, which controls the venetians that in summer-time shade the
halls below; and the parlors, and saloon, and library, and dining-room,
and the quiet, spacious chambers above-stairs, are all admirably
proportioned and finished, and furnished as well, for the comfort of
those that abide in them--hosts and guests.

* * * * *

In one of the most private and luxurious of these apartments abode, for
some years, a pale and shadowy being, refusing all intercourse with
society, and vowed to gloom and hypochondria. It was her strange and
mournful mania to look upon all human creatures with suspicion, nay,
with loathing.

The fairest linen, the whitest raiment, the most exquisite repast,
whether prepared by human hands, or furnished by divine Providence
itself, in the shape of tempting fruits, if touched by another, became
at once revolting and unpalatable. Thus, with servants to relieve her of
all cares, and Mrs. Austin as her devoted attendant, she preferred, by
the aid of her own small culinary contrivance, to prepare her fastidious
meals, to spread her own snowy couch, so often a bed of thorns to her,
to put on her own attire, regularly fumigated and purified by some
process she affected, as it tame from the laundry, and touched only with
gloved hands by herself, as were the books into which she occasionally
glanced for solace.

Most of her time was spent in gazing from her window, that overlooked
the bay, and dreaming of the return of one who had long since
heartlessly deserted her, leaving her dependent on those she had
injured, and from whom she bitterly and even derisively received
shelter, tender ministry, and all possible manifestations of compassion
and interest.

Her mind had been partially overthrown at the time of her husband's
desertion and her dead baby's birth--events that occurred almost
conjointly; and it was the wreck of Evelyn Erle we cherished until her
slow consumption, long delayed by the balmy air of California,
culminated mercifully to hers