Mr. Luzerne had gone to Mrs. Lasette’s with the hope of meeting some of the best talent in A.P., and had come to the conclusion that there was more lulliancy than depth in the intellectual life with which he came in contact; he felt that it lacked earnestness, purpose and grand enthusiasms and he was astonished to see the social isolation of Annette, whose society had interested and delighted him, and after parting with her he found his mind constantly reverting to her and felt grateful to Mrs. Lasette for affording him a rare and charming pleasure.  Annette sat alone in her humble room with a new light in her eyes and a sense of deep enjoyment flooding her soul.  Never before had she met with such an interesting and congenial gentleman.  He seemed to understand as scarcely as any one else had done or cared to do.  In the eyes of other guests she had been treated as if too insignificant for notice, but he had loosened her lips and awakened within her a dawning sense of her own ability, which others had chilled and depressed.  He had fingered the keys of her soul and they had vibrated in music to his touch.  Do not smile, gentle reader, and say that she was very easily impressed, it may be that you have never known what it is to be hungry, not for bread, but for human sympathy, to live with those who were never interested in your joys, nor sympathized in your sorrows.  To whom your coming gave no joy and your absence no pain.  Since Annette had lost her grandmother, she had lived in an atmosphere of coldness and repression and was growing prematurely cold.  Her heart was like a sealed fountain beneath whose covering the bright waters dashed and leaped in imprisoned boundary.  Oh, blessed power of human love to lighten human suffering, well may we thank the giver of every good and perfect gift for the love which gladdens hearts, brightens homes and sets the solitary in the midst of families.  Mr. Luzerne frequently saw Annette at the house of Mrs. Lasette and occasionally called at her uncle’s, but there was an air of restraint in the social atmosphere which repressed and chilled him.  In that home he missed the cordial freedom and genial companionship which he always found at Mrs. Lasette’s but Annette’s apparent loneliness and social isolation awakened his sympathy, and her bright intelligence and good character commanded his admiration and respect, which developed within him a deep interest for the lovely girl.  He often spoke admiringly of her and never met her at church, or among her friends that he did not gladly avail himself of the opportunity of accompanying her home.  Madame rumor soon got tidings of Mr. Luzerne’s attentions to Annette and in a shout the tongues of the gossips of A.P. began to wag.  Mrs. Larkins who had fallen heir to some money, moved out of Tennis court, and often gave pleasant little teas to her young friends, and as a well spread table was quite a social attraction in A.P., her gatherings were always well attended.  After rumor had caught the news of Mr. Luzerne’s interest in Annette, Mrs. Larkins had a social at her house to which she invited him, and a number of her young friends, but took pains to leave Annette out in the cold.  Mr. Luzerne on hearing that Annette was slighted, refused to attend.  At the supper table Annette’s prospects were freely discussed.