, 1876-11-03
Bessie.

It was a warm, bright day, and pretty
Bessie Willis looked longingly out from
her window in the great hotel. with a
homesick feeling at her heart:
"Iwish I could go out" she said
softly to herself. I" wish I dared go
out alone, for Herbert never thinks of
me any more than he would of q statue
set in q niche" NJ
Herbert was her brother, lodging in
some remote room of that same big
house, and sometimes she would scarce
" see him for days together.
They were all alone in the world
this bright young sister and her merry
hearted, careless brother. There had
been little property left them when
their parents died, and as soon as Her
bert was twenty-one years Of age he sold
it, and, taking the proceeds, hurried
away to London with his sister in
charge, only too eager to make his for
tune in the world.
he thought he could easily obtain
some pleasant and lucrative situations
but situations were not 50 easily found, ,
and prudent, practical little Bessie knew
that their small fortune was wasting
slowly, week by week.
She knew il was useless to talk Of this
to Herbert; it only fretted and annoyed
him. and he told her often what paltry
speck it would all be, compared with
the wealth he was going to accumulate.
So she drew away from him, and only
answered his merry Good morning,
little pigeon" (" or careless " Good night,
sis" with pleading smile or grateful
nod. But this Sunday she was so tired
and lonely, she wondered if she could
not win Herbert's attention for a little
while.
They did not even sit at the same ta-
BILE in the long dining-room, for Her
bert had grown intimate with party Of
young gentlemen who boarded there,
and there were no ladies at their table;
but, thinking of the dear old home, and
of how long twas since they had talked
together, Bessie wrote her brother
little note, and, stealing down to the
dinipg-room Just before it was time for
the bell, she laid it close beside his
plate. As she took her own place be-
side old Mrs. Vanders, she failed TO no
tice that some Of the people at the other
table had changed places, and strange
gentleman, with a stern, pale face, had
taken her note from under the edge of
his plate. He read the name on the out
side" Herbert and, looking very
much puzzled, put it into his vest
pocket. While waiting for the dessert,
he took the little missive out again, and,
screening it by an apparently careless
arrangement Of his napkin, read:
"DEAR HKRBERr:-I would like to
seesome of the churches, if you do not
mind taking me in my Winter dress. /
viii wait for you in the parlor. Please
come up Immediately after dinner, and
l will have my hat on, and be all ready
to start. Yours, lovingly,
BESSIE"
1T is evidently mistake" the man
said to himself, " but how to rectify it
/ do not know" So he went up to the
parlor with q sort of guilty feeling.
There was the sweet-faced girl he had
seen at the table, Just fastening on her
hat. She did not notice him; but pres
emily group Of young gentlemen came
IN, and the sweet face frightened visi-
bly, as the girl stepped forward, saying:
Are yen going, Herbert? Did you
find my note?"
!" Noter' one Of the young men said.
have seen no note"
ALLOW me, please" suggested ne