Connecticut western news., 1878-08-15

she was engaged. It was the likeness of young man, apparently twenty eight or thirty years of age. --.-.
 Who. is it, Alice dear ?"
 Alice laughed, but blushed little. '' It is the face I saw in my dream last nlght,'" said she.
 Frank Baldwin arrived that afternoon, and we hastened our preparations for de- parture. He kindly offered to assist us, and stood round, man fashion, in the way, putting things in the wrong trunks, and making confusion generally. We were limited in trunk room, and Alice declared it quite impossible to get in her voluminous sketching- books. They were accordingly laid aside to be left till they could be sent for, or until we should make our regular visit next year. Frank, roaming restlessly about, tired of our inattention, spied the books, and began to look them over. He was silent for some time but at length he looked round with an exclamation of surprise.
 !" Edward Granger's portrait Alice,
 
 "I never saw him, to my knowledge. Pray who is hep
 "H He is the friend of whose adventures with me in India have frequently writ ten home. Is this your drawing ?"
 Certainly
 Is 1t meant for any one ?"
 "I It is fancy merely"
 z. We'll. it's most surprising acci- dental resemblance, considering you never saw Ned and of course you never could, as he is at this moment on his way home from India, where he has lived for ten years-since you were a child in the nursery. By-the-way, see that the Mogul, in which Edward sailed, has been spoken only week out. So we may expect to see him very soon.'
 A day or two later we were at home, and quickly launched on the stream of gayeties always flowing through my step mothers house. Fresh from our six months seclusion at the farm, we en tered with zest upon this new course of pleas ure. Frank Baldwin was our constant ally. Alice had always been rather bis fayorite, as, indeed, she was everybody s; for beauty is born queen, even ii the nursery. She had changed in his ab- sence from a sweet child to lovely woman 1; and he seemed so charmed with her now that I began to think that this brother by adoption might become one in reality.
 We had been at home a week, when one day, on returning from drive, we learned that Franks friend Granger had arrived. A good deal fatigued with travelling by sea and land. he was still in his room, but would join us at dinner. There were to be other guests, and Alice and went up to dress. do not know that we "prinked any more than usual that day; but remember feeling quite satisfied with my fresh summer toilet :; and Alice looked supremely lovely in the pale green organdy, which would have been fatal to acomplexion less dazzlingly fair. !" You look like the queen of the queen of the fairies, , I said, and won- dered why she should blush so at the sisterly fattery.
 The blush had not quite faded when we entered the drawing room, and Frank brought forward his friend. Mir. Granger was presented first to me, which gave me an opportunity to quietly observe him while he paid his compl1- ments to my sister. saw his eye light with flash of admiration for her singu- lar beauty; but this expression was suc- ceeded by one of perplexity, which did not pass away for some time.
 As I studied the face of the stranger, was instantly reminded of Aice's drawing of what I called her dream lover," and I no longer wondered at Franks surprise on seeing it. It was indeed an astonishing resemblance. You codld have sworn it was the same face. Not only was every feature the same, even to the cut of the beard and the parting of the hair, but the expression of the whole face was identical the same soul seemed looking through the eyes. Whether Alice noticed this or not I could not tell. She was talking in a gay and animated manner, and there was a soft light in her eye and flush of ] pleasure on her lovely cheek, which made her more than usually charming. have no occasion to prolong this story by making mysteries so may as well say that the case of MT. Granger was one of love at first sight. Then two souls melted into one at their first meeting, and the affection which then sprang into life seemed to grow with every day. There were no serious ob- stacles to fret the current of their loves therefore it's course ran smooth. My fathers only objections rested upon the fact that Alice was still so young and their acquaintance so brief. Against the match itself he had nothing to urge as the young mans family, character and fortune were all he could ask. Sc the young people had it all their owr way and the ever- beautiful drama, SC old, yet eternally so new, went on ono, , more.
 It was fine morning in June, nearl, year from the period when Mls vera cieus history commences. In the cheer full breakfast-room of my sister, Mrs Edward Granger, still fingered part, ) of three-the young mistress of thu l house, her husband and myself. ha, arrived the previous evening, and having l been separated from Alice during th