The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-09-30

room; the little room that had always
been her own, and into which Hugh Bar
ham never had come unasked.
It was indeed singular match that he
had made, but to do him justice, his af-
lection and respect for his young wife
were such that he never held the relns OF
marital restraint very tightly.
Florence Yelverton had been the only
daughter Of an artist and his well-born
wife. They had both died young, and
at the age Of sixteen Florence had been
left an orphan, disowned by her mothers
relatives on account OF. her father, and
entirely unknown to her fathers rela-
ives, because he had few, and these, be-
ing poor, he had lost sight of them in
pursuing his career.
No creature could have been more de-
ISOLATE and lonely and miserable than
Florence was when Hugh Barham, who
had been an admirer of her fathers gent
us, came to see her with offers of friend
ship. It was evident to him from the
outset, man Of the world that he was,
that he could help her in no other way
but to marry her.
If he should attempt her guardianship
in any other way, it would only be to
her harm and yet, looking upon her
helplessness and beauty, he dared not
leave her to the chance care of fate,
His wooing had been simple one.
'FloFence," he had said, II can hardly
hope that you will be glad to look upon
me as suffer for your hand; but, nay
child, I want to help you, and you are so
young and 50 beautiful that the world
would never believe that my regard for
you is dislnterested one. If you will
be my wife. I am able to give you a
handsome home and allthe luxuries OF life.
It must be a quiet life, on your &C.
count as we'll as my own. I do not wish
to parade my good fortune in the face of
tho world, as though I had deserved it,
because I we'll know I have not. But we
will 90 to Pelham to live; there shall be
no talk about you that can manage to
prevent, you shall be free to follow your
own pursuits, and in great measure to
seek your own happiness; and it will GER
tainly be the labor Of the remaining years
Of my life to make you happy. On such
terms, can you accept lover old enough
to be your father, but in spite of a poorly
spent life, far truer at heart than many a
younger mana"
Florence had looked at him steadily,
with a child's directness of gaze, and felt
that he meant what he said, and had &C
cepted.
= It was in the little boudoir attached
to her bedroom, that she sat alone, con-
templating her bereavement and her for
lorn condition. ~
"It IS dreadful" she was thinking,
"for a person like myself to be so utterly
alone in the world. I would give any
thing for just one friend" :.
And then for the first time in her life
there came to her, as if it had been an
inspiration, the thought: 49,
"But I have money ROW. How good
Of my dear husband to leave me every
thing. Ihave money, and with money
can make friends. .
There was torlorn little echo in her
heart that the friends which money buys
are not like the friends Of ones youth.
And then there came another whisper:
~ am young, and my husband used to
saykbeautiful. Perhaps shall win love-
So when Mr.. Ashburton called that
evening, he was able to report that he
found Mrs Barnham in very composed
frame Of mind; saddened indeed, by her
great bereavement, but resigned to the
will of God, and well disposed towards
the ordinances and sacraments of the
church.
The stately funeral was over at length.
The excitement Of it passed away, and
the months rolled on until the first year
OF her widowhood had passed.
Sitting in her own room, one morning,
meditating upon her future, and not, It
must be confessed, in the most cheerful
frame of mind, a card was handed her by
aservant. It bore the name of Leicester.
"Why," she said to herself, s'thst must
be:rhy.ptother's brother; at least, know
She had brother of that name, but
Thought he was dead.''
Then TO the servant she said
::T4ll the x GENTLEMAN that I shall be
down, directfS."'
But she did not hurry. Her mother S
relatives had been in no haste to find her,
and surely she might take her time in
making her toilet to meet them.
She had little pride in her appearance
moreover, and put on calmly her best
gown, trimmed with the heaviest bands
Of Grape, and settled upon her pretty
head her very freshest and dainhest wild.
owls cap: and, as Miss Needles had at.
tirmed, widows caps were becoming tc
her.
In passing the great mirror at the
head of the room, she caught a glimpse
of herself, and was satisfied.
But this Mr.. Leicester whom she met
Evidently he was not her mothers
brother, for her uncle, as she hastily sur.
missed, would have been sixty years o.
age by this time, at the least; while thu
gentleman who rose with great deal 0.
dignity and came forward to meet her
was little more than thirty, as shs
judged.
He was tall and handsome, and hae
the air of the man of the world, ane
Florence ad q queer little tremor at he,
heart, as she thought that no doubt h
was her kinsman.
"Mrs. Barham,'' he said in answer t,
her kindly, rather distan: greeting, ~ an
most happy to meet you. You may b
aware, OF possibly you may not 50 unfor
tunate has been the relations between th,
two branches of our family, that an