, 1880-09-06

Janet Dudley at the country house OF q
cousin, where he was visiting one sum
mer holiday. She had graduated at the
Normal College year or 80 before. and
being obliged to leave the city directly
after, on account of her mothers failing
health, had sought and obtained the po-
sition of village school-mistress at
Straw berry Centre.
They had fallen in love with each
other at frs. sight, he fascinated by her
pretty girlish face. her graceful ways.
and quaint, precise speech. and she by
his handsome brown eyes, his gayety.
his fine tenor voice, and his gallant
bearing; and before Johns holiday was
over she had promised to become at
me not far distant time his wife. But
few months after they had plighted
troth, Johns uncle Roger, who had
been the black sheep of his family, re-
turned from abroad, like the famous
black sheep of Bsbylsnd with three or
more bags full. not of wool, however,
but money. No one knew where or
| how these bags had been filed, and no
one seemed to care. That they were
full appeared quite enough, for all
doors dew open to him at the first
"Baa.'
| Among others who renewed their ac-
quaintance with Mr.. Roger Wander
! gaas, now bleached to admirable white
ness, was his nephew, whom he had not
seen since his childhood, and to whose
mother he had not sent one line for fif-
teen years before her death. Tho old
man received his young relative with
great kindness. and being also inmedi-
ately fascinated by his handsome face
(Which he secretly Aattered himself re-
sembled his own). his air debonair, and
fine tenor voice, declared his intention
of making him his heir, commanded
him to resign his situation at Mink i
| Otter's-a command which the COM
manded lost no time in obeying-and
installed him in elegant rooms adjoin-
ing his own in the St. Sky Hotel.
But when Uncle Roger came to hear
of the pretty village school-mistress. he
Was exceeding wroth, and swore, with
many strange and terrible oaths, that if
John did not promise to remain bach
elor for at least FIVE years, and when he
Uncle Rogers choice, back to work
should he go, and not a penny from the
three or more bags full should he ever
have.
Now, this jelly, singing, fine looking
young fellow beneath careless exte-
rior concealed an intense longing for
wealth and all the comforts and luxu-
ries wealth could bring; besides which
he was troubled with constitutional
| lassitude, as certain fox once called it,
though it is better known to the world
under another name, also commencing
with an ]. And to descend from his
perch, as it were, and mingle once more
with the grubbing work-a-day crowd,
seemed to him worse than death. But
then he loved, as we'll as such selfish
nature could love, blue-eyed, golden
haired Janet Dudley. and hated to give
her up almost as much as he did the
elegant rooms at the St. Sky. Here
was coil, and thinking how to unwind
| it cost him q week of sleepiess nights.
The proposition he at length made to
his ladyelove," as has been seen, she
Indignantly repelled; and swearing, l
will never give you up" he gave her up
the next day, as will be seen by the fol-
lowing letter:
MYDARL1No:-For,n Notwithstanding
your cruelty" (her cruelty" poor
childD my darling you are and ever
will be, the die is supposed to be cast.
1 have acceded to Uncle Rogers wishes,
as you would say, you prim, Old-fash-
iened little sweetheart, with a mental
reservation. You are that mental reser-
walton. Be true to me, as I shall
be to you, and l may yet lay fortune
at your feet. JOHN.
Only year had passed, and Mr..
Vandergaas, already weary of his
nephew's fine tenor voice, handsome
face, and air debonair, suddenly babe
him farewell one cloudy morning (they
we're stopping at hotel in Paris), gave
him the smallest bag of wool-money
mean-and again departed for parts
unknown. To do John Hallam justice,
he also was tired of the companionship,
and at times had almost regretted en-
tering into compact with the wicked old
man. But on regaining his liberty he
congratulated himself on the clever
ness he had displayed, for though the
larger portion of the fortune might be
lost, he had seen the gayest part of the
Old World in its gayest dress, secured
a snug sum of money, and was free to
return to America and Janet. "I'm
sure she is waiting for me-" he said,
Though she wouldn't answer one OF
my letters, the proud, infexible little
thing"
And back home he went post-haste-
back to the village where he had left
the pretty young school-mistress.
1t was just such q lovely evening as
that on which they parted when he
found himself once more, this time with
hnrried steps. walking along the old