, 1880-04-08


tachment sprang up between us which
ripened into love very ardent love, on
nv part, at least. | then felt that
women were little less than angels, and
she the sweetest and purest Of them all,
'Tn time | declared my passion, and
my sweetheart gladdenoi my heart by
the acknowledgment of fealings similar
to my own, We became engaged. [
need not tell you of the blissfulness Of
those days. The charm OF life seemed to
have just begun.
"In the meantime, John grew dIscon-
tented with his position at the factory.
His income was large for salaried
man, but its coming was so regular, and
the amount so unvarying, that there was
a monotony about it which did'not har-
monize with his ambitious ideas. He
threw up his position, and started fac
tory of his own. His notions Of busi
ness were those of child his training
had not been in the proper direction for
success.
"He failed disastrously. His wife,
instead Of extending the sympathy
which man, under such circumstances,
Graves charged him with imbcoility. Her
reproaches were so constant that she
poor man became distracted. The lost
of his wife's love and respect, added to
the blasting of his financial hopes, made
him succumb entirely. He died, leav-
ing his wife nearly penniless.
''The bereaved ones took their loss
quite philosophically-evinced but little
grief, I thought. l offered them all the
consolation in my power-showed be
coming interest in the widows plans for
the future-made various suggestions in
regard to positions which were respect
able, the duties light, and The pay good
all of which advice was kindly re-
ceived, hut not acted upon.
Though Mrs. Rivers, after her hus-
bands misfortunes, had exhibited traits
of character which would render her,
during seasons of disaster, anything but
congenial companion, l should, if
had been pecuniarly able urged speedy
marriage of myself and beloved and Of
fered home, free from care, to the
widow of my deceased friend, but the
claims Of my widowed mother and young
sister could not be ignored, and those
claims though moderate enough, were
sufficiently great to keep my purse in a
state of depletion quite Incompatible
with the permanent maintenance of
strangers. Ny resources were too linn
tied to entertain such thought for a
moment.
'Not, however, with the ladies. That
as yet unproposed arrangement was the
enc of all others uppcrmost in their
minds; though [ opine, they had no
great faith in its accomplishment, else
the change IN their manner toward mo
would not have been so marked.
81 continued my attentions, of course,
to my lady-love; but l noticed a great
lack of cordiality on her part; the here
tofore freely given smiles were with
held; and when | put the question TO
her, How soon shall the happy day bel
she replied.
"'1he day of our marriage may be
fastened, or permanently removed, &C
cording to your decision in regard to a
request which | have to make
81 asked her to name the request,
though / confess was not without a
surmise as to the nature OF it. Said
she:
"'It relates to my sister. Her wei
fare is consideration of more impor-
tance to me, just now, than matrimo-
nial alliance with any one; that is,
un,ess such alliance would contribute as
much TO her comfort as my own.
What wish to ask is, whether you are
willing, in the event of our marriage, to
underta re my sisters support and to
give her home-a permanent home
under your own roofP"
"This request, as she termed it, l felt
in no POSITION to grant. The want OF
deicacy displayed made me forget that
solicitude for ones kindred is an admir-
able thing, even though allowed to outrun
ones discretion; and the bargain-like
way in which the matter was broached,
seemed to rob the subject of our union
of all that tenderness with which !, in
in my own mind, had surrounded it.
81 tried to explain to her that | was
not rich man, but expected to do for
her relative whatever my ability would
permit; and reminded her that if she
loved and trusted me, she might safely
leave the matter to my honor But
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