, 1882-11-10
2 A True Heroine.

"Forgive it, Tom? Yes, and forget
il, and love her to boot
"You are quite sure, my dear Jack,
that this enthusiasm is unaltarai,lC -
"As Persian law
"Then YOU shall see her."
where? You don't mean, Tom,
we're to take trip to Edinburgh ?"
Jack, my boy, that story was not in
the book. read it out of this venera.
ble head. The place vas not Edinburgh,
but San Francisco. young lady
was not Annie Con ;saa. Out Marian
Corbin."
"The deuce it was
"You're an old stager, Tom, anu know
everything. / wish YOU would post me
little"
"If you'll discard expressions sugges-
tive of my age, I'll do anything for you,
my boy"
"Well, then, I'll ray q young stager,
or middle Stager, soyou'll tell me what
to do"
Willingly. About what?"
"LotS Of things. First, about this
ring. Do givo it to the minister, or
do | put it on her finger myself?"
"You give it to the minister, my boy"
"What do l have to ,ay?"
"Yuu put in a general affirmative an
swer to everything that is asked you,
and you repeat the words of the minis
ter as audibly rs your embarrassment
will allow. Thus: Il, John, do take
thee, Marian, to he my true and welded
wife, and so forth "
lord, it's awfully like heing SEN
fenced, or hanged, or something Of the
sort, isn't lt' And what do you do all
the time?"
al look imrosing through ,ut the GER
emony, and hand the minister is gratu.
ity afterward. "
SIS that all q groomsman does?"
"That is the whole duty SO far as
have ever been able to discover"
81 wish it was over, TOm?"
"DOn't te nervous, my boy. II lacks
an hour OF the time yet. Come out on
the voranda and enjoy your last bache-
lor cigar.
"Do you know, Tom, that sounds
wofuly solemn. l fancy when fellow
is about tins sort OF thing he oughtn't to
STOP to think"
We lighted our cigars, and, seating
ourselves ON tho veranda, smoked in
silence for q while. At length Tom said:
"Do you remember, Jack, CONVEX
sation We had here little over q year
ago."
"We've had SO many, Tom, don't
know which you mean"
~ allude to some instruction | gave
you in moral philosophy The lesson
was incomplete | must finish it now.
You were speaking Of Miss Corbin's ug-
liness-"
81 was fool, Tom
"That is not so relevant to the mat
ter as whether you are not as great
fool yet"
"What in the world do you mean2"
"You thought then that no amount
Of goodness could hide her ugliness to
your sight You think now that no
amount of ugliness can hide her good
ness to you. You may be as mistaken
i'll this instance as III the other"
"Never, Tom, nevcrp
Your very answer year ago, Jack.
And say, as l said then, the future is
great gaiusayer of thoughtless utter
ances. A little story told you at that
time brought you right. If hereafter
You should ever feel yourself going
wrong. Jack, that same story may bring
you right again. Here it is, old boy
my crowning achieyement-the great
Edinburgh romance of Mother Nc
Navit's Child, taIe OF real life, in
single chapter, with all the original mu-
sic and effects written out and bound,
and presented by the author as q we'd
wang a"t ~ VA. II"ppy nuSUunu Vi It's
heroine"
He handed mo little manuscript
volume, elegantly bound N flexible mo-
rocco.
"Iom, old fellow, how can I ever"
"Cut it short, Jack. Drop in some
tines and take smoke with Your
grabbed old roommate. 1t will be
enough"
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