, 1884-09-21

aFFFf AfNNAHs lba- 4 81 III hECtpl luhA
Jack III h ever proposes. and 1 "think
him absolutely faultlas." And may ! ask
why you condemn in ono young man just
h you admire in anotheri In other
wprd-i Walter Durand docs nothing and
is flli1g away Is time down by tis sen, the
posted OBJECT Of his mothers doing scl.ci-
tnde-nll Of which reD-ers him the more
chai ming in YOU estimation: while Jack
Thornton you berate numerically Tor being
that Ierson you most cordially hate-the
pet OF the family o consistency How
ever, l hope you viii now look with a more
lenient eye upon Jack. Tho other day l went
out alone, down by the river. At q certain
curve in the stream the water settles back
over tbs meadow, leaving a tiny pond cover
ing the ground. The water Is shallow and
,tagunnt, and there grow the most BEAUTIFUL
pold lilies 1 came to this spot in my ram
oleS and picked my wa ON tho decaying
logs out to where they lie In their luscious.
creamy fragrance On the top Of tie black
water. The finest bunch, In common wi b
otter things of the mundane sphere, was the
most dill, ult OF access. But ! meant to have
just that bunch, all the same. So, with q
cap, that l intended should do me credit, !
tried to reach the NOISY log close by lilies
But, oias. my loot sliI ped and IlanGeI In
the water-if You will excuse the Irish Of i'll
It was not SIX inches deep. and / felt no fear
until / found myself sinking in the mud be
low. tried to extricate my feet, but found.
instead, h-ey wero sinking deeper and deep ri
leaned over and tried to pull myself up by
the messy log in ront o: me. but It crum-
lid TO pieces under my ouch. Then l re-
allied that l was In a quicksand Did | con
duct myself in a manner worthy Of the de
soendant Of that Puritan governori No. Ny
kaulnq daarrfaI ma md I rvaa ~, .fttnfd arra,
to 10 ort to the usual f,m.nine defense
%screamingl l simIly stood there In a dazeo
way, feeling myself drawn down, down
down by an invisible power. / re
membered stories l had read OF PEG
pic who had been rescued from quick
sands, and wonderel why some one III,
not come TO ne Thought OF papa and yot
yes, and OF Waiter, and wondered II J
SHOULD recognize m imma In heaven; ans
then / heard jacks voice. That reused NE
and l could have fallen at his feet In graf.
tude, except for circl instances over VIII .ch J
had no control He rushed excitedly out I
where l was, making a load oltcry, an,
catching hold Of me, exerto all bis s.rengt.
TO draw me out But l had sunk to my wa.si
and he-noble fel.owi-was not able to pu
me up lie could, and did, however, kes
mo from sinking further, until Uncle Davic
A-aA 49, aA<AA lii II NEA1 t0Dl
after. For they, all this time, were at worl
in II field near by, and just out of sight; ano
+; aite1 US soon as they heard the outer,
from the river. II you are not already par
nlyzeI b. my stupidity in the affair, allow
me 10 add that after | was drawn out n wa
dlscov.r u that just benin me, in the water
lay a comparatively sduld log, by which
had not taken entire leave of my senses &
1 ever hid any, which is an unsetsl,o
question in my mind, / might easily hav
saved myself at the outset! But, the fac
remains the same-Jack saved my life.
Uncl David say that a man once lost hli
life in that Same quicksand; and l am at I
loss whether to han heaven most for Jacks
timely appearance, or to wonder at my ow
tlp.duy. Perhaps, though. now you vii
,orsive JACK for being devoted to mel So J
Close, hoping you may remember that, but
lor him, l could not now sign myself
Your very much wearied
BEss.
p. S. Evening. Jack Is mine. 1 have
neither time nor strength now, 70 explain,
but no Is minel b.
ELMDALE, Vt, Aug. "a
MY DEAR ANNE; Most Gel tainly, 1 will
give you full particulars in regard u the
engagement. As ! said In my postscript.
Jack IS mine. Moreover, he is mine with the
full consent of tho Thornton family. And II
any mi unden landings may have come about
remember that you always did Jump al
conclusions" Let me say, too, that your
btt OF news in regarI to Walter Durand's
going TO the mountains was stale by the tine
it reached me. For he came TO the Greer.
mountain Yesterday, just after our early
tea, Jack and l went up to my NOISY
bower" to wait for the coming sunset /
f.alr a lAAlr - I'll --H 49,
ny feet An hour or two afterward. just as
the feecy cleuls on the western horizon were
taking on the rosy sunset tints, a shadow fell
a'ross I Q grass in front OF me, ana a sudden
voice CAUSED me to drop my book was on
ny feet in an instant, anu the next ,,
18th Of Walter Durand's arms were around
ne.
would not describe the hour that fol.
lowed II l could; but next year l shall prob
ably be an inmate Of the Durand cottage.
He says he never should have been willing
70 take the first steps toward a reconciliatlun
II you had not maze HIM half frantic with
ants OF That Jack And / say that, while
knew l was the one most at fault in the
quarrel, perhaps / knew what Jack might 10
for ne SO, thanking YOU for the intormei-
ding which has restor d to me my Walter,
lam, very humbly yours,
BEss.
p 8 What about Jacki
Why, nothing; only that he goes with US
all, next week, 10 Boston. You will then sec
M and can judge for yourself II I have
written nught concerning hin that was 70.
strictly tr1e. He cer.ainiy. has loving Lrown
eyes, ozark cuil NJ Lair, noble qualities, and
Is u gentle birtn-as cogs go.
For Jack Is a full-blooded Newfoundland
Yours, Wiling 10 lie forgiven,
BEsaT