The Penn's Grove record., 1884-07-19

threads on his gray sleeve with trem-
bling little fingers.
: Arthur, I wish you would tell me
Just how you thought Of me first. l have
been thinking Of it all the afternoon.
1t is so strange that you should care for
such Abolish child as | am"
GLOW do you know / do, Miss Van
ity? Come-sit down here it is cool
and shady and out of the way Of those
sisters of yours - and he drew her
down beside him upon the bench that
stood under a great beech.
1t was very quiet there, the path
shaded by a double row of fine trees,
with the lawn on one side and the park
on the other,
"NOw try to be exact and logical for
once, Young lady, and tell me what
grounds you have for believing for al
instant that, to put it as you do, [ do
care for you"
JAMES eyes answered him.
LAS if that was a reason that could
satisfy any logical mind Why, you
goose, it might be that | hate you and
want to have the opportunity to lead
you a miserable life But come-I will
tell you all about it,"
And don't laugh it me-"
Laugh at you ! Bless the child ! If
you would only look at me instead Of
tearing your handkerchief into small
isces'-Janie desisted with a blush
YOU would see that | am as grave IS
as Dick theTe-pOintIng to Janie's
white dog, who was regarding them
with stea1fast eyes from the middle OF
the pathway. Now | will proceed
with my explanation. Many years ago
[ was staying in Bagdad and fell in
with a Magician" JANE looked up
with wide open eyes. Queer people,
those m~agicians This one was a good
fellow in his way and he told me that,
if | went down to Thorndale on the
fourteenth of July and visited my
friend the Squire, l should meet Il
young lady in a green muslin dress who
was the queen of all the fairies. Her
must wed, and then obtain possession
of the fairy revenues and live happy
ever after. You wore a green muslin
dress-ergo, you are the queen of the
fairies, aud | am marrying you for your
money"
Janie's merry laugh made Dick dash
round them wildly, expecting a race.
But the girl was not daunted in her in
quiries. She tried a little coaxing.
II want so much to know. You
locked at me so on that first evening.
and you weren't in love with me then"
"fDead shepherd, NOR find Thy 8alg Of
might,
Who erer l0ved that lored not at first
Sight?'
Do you intend to correct Shakespeare,
mademOiselle ?n
Did l remind you of anybody you
once knew p persisted jamie.
Her question startled him into gray
ity.
Have you heard ? Has any n told
you"
"What was I to hear ? All, then.
there is somethingl Won't you tell me?
| could not bear TO hear it from any one
else"
MY darling, l meant to tell you /; it
is better you should know. And yet,
my jamie, l love you so dearly that l
could wish the past away and you my
drst love :"
"Oh, | knew l could not be that 1t
doesn't pain me a bit to think you cared
for somebody else. knew it was so.
But please tell me-"
Il will He hesitated still, bending
forward to smile into her earnest plead
ing face. when you have heard my
story, darling, you will know how
dearly l love you for am glad to have
lived through it all. You have not only
made my future a bright one, sweetest,
but it rObs the past of its worst gloom
to look at it by your side. 1t is a long
story, jamie, and l will begin at the
very beginning, that you may under
stand 1t all"
1t seemed d difficult story to tell, for
he sat for three or four minutes in ST.
lence, looking straight before him. his
dark handsome face very grave. There
was a strange feeling III his mind that
the past rad come back again time
slipped back eighteen years, and he was
again a penniless tutor. For once be
fore in the beautiful lODg-ago he had sat
that same bench one summer after
noon, with the same trees waving to
and fro above, and a girl with soft
brown eyeS-Janie's eyes beside him
and they two had been all the world to
each other.
To break the spell, he took the little
hands lying lOisely clasped on Janie's
holland dress and looked tenderly into
the child sh dcwncast face blushing rosy
red under his eyes.
st was your aunt I loved, JAMIE.
LOok"-and he pointed TO two initials
carved on the oaken rail they leant
against. "'H. W.'-Helen Wilmot.
Everybody called her Nellie. You have
heard of your aunt Nellie, darling ?'
"She died long ago. Her grave is in
the churchyard."
Eyes, long ago. 1t is a long time
since-eighteen years-and yet it seems
but yesterday. You are very like her
she had just your eyes, so softly brown.
1t was your dear eyes that struck me
on that first evening. You have her
very look"
And you loved each other 2" asked
jane gently.
Yes. Midsummer madness it was
indeed, and we suffered bitterly enough.
You don't remember your GRANDPA
therP"
"Oh, mop
''Of course not. Well, | won't speak
evil Of your ancestors A.; but he was a
hard man. Your fatharand | had been
friends at school and, when [ left col