, 1886-09-12

with a strange pcrsistendy She had
the simple and natural good manners OF
her ancestors, but these did not always
accord with the higher, artificial code
Rollinston had learnt to obey. His every
nerve tingled when he noted some phrase
or act of hers which seemed to him q
lapse from the false standard he ac-
cepted; and she was always making
these lapses; he suffered at every one,
and he suffered silently while waiting
for them. When he saw har last, she
wore her hair in a bunch of curls at the
back of her head. They made her look
like a "school-marm." He had told her
they were old-fashioned and WESTERN
a term of bitter reproach in his mouth.
She had colored and said nothing then,
though after xard she remarked quietly
that she supposed she was getting set in
her ways and quite like IN old maid. He
remembered that she had been more
thoughtful and serious afterward. 1t
was true, though; she had lost the pill
ancy of youth. while he was as flexible
rs ever.
Then. as he thought of the past-of his
boyhood, of his mothers death, of the
happy counting, Of her patience and ten
derness-a pang of poignant self-reprorch
seized him. and he wondered whether he
had allowed any of his dissatisfaction to
leak into his letter to her. He was afraid
it was cold, and he knew it was not
cordial. He had written to her as low
ingly as he could, trying to keep back his
WEAKNESS of the bond that bound them,
and I,a lnnafn- 10 Iranly IL .c,n1ar
Would she be sharp enough to see through
him? Small minds are easily suspicious.
and as easily quoted, but a large mind,
like hers-for she had a large and noble
natures slow to suspect, but sure to
probe to the truth when once aroused.
He meant to keep his troth III
good faith, to abide by the letter of the
bond-the spirit was beyond his control
already. lie had read in some book OF
maxims that there are times when to act
reasonably is to act like a coward. He
knew it was unreasonable for them to
marry now; but was lie not a coward to
confess this even to himself? He felt
mean in his own eyes VIII II he thought
how he had hoped there might be some
unforeseen obstacle 10 her acceptance.
Just then he was aroused from his
reveries by the hoarse cries of newsboys
%proclaiming an extra, and announcing
n horrible loss of life in Il railroad acct
dent. He bought the paper with al in
voluntary hope that perhaps the
train which had borne his letter to her
might have been destroyed; for. in that
case, he would nave written differently.
But the extra was a catch-penny, and
the trifing accident it described was in
California.
Again he looked up at the
windows of one apartment in the
hotel; and in the room next to the one
where the shades had been lowered he
saw the bright glitter of a Respondent
Christmas tree. Evidently the occupants
of the apartment had forgotten to close
the curtains. He could see the lissome
figure of the graceful girl who had low
cred the shade in the a joining room.
Then the door was opened, and a troop
of laughing children came pouring in,
dancing with delight around the one
girl, who began detaching the presents.
As his eyes followed her about the room
he did no notice an elderly lady who
approached the window and suddenly
dropped the heavy curtains, shutting
him out from all share in the innocent
gaiety within. Rollinston started, shiv-
cred a little, and shook from his shout
ders the snow which had begun to fall n
few minutes before. He went over to
the hotel to ask again for the letter, the
only Christmas present he was likely to
receive; and whether it was to be a gift
of good or evil, he did not dare to con-
slider.
Here's your letter, Mr.. R%ollinston, =
he said.
Alfred Rollinston seized the envelope
and tore it open hastely. Then he hest
tated. He walked into the bar-room,
drank a small glass of brandy, and took
"A seat in a quite corner. AT last he I'M
folded the letter, and read it with a rapid
glance.
This is what he read:
Ever since l saw you last, Alfred. L
have feared that our paths in life would
part sooner or later. Your letter makes
the parting certain. We have grown
away from zach other. l release you, l
forgive you, but 1 shall never forget
you. Go where you will, my good
wishes shall go with you.
SUSAN HALLETT."
-Brander Matthews in Belgravia.