, 1896-08-01

= t'suA yous
l suppose she must have seen my
blank look Of disappointment, for she
added i'll her softest tones-andn no voice
could be softer than hers: Come, John,
be Il good hoy now, and l will send you
my answer tomorrow by letter"
And thus we parted. 1 went home
with hope deferred. The next day came
and went and | heard nothing. The sun
sank i'll the west, and my heart sank
with it. My heart was in my boots for
many a day, but pride finally calnc TO
the rescue, and l determined to try to
forget Mary and the whole female sex.
Feeling that it would be impossible
to have any peace of mind with Mary
so near, | planned a long trip to Europe.
1t had always been my fathers wish
that l, his only son, should take this
trip, but | had always opposed it, think
ing that he could not afford il, for he
had w daughters. both younger than
myself, and ] lonsed to see them take
that position i'll society which Il good
education only can give. And, while
this European trip would not have scri-
ously intertered with my wishes for my
sisters advancement, l knew that it
would entail an amount Of economy at
home that l did not like to think Of.
But, seeing my depressed spirits aud
perhaps guessing the cause, my father
renewed his p~crsuasiOns, set forth il
glowing terms the advantages to be
gained. which none knew better than
he himself, as he had been quite a tray.
AZ -, H., x-4,.L ..I E--ll.
all my objections.
My trunk was packed; passport and
guidebouks were provided; arrange.
mcnts were made for the necessary
funds to meet my expenses, but not g
word came from Mary, although she
must have heard that l was ready tc
go. Father, mother and sisters babe me
a sad coodby, and 1 was gone.
a few days after leaving home ]
sailed from New York and i'll due time
landed i'll Ireland. 1t took me a month
to see all that | wanted to see Of that
country, and l spent two months in
Scotland, three months i'll England and
proceeded to Paris, determined to stay
long enough in Franco to learn the Ian.
guage thoroughly. l spent six months
i'll Paris and the rest of France, AND
l might have spent six more if | had
thought my father could afford it. But
l knew his 1CsOulCcs were not abundant.
and so l hurried on into Germany, de.
voting Il year to that country, SwitZcr.
land and Italy. | was on the point Of
winding up my trip with a few months
i'll Spain, when Il slight incident caused
me to urn my face toward home with
as much haste us if Il legion of devils
was behind me.
Preparatory to going into Spain. | had
taken Il Spanish grammar out Of my
trunk with the intention of brushing M
my knowledge Of Spanish, which had
become quite rusty from long disuse.
As | opened the book Il small letter al
dressed to me i'll Mary's well known
handwriting fell out. 1t was without
postmark and was sealed.
| tore it open. with II beating heart.
or her image was as fresh III my mem
ory as on the day / parted with her at
her door. 1t was very short, and ! OBJ
served that the date was on ;he next
day after l had last seen her. This was
the whole letter:
May IS.
DEAR JOHS-1Cs. MAEY.
Only four words besides the date.
l then remembered that | had been
looking over my Spanish grammar on
the very day this letter was written,
had dozcd Of into Il nap Ct Il few min
utcs' duration and had left the book
open on the table beside me. l had been
reused up suddenly by some one call
ing mt, and, as il was nearly dark when
/ awoke, | must have shut up the letter
in the book without seeing it.
Everything was Iow clear, and Mary
had done all that l could have wished.
/ took the first steamer for New York,
and never did a man CIcss the Atlantic
ocean with greater anxiety. We'll miGht
Mary have remained silent after such q
note. l rcprCachcd myself Il hundred
times for never making any inquiries az
to the causes Of her silence and cursed
my foolish pride along with my re-
proachcs.
AS soon rs l got to the end of my
journey l went directly to MaIy's house.
ever before going to my own home. She
was decidedly cool toward me, though
it had been years since we had seen each
other. But when Iexplained the matter,
she seemed fully satisfied, and We We're
married in q few weeks.
l afterward learned that the letter
had been duly sent by n trustworthy
messenger, who had come into my room,
and, finding me asleep, had lett it at
my elbow, supposing, of course, that l
would see it whcnI woke up.
Many years have passed away since
these events tcCk place. and there is n
little Mary now running i'll and ont as
l write, who bids fair to equal her
mother in beauty. And nothing plcascs
her so much rs when l tell her the story
of my finding mammals letter i'll my
Spanish book on the borders of Spain.
Said letter is now framed and glazed
and hangs above me-. 1t has often been
taken down and hidden by my wife,
and many threats have been made to
burn it up, hut | always manage TO fine
it and bring it back.-Now York Even
ing Post.
1t doesn't matter much whether sick
beadahce, b~iliousness, indigestion and
constipation are caused by neglect or
by unavoidable circumstances; De-
Wits Little Early Risers will speedily
cIlre Them all. Chas N. Settele.