Year: 1862

The young mans heart beat ike a
team engine at the thought of his own au-
dacity,


BE SO kind as to take up my card and
say that MIR. Barker requests to Miss Har-
ton few moments


The page ushered him into the empty
drawing-room and disappeared. Ralph
braced himself for the coming interview
After short deley, which seemed to him
like the interval between the condemnation
and execution of a criminal, the door open
ed, and the beautiful Isabelle entered the
apartment. Without manifesting any sur
prise at such an unusual visit, she polite
ly motioned him to q chair, and seating
herself a short distance from him, awaited
the announcement of his errand.


Il must request your indulgence, Miss
Harton," said Ralph, with perfect out
ward possession, though inwardly he com
pletely realized the strangeness of bis po-
sition, g for having taken so great iber-
ty as to call upon you personally, without
ever having had the honor of an introduce
ton My object is simply to return hand
kerchief which I picked up in the street,
bearing your name. I might have return-
ed it to you without intruding upon your
leisure but trust you will pardon the
freedom | have ventured to use, in order
to apologize more completely for what
must have seemed so much like intention
al rudeness. BY some strange fatality, l
have three times caused you great annoy
ance, although nothing could have been
further from my wishes. beg you to be-
lieve that I deeply regret my own awk-
wardness, and am most sincerely sorry ev-
er to have placed you in such embarrassing
situations"


" Indeed, Mr.. Barker, replied the beau
tiful girl, with cordial smile upon her
features, g beg you never to think of it
again; assure you, you greatly exagger-
ate the Importance of such trifes, which
require no apology at all. I am extremely
sorry you have taken the trouble to come
SO far merely to restore a handkerchief
which | was ignorant had lost until you
mentioned the fact.


At the close of his little speech (Which
we hardly think was an extempore effort)
and during Miss Harton' s1eply to it, Ralph
had been searching his pockets for the lost
article, and picture the intensity Of his
chagrin and modification as the truth came
upon him like an avalanche, that he had
left it behind Isabelle instantaneously
OWNED the real state of the case she saw
the bleed rush to his face, reddening it to
the roots of his hair, and swiftly retreat,
leaving it pallid as marble. If she had
not perceived the real distress of the young
mans mind, the .incongruity and absurdi-
ty of the whole matter would have overpoR-
cred her self-control; but her quick sym
patby with all kinds of suffering took away
every inclination to laugh. Ralph at last
spoke, with forced smile upon his counte-
nance, and voice trembling in spite Of
himself: a +


1t may seem, perhaps, a premeditated
insult, Miss Halton, when tell you that
the handkerchief thought | had with NE
has been left behind by some careless mis-
take of my own. I have once again made
myself ridiculous in your eyes, but I prom
ise you it shall be the last time. Your
property shall be sent Immediately by post;
if | had no other motive than simply to
vindicate my own sincerity, I should be
concerned to see it trestored. If you will on
ly have the charity for my last misfortune
which you have SO generously expressed
for its predecessors, I win take pains new
er to need the same indulgence a fifth
time -. .-s
2 So saying, he took up his hat and rose
to 60, but Isabelle eagerly beckoned him
to remain


Do not feel SO keenly about mere
nothing, I entreat you, Mr.. Barker she
said with genuine kindness in her large
beautiful eyes; II shall never forgive my
self for having been the innocent cause of
SO much chagrin, if you persist in
viewing this idle matter through micro
scope. Pray laugh at the whole affair
with me, for we have both been equally
placed in ridiculous light; and believe
me, it is true wisdom not to waste feeling
on such undeserying objects as little mis-
takes and accidents"


The unaffected kindness of her tone and
manner went to poor Ralph's heart, and
as We often feel more gratitude for little
faYors than great. he felt that her beauty
was the least of her charms: for it was on
ly the transparent veil through which
shene her true womanly nature in all its
leveliness. Is be again rose to go, she