Year: 1868

from the room.


He was absent for a few minutes, and
then returned, accompanied by his
daughter


My love-" he said, seating himself and
taking her hand, "from this gentleman
learn-don't tremble-that for two long
years he has carried to distant parts of the
world an impression made upon his
fancy"


"Upon his heart, sir" said the young
man, earnestly.


can impression made upon his youthful
heart" continued JohnsHenslip, "by a GER
tain Miss Violet Alton, whose supernatural
charms shone out upon him from amid the
dazzling luster of Christmas pantomime-
opening, or the tinsel gorgeousness of an
Easter extravaganza; and after nursing
this impression so long, he is impelled to
make it known to his enchanter's father,
who gratefully thanks him for frankness.
Do not tremble so, my darling In all this
find nothing to reprove; am only fear
full lest any Of the false glitter and Illusion
of the stage should, pertain to what this
gentleman has imagined to bea real love-
passion"


"With regard to my love, for Miss Alton,
I am sure"


"Be sure of nothing, sir" interposed
John Henslip-" of nothing that belongs
to the stage, where all is, as it should be,
unreal"


81 have never been blind or unthought-
full of this, sir; but it has no bearing on my
love-my honest loye-for Miss Alton"


"You must not think-I must not suffer
you to think-that in such case the good
intentions by which you are actuated are
conclusive arguments, or arguments at all.
You are sprung from q good family prob
ably


CA merchants son, sir; and myself a
merchant"


"And you want lady for your wife
for only lady, used to the manners OF
the circle into which you would intro
duce her, would be fit to preside over
your home"


"If I were only to repeat all that others
say of her"


you could not tell her father half so
much about her as he could tell you"


"You can tell me nothing, sir, l am
sure-nothing that can by any possibility
change my passion for your daughter, or
abate the earnestness of my desire to win
her for my wife-if the love and devotion
Of my life can make me worthy in her
eyes to be her husband"


John Henslip was moved-deeply and
strangely, as it appeared both to his
daughter and her lover-by the fervor OF
this declaration.


"My Carry" he said, az am not a
tyrant father to stand between you and
another love, for know that no other
love can take away from me that which
is the light of my life but for your dear
sake, 1 must say something more to this
gentleman before I can suffer your heart
to be appealed to-"


John Henslip was very pale, and his
agitation was visibly increased, when,
after pause, during which he had held
his daughters hand pressed almost
spasmodically in his own, he said,


You know nothing of my daughter
not even her nameS which you take to
be Violet, when, in reality, it is Caroline. "


81 do not attach any importance to
that, for, knowing, as l do, how common
practice it is ON the stage"


On the stage, yes; but the pallor of
John Henslips face became intensified as
he went on" but how can you know that
this change of name has been adopted
merely for stage purposes? My darling,
my darling" he cried, turning to his
daughter, who stood, pale and trembling,
by his side; "but that this young man
holds firm to what [ cannot doubt is an
honorable purpose, very painful trial
might have been spared both to you and to
myself He holds to his purpose, however,
and honor demands that he should be
made to know the sort of people with
whom he is ready to cast in his lot in life.
Even you, my child, have never known
up to this moment have never, | believe,
even suspected-that the name by which
you have always known me to be ad-
dressed is an assumed one; that circum-
stances-dark circumstances in life forced
me to suppress my own proper name, and
adopt another to which [ have no claim
whatever"


off this revelation is not absolutely nee
essary for your own comfort, sir" cried the
younger man, entreatingly, II beg you not
to make it."


"It is necessary for something far dearer
to me than my own comfort-for the Sc
curity of my childs happiness" Henslip
answered.


His daughter sank upon her knees be-
side him, and he sat for while looking
into her upturned, fearful face with a
wistful and anxious gaze. Her love and
trust in him he was about to put to ter
rible ordeal by the revelation he was going
to make


"Father, you do not believe, you do not
think that anything you may have to re-
veal may alter my love for you? Tell me
you have no fear of that"


Summon to your heart all its cour-
age, my darling" he cried, "you will need
81 love you with a love that nothing can
shake, father, dear. That is my courage.
Trust it; indeed you may"


"God bless you, my child!" he said,
wiping away the tears that had sprung
to his eyes. Press your hand close in
mine, as if our two hearts were thus united,
and to be divided forever should either
grasp relax"


"Dear father, you feel my grasp?"


again, God bless you, my darling !!
Remember"


And after once more folding her to his
bosom, he addressed himself to a rela-
ton of the circumstances which had COM
PEELED him for considerable portion of
his life to pass by name that was not his
own.


Seventeen years ago." said John Hen
slip, II was chief clerk in a leading mer-
chants counting house, in the enjoyment
of good salary, and with home from
which no happiness that man can reason
ably look for on earth was absent. Per-
haps was too blessed, for I was needless
of my treasure, and failed to guard it with
the care that could alone keep it to me.
| indulged in 10 vice; but had weak
ness-I betted No, no." he cried hastily,
do not think, either of you, that you see
the drift of my story; you do not; you