Year: 1865

never tire Of listening To, any more thar
we DO seeing the buds swell, ard the lea e.
unfolding, and the wood made Young aeair
Fy the coming spriEg-the story, to which
5 we listen, our own youth comes back
and once more the flowers bloom, and the
I skies are blue, and our hearts are beating
/ joyou~ly and it is May
/ am not young now, neither is the day
on which | am soherly writing this little
record of a long past period, balmy one
Of spring, or anything like it; ard yet
May comes freshly back to me as recall
that day or which | am going to speak.


\ lark was SINGING far up the blue sky,
a few sheep was pasturing in the green
distance, and a tall figure dressed in grey,
with a gun on his arm, and ore or two
dogs frisking round it, was coming leisure
" along the sea- wall / had been fully
intent but the minute before, upon the
sketch of the old boat was making; but
now felt nothing but the beating Of nv
heart, and saw nothing but Mark Suther-
land coming leisurely along the sea-wall,
with the dogs playing around him


The little picture was never finished.
for at the instant | became conscioEs Of
the advancing figure dropped my brush
and hopelessIy ruined my distance by a
great smear Of vandyke brown. 1t was
never finished, no-but | have it now, and
mean that it shall be laid beside me in
my coffin.


He was a long way of when l first saw
him, and yet it seemed almost the next
instant that he was standing beside me.
80 speaking My heart had not left off
beating, and | could feel the color hot in
my flce as looked up, hut my fiery little
TERROR took exception to his dogs, and
few at them with trcIuultuous disap-
pro al, taking his attention off me for the
moment


When this little fracas was quoted, he
put dow MS gun on the bank, made his
retrievcrs lie beside it, and sat down him
self by me.


Have You had good sport" Iasked by
way Of saying something-anythins.


No, be answered. but I don't com
plain l didn't expect any. l came out
here because l thought I could see you,
and l wanted to tell YOU piece of news,
and ask you a question"


News IS a precious commodity, indeed,
in these wiIds, but please remember my
Scotch blood in expecting an answer to a
question"


lie did not seem to be attending to what
| said; he had taken up one Of my sable
brushes, and was absently playing with it,
but he threw it down the next minute, and
said, softly;


Hester, l have got an appointment
that ] nave been trying for, and | shall
leave for India next month-there's my
news


My heart, that had been beating 50
wildly. seemed to stand suddenly still and
drop down-down The water and the
green marsh rocked, blended hazily into
each other and the sky, and then voice
that sounded dim and far off bat was my
own, too, said-"It is good news T. l sup
p-se'


Good news Well, yes hope 50


He stopped a minute here His voice
was a very deep one, for he was a large,
full-chcsted man; but when he spoke
again. it had sweet undcrtone IN it that
used to ring Is my ears afterwards-it
does now


4 thought it good news. this morning,
for without it could not think of wife.
That troubled me little enough till lately
till, ah till knew you, Hester. My
dear, l think you have guessed my ques-
ton"


Guessed it, All! yes. But my face
was down upon my hands; h could not
hear the cry that was sitting in my heart,
ana lie went or gently. pitilessiy;


.'But shall not get al answer to It 50
Well, then, Hester viii you marry me
VIII YOU 20 with me to India r.


did net answer could not All,
those wlo had deliberately to kill their
own happiness. to raise up themselves tho
barrier that shuts themselves out from
hope and love, and life, will know how
hard 1t is-wiIl pity me.


"Wil you be my wife, and 90 with me
to India II


Il cannot" And no wonder that he
made a sudden movement of surprise, for
myself wondered . hear the hoarse Eas-
sion Of my own voice.


You cannot What fool have
been. then thought hopel-Hester
is it possible that YOU have not known
what l have been thinking Of all this
time p


Known what he had been thinkin2
about Al The light, and life, and JOY
Of those momen.s when | had dared L
hope that | did All the anguish Of feel
ing now that they had all been in vain!


Look at me Hester / don't think
understand ya1, my dear he said, pa
tientlv and gently You say YOU can.
not be my wife, and yet Tell M