Year: 1867




day would be to say farewell 70


months, years perhaps-"perhaps'


she thought sadly, "never to NEE


again" She had never questione,


her heart about John Martyr, con


tent to take his pleasant attentions


his gallant speeches, his deferentia


words, or in other words, his hal


saucy jokes, his laughing badinag


for the amusement of the hour. Blu


on that New Years day she was rest


less, nervous and excited, finding


herself talking st random to he


callers, saying yes where she shoult


have said no, and listening intently


for football and voice that fingered


away from her. At last he came


timing his call to miss the morning


visitors, and when the luncheon bel


cleared the room of the family, de


clining Mrs. Hughes invitation t.


join them at the table. he kept Mabe


for few parting words. He did no


bind her, he did not ask a return o


his love; he only told her his pros


poets and hopes, and then said if ht


ever had home to offer bride, ht


should come to his native home te


seek one. Very vague this. but


Mabel, looking into his dark, earnest


eyes, silently resolved that his bride


should be waiting for him when he
returned. Night found him speed.
ing over the iron road to New York


on the long journey to Texas.


Ny little heroine spoke no word
to any one of the hope in her heart
Some day she thought her secret
fount of hope and happiness might
be opened to her friends but net now
not until words were given that
made her blissful dream a certainty
of joy. Three months-four sped
away. and one April morning, when
the feet of May were pressing closely
on the confines of the passing month,
Mabel had q letter all alone in her
pretty room; she read the words. her
heart full of joyful surprise ever the
contents.


John Martyr wrote strange story.
Upon his arrival in Texas he had
found his uncle fast sinking under a
fatal disease, partly the effects of
starvation and exposure. in a mis-
erable hut with no bed but blanket
spread upon the mud floor, half
clothed and half famished, the pre-
maturely old man lay dying
Shocked at such sight, John had at
once sent for physician and some
comforts TO the nearest station, but
the old man was so distressed at the
expense, that it was not until his
nephew assured him his own purse
still held the needful funds that he
consented to have bed, a chair, a
stove and some medicines. For
weeks he fingered, the young man
faithfully ministering to his wants,
then died leaving all he possessed,
by will, to his beloved nephew, John
Martyr. The miserable hut seemed
a poor legacy, but the young mans
amazement may be imagined when
he found his uncle had left an enor-
nous fortune scraped together in
lifetime of miserly accumulated and
avaricious boarding. After this tale,
he poured out his whole heart to
Mabel telling his love, his hopes and
plans. One word from her would
bring him at once to her side. His
uncle's affairs would keep him q few
weeks in Texas, but before letters
could be exchanged he would be free
to hasten to her. Might he hope?-
If she did no. love him, silence
would deal that blow to his heart.


/ cannot tell the rush of happiness
that flooded Mabel's heart as she
read the letter. She had pictured
years of anxious waiting, had let her
fancy run upon death during the sep
aration, had thought at best they
would be middle-aged folks before
John made his fortune, and had tried
to :hink how emigration to Texas
would suit her little self; and now he
could come home, rich, free, loving,
to make her his bride. Out of her
full loving heart she wrote him a
frank letter, then taking both to gain
her parents consent to her answer,
turned to the date to be certain of
her address. With a quick passion
ate cry, she threw the letter far from
her, and sprang from her seat. All
the joy was gone from her smiling
lips, the flush from her cheeks
Pale with concentrated anger blaz-
ing in her eyes, she paced the floor,
clenching her little hands, and NUT
tering in hasty choking accents
'.Unmanly! Ungentlemanlyl April
Fools Day! This is the result of
his three months meditation. Idiot
was to be SO tricked by that roman
.lc story. 1 might have seen it was
copied from some old novel. Uncle
lying in hut and leaving him a
And to try to win me
from this" and she tore her letter
INTO shreds as she spoke. "If had
sent it before looking at the date
But he shall see that his base, uDgen-
erous trick failed to deceive me-"


Then the hot tears poured down
her cheeks, for remember she loved
him. Keener than a knife thrust was
The pain of thinking he had trifed
with the love she had made the hope
of her life. No true knight this, to
make jest of the holiest, purest
impulses of her heart. She had be-
gun to think she had been unmaiden.
y; had let him see too plainly the
affection she bore him; and the wea-
~ day wore away; leaving her pale
and sick with conflicting emotion
and pain. A headache will answer
for pale cheeks and red eyes for one
day; but as weeks wore on, and
Mabel became more languid and
wretched eaGh day, her mothers
n \ Il