Year: 1865

HE FlfSI IUiE AND HE LASl


IT is the old story I am about to tell
that story which, thank Heaven peopl
never tire Of listening to, any more tina
we do of seeing the buds swell, and th
leaves unfolding, and the world mad
young again by the coming of Spring
the story, to which as we listen, our ow
youth comes back, and once more th
flowers bloom, and the skies are blue, an,
our hearts are beating joyOusly, and it
May.


am not goung now, neither is the da,
on which I am soberly writing this littlI
record of long past period balmy onr
of Spring, or anything like it; and ye
May comes freshly back to me as I REGAL
that day of which an going to speak.


A lark was singing far up in the blue
sky, few sheep we're pasturing in the
green distance, and a tall figure dressed
in gray, with a gun on his arm, and one
or two dogs frisking around it, was com
ing leisurly along the sea-wall. I had
been fully intent but the minute before,
upon the sketch of the old boat I was
making; but now I felt nothing but the
beating of my heart, and saw nothing but
Mark Sutherland coming leisurely along
the sea-Wall, with his dogs playing round
him.


The little picture was never finished,
for at the instant that I became consci-
Gus of the advancing figure, I dropped
my brush, and hopelessly ruined my dis
tance by a great smear of vandyke brown.
1t was never finished, no-but have it
now, and I mean it shall be laid beside
me in my coffin.


He was a long way off when I first saw
him, and yet it seemed almost the next
instant that he was standing beside me
speaking. My heart has not left off beat
ing and I could feel the color hot in my
face as looked up, but my fiery little
terrier took exception to his dogs, and few
at them with tumultuous disapproval, ia
king his attention off me for the mo-
ment.


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


"Have you had good sport?" I asked
by way Of saying something-anything


"No," he answered; "but I don't
complain; I didn't expect any. l came
ont here because I thought I should see
You, and wanted to tell you a piece Of
news and ask you a question"


"Newsis precious commodity, indeed,
in these wilds; but please remember my
Scotch blood, in expecting an answer to
the question" D."


He did not seem to be attending to
what I said he had taken up one of my
sable brushes and was absently playing
with If, but he threw it down the next
minute, and said softly:


"Hester, I have got an appointment
that have been trying for, and I shall
leave for India next month-there's my
news"


My heart that had been beating so
wildly, seemed to stand suddenly still,
and drop downtown. The water and
the green marsh rocked, blended hazily
into each other and the sky; and then a
voice that sounded dim and far off, but
was my own, too, said, at is good news,
I suppose"


"Good newsI Well, yes, hope so. ="


He stopped a minute here. His voice
was very deep one for he was a large
broad-chested man; but when he spoke
again it had a soft undertone in it that
used to ring in my ears afterwards-it
does now.


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


Guessed it Ali yes. But my face
was down upon my hands he could not
hear the cry that was sitting in my heart,
and he went on gently, pitilessly-


But I shall not get an answer to it so.
Will you 90 with me t. India ?"


I did not answer-I could not. All
those who have had deliberately to kill
their own happiness, to raise up them
selves the barrier that shuts them out
from hope, and love, and life, will know
how hard it is-will pity me.


"Will you be my wife, and go with me
to India %


"I cannot" And no wonder that he
made sudden movement of surprise, for
I myself wondered to hear the hoarse pas
sion of my own voice.


"You cannot! What a fool I have
been, then. Thought hope-Hester,
is it possible that you have not known
what have been thinking of all this
timer"


Know what he had been thinking
about? All! the light, and life, and Joy
of those moments when had dared to
hope that 1 did. Ali the anguish of
feeling now that they had all been in
vain


"Look at me Hester. I don't think
understand-you, my DEAR" he said pa
tiently and gently, You say you cannot
be my wife, and yet-Tell me you cannot
love me, and I'm answered at once"


He put his arm over my shoulder as I
leaned forward, with my face buried in
my lap, and whispered


al think you do love me, Hester"


ooh, I do, Mark, I dol" l cried, lift
ing my head; but I cannot marry you.
I shall have to give you up


"Give me up, my dear loVeP' and he
held me closer.


II cannot go to India"


"Why not2" and he looked half amaz-
ed, half amused.


I could not bear the glance of his kind,