Year: 1859

interest in the progress of affairs. Nh


Thornby was constant in his visits, but N
common acquaintance could have been NOR
reserved or respectful. No word of low
ever passed his lips; no pressure of he
hand denoted his claim upon that littl,
property, yet even Adelaide could not hell
noticing that mis- face, in growing gravel
was also growing paler; still her nature
revOlted against the enOrmity of forcing
her into marriage repugnant to her feel
ings Had he been in love with any on,
else, no hand would have been outstretched
in sympathy and condolonce. As it was
she pitied him. and really began to exert
herself to Danish something of the gloon
which surrounded his life 1t WASH hi:
fault, she would think. after all, he
couldn't help it, poor fellow; and as an
to be his wife, l may as well try and be
agreeable.


From that day the scene changed at the
dwelling of Mrs. Fairfax. 1t was an old
rambling country mansion in which they
resided, and Mr.. Thornby's estate Joined
theirs. Flowers grew all about in the
greatest profusion, and there was sheet
of water just upon the verge of the wood,
where the lazy water lilies lay with their
white leaves all the long summer. To this
spot Adelaide and Mr.. Thornby made a
daily pilgrimage.


Adelaide was astonished that she had
never before discovered what an amiable
companion her betrothed was; she rather
liked leaning upon his arm and looking up
into his brilliant eyes while he explained to
her some of the wonders of nature spread
before them. He spoke, too, of travels
made in foreign lands, of famous cities and
of the past; Of the wonders of
of art, of painting and stat
ues, which she only knew from prints, but
which he had seen themselves, and which
in his description rose in her imagination
higher than the power of the graver's art
could make them. He pictured to her
Venice with its silent streets and funeral
like gondolas, its glorious churches and
palaces, its Bridge of Signs, its secret
chimes and jellousies. He spoke, too, of
Rome and what it was, of its walls and
ruins, Of its monuments and churches; of
Milan and Florence, of the golden Armo
and orange groves. of the treasures of lit
erature and art within the walls of Pitt
Palace


1t amused Adelaide to hear of scenes
which she never expected to see, though the
thought once did occur to her that perhaps
when she was his wife he would take her
to foreign land, and give her an opportu-
nifty of witnessing what he had been so
describing. Now that he had
ceased to torment her with his love, she
began to think a life with such compan-
ion would not be so disagreeable after all.


Adelaide was sensible enough when the
romance which she had gathered from books
was not too powerful for ner She began
10 compare the glowing, fascinating deserip-
ions which he knew so well how to relate,
With the silly, whining sentimentality of her
ormer lover and for that matter lover still,
or she would have flushed with indignation
lad any one suggested the idea of her being
ruant to her first love. She never dream
d of such an atrocity. She liked Mr.
Ihornby because he was so kind to her, so
onsiderate for her comfort, but never, no
lever could her heat wander from its ale
,iancc to its first love. And she was sin
ere in the belief. She went indeed, so far
hat once when she met William Beckett,
he told him that had he been a man of
mind sufficient to bear up under the mis-
ortune which oppressed him, had he ris-
n under adversely and carved his way in
he world as other men had done, she would
ave left all, in defiance of restraint, and
hared his fortune whether for good or bad. /
t would be rushing in the face of Provi-
ence to saddle man with a wife and the
of a family when he had not
efficient energy to support himself; to all
{ which he only whined ike a child, and
ccused her of turning against him because
C was poor. No, it was not that, he
new it was not, but she had grown wiser,
nd more thoughtful, and saw more clearly
hat was right and what was wrong, and
ne was sure it was wrong to waste life as
G was wasting it. /
October was fast approaching. The or
lards were golden with their lucious fruit;
Ie forest trees were all tinted with autumn
rown, while over all was that dreamy,
Ivy, delicious air. which seems rcdOlent
ith general JOY of the season. You would
arcely have known Adelaide again, so Won
ccusly had she changed. The gladness of !
II heart seemed to have come out upon her
ce, making it radicnt with beauty and !
oom. No longer did she sit passivcly ]
Oking on upon the progress of the bridal ]
'pointments.
Her bctrothcd was large Drained: He ]
sisted upon furnishing the trousseau, and ]
ade a trip to town for that purpose. BE !
re there was nothing forgotten that could
ease the eye or crafty the taste. How
ne to Adelaide seemed the DAYS of his alb ,
nee. She would not have believed she {
ould have missed him SO much. Did