Year: 1862

going to have a grand time tonight aad
Mama wants you TO come down.


a | thank YOU" Grace managed TO saw
" but | think | had better not come"


"Oh but YOU must said Fannie, and
never supposing that Grace would contin
ue obstinate, they left her


But how could Grace 90? What was
in common between her and the hapnv.
brilliant company to be assembled that
evening? The dream of her life was over.
Not until it had been so rudely dissipated
was she conscious that she had INDUCED in
it. How insane she now saw it 70 have
been! All! little-she thought-did her
triumphant enemy krow Of tifa blow She
had struck and how it had gone to Grace's
heart of hearts


When night began to fail she had come
home, plOdding her way wearily over the
snow, and having prepared her frugal
supper, had sat down to sew Her moth
er had observed her evident distress, and
had insisted on knowing its cause. So
Grace, unable to put her entirely of,
had mentioned her own approaching dis
missal from Mrs Wolotts as the reason
for her depression In vain however had
her mother begged her to lay down her
work. Her answer had been, " No |
must be more Industrious than ever now
God only knows indeed, what will become
of us. We must leave; nobody will en-
ploy me now that Mrs. Wolcott casts me
of And her mother, unable to comfort
her, and equally oppressed with fears of
the future, had, finally, desisted


The moonlight lay bright and cold with
out; the woods, except where the avenue
pierced them, were dark but neither was
colder, nor darker, than the heart and
hopes of Grace. 1t was the habit, at
PlneVllle, as 1t IS in many other places for
parties to 20 about on this evening, from
house to house, singing, they called letting
in the New Year As Grace sat scwing
she suddenly heard voices without but
she was IN no mool for such a visit, and
she rose to draw the curtain, not without
a secret fear, for the cottage was lonely.
and she knew no one who would come
singing at their door, unless rude BOYS or
ruder mon Her alarm was increased,
when she saw, through the latticed w:n-
dow, face that was unknown to her; and
she screamed. At that moment, however.
another step was heard, and a deep voice,
that made her heart beat with a sudden
bound, was heard, speaking authoritative
", even angrily. Instantly there was a
knock at the door, and the same voice
cried


" 1t is don't be afraid, Grace"


With trembling hands she opened the
door, The men were disappearing down
the road; the little gate into the Wolcott
woods was open; and up the avenue
(which led to the halD she saw sleigh,
with muffled figure or two in it


=" Oh! Grace, how could you? were
the first words of the young man, as he
took her hands


She blushed crimson, but could not an
swer What did it all mean Richard
gave her no time for thought.


We expected you till night set in, he
said; and then the Judge, finding you
did not come, ordered me to start II the
sleigh and bring you, rating Fannie sound
~ for having forgotten to ask her mother,
which IS the reason, he says, you didn' t
come. 80 Fannie is out in the sleigh,
waiting to help you dress; and the house
Mrs. Dean thinks it toe cold to 20 out to-
night


What could Grace say? Before she
could reply, Richard had darted back to
the sleigh, and was leading back Fannie.
Mrs. Dean when her wonder ct her un-
derstans how things were, said she was to


l.
and 50 the housekeeper was called in
Grace, still bewildered, was sool ready.
thanks to the nimble fingers Of Fannie
and her own simple wardrobe and, with
a beating heart, took her place in the sleigh.
which moved merrily of in the moonlight
and under the still grand old trees


The judge came down to the front door,
to hand Grace out of the sleigh, and him
self led her up to Mrs Wolcott, who rose
and kissed her as if Grace had been her
own daughter. Miss Redfeld, standing
aioof, looked daggers at the new conner
Poor Grace did not dare to imagine what
1t all meant 1t seemed so strange to her
to be moving among that brilliant throng
leaning on Richard arm


The pleasant remarks Of her compan-
ION had the effect to restore her, In some
measure, to herself, and she was almost
surprised to find herself talking so freely
to Miss Landsdowne, whom they met
near the door of the conservatory, to
which her partner soon led her.


The perfume of the rare exotics greeted
her here like the breath Of summer At
the farther end Of the room they stopped
to admire a brilliant flower, when Rich
ard said, . | have a gift, Grace which |
want you to accept from me, and he held
up a diamond ring but, first, will you
give me the hand upon which | would
place it?


Richard. Mr. Wolcott !" she ex-
claimed. You are not in earnest


never was more so, he said VIII
YOU take the ring ?"


But your parents?" she asked. half
bewildered, hardly knowing what she
said


Il have their sanction, dear Grace, and
| await yours, and he held up the ring
with questioning gesture.


Grace extended her J. ] he pressed
it to his lips placed the ring upon her
finger, then drew her head to his bosom.
My poor little lamb, he murmured
drawing aside the veil of curls that hung
over her face, and pressing a kiss upon
her throbbing brow; now have d right
to take care of you. 1t has made my
heart ache to see you looking so pale, and
70 think Of Your toiling so patiently


Grace could only listen passively. the
change was so sudden that il oyerpowered
her: she could hardly realize that she
was betrothed to Richard Walcott


At length she said They viii miss
you; had you not better return TO the
Parlors? | VIII stay here awhile.


He smiled and replied, Il want to
present YOU to my parents first