Year: 1859

day, on his way to his native city, toward:
I which, if L mistake not from the tenor o.
his communication, some powerful mag,
> net is attracting him. But you are il
again Miss Bertrand--sit dewn inthe easy
: chair-you are trembling violently--let me
} ring for your sister!'


No, no, shall be better soon-a sud
} den faiutness--there, am quite recovered
you were speaking of your friend,
you


'Howard--oh. yes--he's a singular ge-
MUS, this Ralph, never admits any one to
his confidence, not even myself, and l
have known him for years; but l hare
heard that some years ago he become at
tached to very lovely girl, somewhere in
New England-in fact, in his native city,
Boston, if mistake not--but that his
fortune being unequal to hers, he would
neither sue her hand nor seek to bind her
by any promise till he had acquired the
means to maintain her in the position to
which her beauty, wealth and acquire
ments exalted her. Noble generosity cer-
tainly, and worthy of the man; but he does
not need wealth to recommend him--the
fairest lady in the land might be proud of
such distinction as his love can give. set
ting aside all the accessories of fortune
To this end he has bent all his energies.
as am more and more convinced, when |
recall a certain sentence in his letter; and
so great is lis desire to reach home that
he is even reluctant to bestow few hours
upon his friends here. And | am half in
c!ined to believe that it is only desire to
see my fair companion here that he con-
sents 10 stop at all, for he says, at the
close of his missive: The gifted author
ess, about whom you are so enthusiastic
in your admiration, is not unknown to me,
| Though her real name | have sought in
vain to discover and am indebted to her
for many hours of refreshing, delightful
companionship. Through the flashing of
her wit as through the graceful touches of
her sadder moments, l have traced pictures
of living beauty-pictures that have been
sunshine and dew to my aching, yearning
heart, and, before hasten to one who,
am sure would prove herself a kindred
spirit if the twain could meet, must rem
der the tribute of my gratitude and re-
spect.


AS you have never met, ! trust you
will have DO objections to be introduced
by your popular nom de plume, the only
name he has learned to call you?'


Certainly if it will afford you any graf
iication.'


Thank you. Happy to see you so fully
recovered; your eyes wear their own bril-
liancy again--don't fail to reserve your
sci for new pleasure this evening.


With these words the visitor took his de-
parture, and Agnes was alone with the great
gladness of her overfowing heart. How
unconsc:ously had that gladness been be-
slowed! How unconsciously had her Wis
itor eterated the assurance of her own soul,
that through all that painful separation,
Ralph Howard, had been faithful to his
early choice. In a transport of wild delight
she flew to her sister with the glad IT,
dings. and in the fearful bliss which that
sister imprinted upon her glowing cheek,
received such sympathy as only they have
felt whose patient loving has ended in per-
feet bliss


Evening came, and those who looked
upon Agnes Bertrand as she glided in
and took seat where the mellow light fell
like new glory upon her beautiful head,
never felt so full the spell of her wondrous
loveliness and grace. There was a gentle
ness about her. subdued vivacity, strik-
ingly at variance with her usual animation.
1t came not from the utter absence of glis-
tening ornament, from the spotless purity
of her ieecy robe, falling like snow
wreath around her, from that single white
rose lurking in the masses of her dark hair
it came from spirit that rarely turned
its inmost beauty to the worlds gaze, a
spirit strengthened and enobled by suffer
ing, and frightened by reward endurance.


There was stir, rustic in the ante
room; an approach of footsteps. and. with
out looking up, Agnes was conscious of
an added presence.


Miss, allow me the happiness of
presenting my friend, Ralph Howard
She had nerved herself to meet his gaze,
but she had not prepared herself to meet
that perfect and glorious manhood. How
regally he stood before her. with that look
of wonder merging into the light of recog-
milton, and flooding eye and lip and brow.



unforgotten music of other years swclled
forth in the loving cadence


Agnes, Agnes!'


For moment only her slender fgrure
was pressed to his manly heart. then with
one hand he pushed the tresses back from
ber cleaning forehead, in the old way,
and said:


Agnes Bertrand still?'


The same Agnes Bertrand


Thank God'


There was bu. one Interpretation to
those who witnessed this unusual scene,
and they, with delicate consideration,
gradually increased the space around them
till the room was deserted by all save the
two whose fidelity had been so touchingly
revealed. Now they understood why
Agnes Bertrand remained unwon--now
they knew the influences by which the gar
den of her thoughts was kept redolent of
living blooms, and they who had turned the
saddest from the prayers she could not
bless. we ae readiest now to echo that
n