Year: 1864

81 will' And sitting there with one arm
leaning upon the piano, and the other
hand resting upon the shoulder of heI
friend, she told the following tale:


Ten years ago. Matte, when you were
still in the nursery, my sister Gertrude
and left our country home to make q
visit in Philadelphia We were TO spend
the winter with cousin John and his wife.
We at first had little care for the acquaint.
ances we made, for there was any quan
tity of shopping to be done, and it for a
time occupied nearly our whole care and
attention. But at length when our ward
robes had been pronounced unexception-
able, our waists drawn in to the proper
dimensions, our hair taught to arrange it
self in the prevailing mode, and the first
edge of our rusticity worn off, We began
bringing home with him every evening
some two or three of bis bachelor friends
for our entertainment. Bertram was q
small place then, and we were just out of
school, and had never associated with
| gentlemen of >uch refined m"nners and
cultivated intellects as we then met; and
l know we used often to laugh together
after they had left the house, and wonder
what they thought of the "rustics,' and
what cousin John would think of US when
| his friends, satisfied with one visit.
| returned no more. To our surprise,
however, they did return, and the most
agreeable of them, and those whom we
most admired, came often, and accoinpa-
MED us when we went out and to Cousin
Alice's great JOY we became what she
termed "the fashion" Balls and parties
were made for us, sleighyrides on the most
expensive scale were gotten up for our en-
joyment, invitations to the opera, theatres,
| and concerts poured in upon us, and, in
short, enough adulation was lavished upon
US to have turned the brains of older and
wiser heads than ours. And we enjoyed it
to the fullest extent. Gertrude was, and
still is, as you know, very pretty and as
for myself, you are said to be the very pic
ture OF what was at that time so you
may judge whether was worthy of admi-
ration or not. (Mrs Grey smiled quietly
as she thought of the evening of her intro
duction to Mr.. Austin, and his expression
with regard to her striking resemblance to
his "once dear friend.;) Suddenly AVA
kened to sense of our manifold charms,
for time We were almost intoxicated with
our triumphs, and actually reveled in the
butterfly existence in which we were living
At length, however, good sense asserted
her rights, and we learned to regard these
things in their true light. Some weeks had
passed in this manner before | discovered
that was beginning to feel an unusual in
terest in one If our numerous visitors l
was very young, Matte, scarcely eighteen,
and unusual y youthful even for that age,
think. If had been older aud more
worldly-wise, should have known better
than to havr wasted one thought upon any
man until he had distinctly said to me, 81
love you" / did not give my love un-
sought If ever mans looks and actions
spoke Of love, his did to me if ever man
by the most assiduous attentions sought for
| woman's love, he sought for mine. But,
Matte, he sought for it only to cast it
aside when it had served the purpose of
amusing him for an idle hour! His name
was Austin, man of unusual acquire
ments, lawyer, far on the road to fame
and honor. Cousin John had noticed his
devotion to Inc, and was much rejoiced
thereat, as he was very wealthy. and in
every respect an unexceptionable parti.


| must 60 back little in my story to
tell you of another lover had at this tilne


You will think me very vain, but cannot
finish the history you desire to hear
without speaking of him He was a
Mr.. Ellwcod, whom / had met the
previous summer in Bertram n merely
met and been introduced to him
and had not seen him again until when on
our way to Philadelphia in the fall, he had
happened to be in the Same car with US,
and claimed acquaintance We met with
a detention, almost an accident, during
our journey, and he was most kind and at
tentive, SO kind in fact that when we
reached Philadelphia and found Cousin
John awaiting US at the depot, we could
do no less than introduce him. upon
which John gave him an invitation to call
upon us at his house. He was not slow to
avail himself of the invitation, and soon
became constant visitor. He was very
pleasant, and at first / liked him vastly.
In fact l aIcays liked him. But after a
time when he had singled me out as the
object OF bis attentions, he began to claim
a right 70 my society which was not will
ing to grant him. He was very outspoken
and was willing that all the world should
know of his love for me, not rejecting that
it might not be agreeable to me to be made
the object of such public devotion. He
was very persevering too, and could not
discourage his attentions so decidedly as
wished without offending him, which was
desirous not to do. Perhaps encouraged
him more than ! thought, or rather did
not discourage him 30 much as INTENDED.
l cannot tell, | meant right. Certain it is
that one evening when we happened to be
alone in the drawing room he made me
an offer of marriage, which was obliged
! to decline.