Year: 1865

neip my Two earrings 10 De happy. An
unexpected aid soon came. Mr.. Cameron,
who was in bad health when he first saw
him, died suddenly. Poor Aarians grief
was terrible to see. Her father was dead !;
Stephen, as she thought estranged; and
there was no one else in the world who
cared whether she lived or died, except
myself I brought her home with me,
and was with her hourly until Mr.. Game.
ronb funeral. How we got through that
time hardly know. Then came the nee
essary inquiries into his affairs. He had
died, not altogether poor, but in reduced
circumstances, leaving Marian an annuity
that would scarcely give her the luxuries
her state of health required. And where


was she to live and what to do? Stephen


was the sole executor, the one advisor to


whom she could look. He took two days
and nights to consider, and then offered
her bis hand and home. At first she could


not believe that his offer arose from any


thing but pity and compassion but when


he had told her the story of the last few


months, and called me to bear witness to


it, great light seemed to come into her
eyes, and wonderful glow of love, such


as had never seen, over her face. I left


them to themselves that evening, till
Stephen tapped at the door of my room,
and told me-nothing, in fact, but what I


knew long before. In their case there


was little cause for delay. Trousseaux


were not the important matters in my
day that they are in my -childrens, and
Marian was married to Stephen in her
black within a month after her fathers's
funeral.


The next few months were happy
time for all of US. Marians health inn
proved greatly. The worried, frightened
look she used to wear left her face as she
recovered from the depression caused by
her constant anxiety about her father, and
the loss of rest she suffered in attending
upon him at night. 1t seemed as if she
was entirely recovering; and Stephen, if
he did not lose his fears, at least was not
constantly occupied with them. How
happy we used to look forward to the
future, for Stephen was beginning to save
money; and many were our day dreams
about professional eminence for him, and
fashionable life in London, partly for Ma
rian, but mostly for me. I have tried
fashionable life in London since, but
never found it 80 happy as our days in
that dear old Surrey village.


Well, our happy time did not last long.
Marian caught cold and the winter came
on, and was soon so i'll as to be taken to
London for advice. Stephen came back
alone, with a weary, deathly. looking face.
Marian had broken small blood-vessel on
the journey-not anything serious in itself,
but ominous enough. They were to 20 at
once to warmer climate-not day to be
lost. Sorrowfully packed up the neoes-
sary things, and went with Stephen to Lon
don the next day, to bid goodbye to Ma
rian, who had been forbidden to return
home. The same afternoon they were on
board trading vessel, bound to Leghorn.
Luckily, Marian was good sailor and well
used to ships, for she had made more than
one voyage to Madeira with her father.
Much as l wished to 60 with them, and
much as they wished it, too, it was out of
the question. Stephen had saved but lit.
tie money, and could hardly see how he
and Marian were to live, unless he could
make practice somewhere among the Eng
lish abroad, and his taking me also was not
to be thought Of I was to live, for the
present, with my married sister. It was
very sore to part with Stephen, with whom
had lived almost all my life; it was sorer
still to part with Marian, who bad been
more than sister to me ever since ! saw
her. Stephen and were nearly over
come with emotion; but she was calm and
silent, with an intent, wistful look about
her lovely face that has haunted me all my
life since can see it now when I shut
my eyes, though it is fifty years ago. Need
I say that never saw her again9


/ went to my sisters house, and began
the fashionable life / used to wish for. 1t
was not all that l pictured it, though it
was pleasant enough to occupy me in the
day time; but at night longed sadly for
my darlings.


Stephen wrote letters full of hope, and
spoke of returning after spending two years
in Italy. Marian, too, wrote favorable Of
herself, and my anxiety began to lessen.
There was another reason for this at the
same time-my late husband, the friend
and partner of my sisters husband, was at
that time beginning to pay his addresses
10 me; and the tender troubles ofmy own
case made me careless of others. Summer
came round again; and one day as l was
half wishing for my country home again,
a letter arrived from Stephen. Marians
was at a crisis, and great
change would take place, one way or the
other, in few days. / was to go home,
put the place in order, and be ready to re-
,eive them. did not know till afterwards
that Marian had begged to be allowed to
die at home, if the change were for the
worse; if it had been for the better, there
would have been no reason for her staying
abroad.


Well, went home, arranged everything.
and visited for them. Three weeks passed