Year: 1859

she receives the coveted Introduction
$ Time and place could not have been mor'
e favorable, it was the sunset hour and tn,
y prairie arrayed in its gorgeous robe o
rainbow -colored flowers, blushed beneath
: soils parting glance. In her own graphic
5 style her bright face glowing with tri
r umphant pride, Lily pointed out the
: beauties of the landscape to her compan.
ion; herself picture faiTer than the one
she contemplated and one to which his
eyes turned oftener. With one arm
wreathed around the slender shaft Of an
: oleander, her wealth of auburn hair,-a
southern sun has given darker shade to
the golden curls-falling in half curled
, masses upon the graceful shoulders, from
} which the sleeves of her light muslin are
looped back with kotts of ribbon the color
of her eyes, and her fair face expressing
more of poetry than many a written vol
ume, she formed, indeed an artists study
And even she was not aware how faith
fully the sunlight Of her flashing eyes
was dagurreotyping the lovely picture on
the steelplate of Clarence Hunters heart.


Fannie romped off with Clarences grey
hound to introduce him to her pet gazelle,
she said, bidding cousin Clare not to break
his heart for the loss of her society, as
she would repay him by being more en-
tertaining upon her return. The truth
was that Fannie's foreboding heart did
not like the expression of her cousins
eyes when they rested on Lily's animated
face, she began to fear that there might
be some danger for dear Clare, after all,
and if there should be,-but mol Pshaw;
cousin Clare had not lived so long in the
world, and visited Italias far famed
daughters and the darkeyed beauties of
Andalusia to be captivated by doll faced
coquette. Oh no! And she tripped along
beneath the shadows of the tall magholias
to the pretty park constructed for her
gaxelle, debating whether rash promises
were best broken or kept Fannie was
not missed, for Lily thoroughly enjoyed
her conversation with one who possessed
a highly cultivated intellect, united with
versatile talents improved by travel and
Clarence Hunter was great admirer of
beauty Notwithstanding his impenetrabili-
ty to its shafts.


The bell for tea summoned them from
the arbor to which they had retired when
Fannie left them, and after the meal for
which neither had manifested much in
clination, they followed Fannie to the long
moon lighted gallery peculiar to southern
countries. An animated description of
foreign scenes and anecdotes, speeded
away the time so pleasantly that the little
ormolu clock in the hall startled them
with its midnight chime. "Who would
have thought it," exclaimed Fannie
"Why cousin Clare l did not know you
were so eloquent, you must blame yourself
for being kept up until this late hour
when you must be off SO early tomorrow.
You should not have made yourself so
interesting"


"Thank you for your compliment, but
an apology is due you ladies from me, for
being detained so long, but really I do not
know how to excuse such thoughtlessness
except by saying that the time passed so
pleasantly that l was not aware of its
lapse"


"Well, good night, cousin. 1 wish /
were going with you in the morning"


Suppose you do. Mag often complains
of loneliness and a visit from you ladies
would give her real pleasure"


"Why, coz it is utterly impossible, we
would have to start by the earliest peep of
dawn to cross that interminable prairie
before the heat becomes intolerable, and
it is midnight now"


"Well, short nap will be sufficient,
you do not need much preparation, and l
will order hot coffee and mullins and Tom
and the carriage at half past three
"But Tom cannot drive. He sprained
his wrist yesterday and the doctor forbids
the use Of his hand"


Every well, will drive, myself; so off
with you, now, before you start any more
objections for the pleasure of hearing me
remove them. Consider it settled ques-
ton meet me here at half-past three
Good night" and Clarence Hunter kissed
his cousin shook hands with Lily with a
= matter of course air and bowed himself
from the parlor


To be Continued.


RAISING THE RENT-A friend of ours,