Year: 1865

), Mother" said l, frankly, you know
my cardinal failing Be merciful unto me
| should only make fool of myself"


4" | will make an errand for YOU" she re
piled, quickly; Mrs Hay is troubled will
a cough, and she wanted some of my toma
to preserves for it, You shall carry them
over"


All it takes woman to manage things;
depend on that


| caught eagerly at the suggestion, for
the imaged face of Florence Hay had OBJ
truded between my eyes and endless Greek
roots great many times during the past
four years | was glad of an excuse to see
once more the face itself


Armed with letter of introduction, a
glass jar of tomatoes, and arrayed in my
best suit, | rang the bell at the door of Mr.
Hay. A servant girl admitted me, and
showed me directly into the room where
Florence was sitting


How beautiful she had grown during my
absence | had never seen 50 fair a vision
She rose at my entrance, and bowing with
inimitable grace, extended her hand.


" Am right in believing that have the
pleasure of addressing Mr. Sunderland "
she said, with gentle politeness.


| bowed-the jar slipped from my grasp
and fell to the floor; made hasty move
ment to take the hand she offered me, and
in so doing put my foot on the jar; it was
crushed to atoms, and the seeds and syrup
flew i'll every direction. The obstacle be-
meath my feet made me stagger grasped
the folds of window curtain in the hope
of saving myself, but my equilibrium was
too far gOne-dOwn came the curtain, over
went, head first against flower stand,
on which were nondescript array Of flower
pots, and Canary bird in a cage, and a
Maltese cat in basket


The force Of my fall upset the stand, and
with all its favorites it went over on the
carpet. Cat, bird cage, plants, aud Roy
Sunderland, all lay in one mass of ruins to-
gcther at the feet of the astonishcd Miss
Hay. The cat was the first to recover her
presence of mind, and with midnight
cry which would have appalled, the stout
est heart, she sprang into my face tearing
up the skin with violence worthy of the
admiration Of all persons who believe in
the wisdom Of getting at the root of a
matter" at once.


| scrambled up and give the animal a
blow that sent her to the other side of the
room-and hatless and bloody made for the
door. With frantic haste seized the hand
lc-it did not yield the door was fastened
by spring lock and was prisoner.


Imagine my dsmay. Florence stood
looking at me, and there was smile on
her face that she with great difficulty re-
strained from breaking into a decided ha |!
ha Jut then would have sold myself to
any reliable man for sixpence, with thir-
ty days credit.


Mortified and crest fallen, was very
strongly tempted to follow the example of
the heroines in the sensation novels, and
burst into tears; but crying it is said makes
the nose red, and remembering this; fore
badc


suppose Florence pitied me she must
have seen the wOe-begone expression Of my
face that | was in the last stages Of human
endurance, for she came quickly to my side
and laid her hand on my arm.


Come in, Roy" she said kindly-almost
tenderly | thought-and drew me into
small boudoir opposite the setting ROOM
nearly wrecked to make it pleasant for oc-
cupation, | suppose.


"There," she said seating Inc on a sofa
by her side, and speaking in the consoling
tone that one would use to a child who had
burnt his apron or broken the sugar bowl,
9 don't think anything more about it." She
was wiping to blood from pussy's auto
graph on my face with her handkerchief
g Accidents will happen you know


She was too close to mc--her sweet face
so very near mine-and the temptation so
great, | trust | may be excused especially
as | am bashful man and not in the habit
of committing such discretions.


| threw my arms around her and paid
back the kiss had kept 50 long. A burn
ing blush OvcrSpread her face


"Oh, Roy, how could you ?" she cxclaim-
ed, reproachfully.


| had gone too far to retreat the words
which for years had filled my heart strug-
gled up to my lips and clamored for utter
anCe.


Florcnce" | cried passionately, q
love you, and | want you to be entirely
mine Take me, and cure of the bashful
folly which has been the bane of my life"


She did not reply. in a tumult of
fear and hope, but sort Of desperate cour-
age kept me firm.


Zone word, Florence, only one word
Am | to be consigned to Hades or Paradise?
Do not keep me in suspense y


She nestled closer to my side her soft
cheek rested against mine her breath
swept my lips. She spoke but one word in
accent of deepest tenderness and that word
was my name


Roy "


"Florcnce my darling !"


| trust that everybody will forgive me
and feel charitably towards me when de-
clare, on my honor, that | was happier at
that moment than had ever been in my
life before. Popping the question has al
ways been acknowledged to be a serious
piece of business, and if ordinary men find
it serious business, how much more terri
BILE must it be to a bashful Individual like
myself


A silence fell between Florence and me !;
perhaps | was holding her 50 close to my
heart that the effort of speaking was diff
cult. | should not wonder. By and by she
lifted up her face and said quietly,


Did you mean for me to marry you,
Roy ?"


Marry ne? Yes, dearest, and that
too, before many days have elaped. have
been a fool so long that now cannot af-
ford to watt