Year: 1868

his call on that day would be to say farewell


for months, years, perhaps-''perhaps, she


thought sadly, never to meet again. !"


She had never questioned her heart about
John Martyr, content to take his gallant


speeches., his deferential words; or in,


other words, his half saucy jokes, his laugh
| Ing badlnage for the amusement of the


hour. But on that New Years day she


was restless nervous, and excited, finding
herself talking at random to her callers,
saying yes where she should have said no,
and listening intently for a football and voice
that fingered away from her. At last he
came, timing his can to miss the morning
visitors, and when the luncheon bell cleared
| the room of the family. Declining MIR.
Hughes invitation to join them at the ia
| Bile, he kept Mabel for few parting words.
He did not bind her, he did not ask a return
of his love; he only told her his prospects
and hopes, and then said if he ever had a
home to offer bride, he should come to his
| native village to seek one. Very vague
this, but Mabel looking into his dark ear
| should be waiting for him when he return
ed. Night found him speeding over the
iron road to New York, on the long journey
to Texas.


My little heroine spoke no word to any
one of the hope in her heart. Some day,
| she thought her secret fount of hope and
| happiness might be open to her friends, but
not now-not until words were given that
made her blissful dream certainty of joy.
Three months-four-sped away, and one
April morning, when the feet Of May we're
pressing closely on the confines of the pass
ing month, Mabel had letter all alone in
her pretty room; she read the words her
heart full Of joyful surprise over the con-
| tents.


John Martyr wrote strange story. Up
on his arrival in Texas he had found his un-
Gle fast sinking under fatal disease, partly
the effect of starvation and exposure. In
miserable hut, with no bed but a blanket
spread upon the mud floor, half clothed
and half famished, the prematurely old man
lay dying. Shocked at such sight, j ohm
had at once sent for physician and some
comforts to the nearest station, but the old
man was so distressed at the expense, that
1t was not until his nephew assured him his
own purse still held the needful funds, that
he consented to have bed, chair, stove,
and some medicines. For weeks he linger-
ed, the young man faithfully ministering to
his wants, then died, leaving all he possess
ed, by will, to his beloved nephew, John
Martyr. The miserable hut seemed poor
legacy, but the young mans amaZement
may be imagined when he found his uncle
had left an enormous fortune scraped to-
gether In a lifetime of miserly accumulation
and avaricious boarding. After this tale,
he poured out his whole heart to Mabel,
telling of his love, his hopes, and plans.
One wold from her would bring him at once
to her side. His uncle affairs would keep
him a few weeks in Texas, but before let
tiers could be exchanged he would be free to
hasten to her. Might be hope? If she did
not love him, silence would deal that blow
to his heart.


l cannot tell the rush of happiness that
flooded Mabels heart as she read the letter.
She had pictured years of anxious waiting,
had let her fancy even run upon death dur
ing separation, had thought at best they
would be middle aged folks before John
made his fortune, and had tried to think
how emigration to Texas would suit her lit
tie self; and now he could come home rich,
free, loving, to make her his bride. Out OF
her full, loving heart, she wrote him frank
letter, then, before taking both TO gain her
parents conse Mt to her answer, turned TO the
date, to be certain of her address. With
quick, passionate cry, she threw the letter
far from her, and sprang from her seat. All
the joy was gone from her smiling lips, the
flush from her cheek Pale, with concen-
trated anger blazing in her eyes, she paced
the floor, clenching her little hands, and
muttering, in hasty, choking accents:


''Unmanly Ungentlemanly April FOOLS
Day This is the result of his three months
meditation. Idiot was to be SO tricked by
that romantic story. | might have seen it
was copied from some old novel; Uncle dy-
ing in hut and leaving him millionaire
And try to win from me this, and she tore
her letter into shreds as she spoke. If 1
had sent if, before looking at that date-but
hxac b,i1 hot f,IS hos a.oI.
failed to deceive me-.


Then hot tears poured down her checks,
for remember she loved him. keener than
knife-thrnst was the pain of thinking he
had trihed with the love she had made the
hope of her life. No true knight this, to
make a jest OF the hottest, impulses OF her
heart. She began to think she had been
uumaidenly, and let him see too plainly the
affection she bore him and the weary day
wore away, leaving her pale and sick with
conflicting emotions and pain. A headache
will answer for pale cheeks and red eyes for
one day; but as weeks wore OF, and Mabel
became more languid and wretched each
day, her mother fears were aroused, and
she anxiously sought for some help TOR her
bright, winsome child, how so dull and pal
lid. A spring and summer Of intense heat
had added to the depression of Mabefs ma
ture, and after much consultation, it was
decided to send her to New York for the
winter to visit her fathers sister, and see
if city gayeties would not restore her roses.


In the meantime John Martyr waited in
Texas, watching every mail from the earli-
est that could have brought reply. to his
letter, not daring to leave lest the detained
epistle might be lost, if sent after him. In
his strange bewildernent at the unexpected
turn in fortunes wheel, the rush OF hope