Year: 1864

my absence 1 had never seen SO fair q
vision. She rose at my entrance, and
boving with inimitablc grace, extended
her hand.


Am right in believing that I have
the pleasure Of addressing Mr.. Sun.
derland 7" she said, with gentle polite
ness.


l bowed-the jar slipped from my
grasp and fell to the floor made has
ty movement to take the hand she offered
me, and in SO doing l put my foot on the
jar it was crushed to atoms, and the
seeds and syrup few in every direction.
The obstacle beneath my feet made me
starger l 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 a flower stand, on which were "a
nondescript array Of flower pots, and ia
canary bird in a cage, aud a maltese cat
in basket.


The force of my fall upset the stand,
and with all its tavorites it went over on
the carpet. Cat, bird, cage, plants, and
Roy Sunderland, all lay in one mass Of
ruins together at the feet of the astonish.
ed Miss Hay. The cat was the FIRST to
recover her presence Of mind, and with a
"midnight cry" which woald have ap-
palled the stoutest heart, she sprang into
MY face, tearing up the skin with vio-
lcnce worthy Of the admiration of all
persons who believe in the wisdom of
g getting at the root Of a matter " at
olce.


scrambled up and gave 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 handle-it did not yield; the door
was fastened BY spring lock, and l was
a prisoner.


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


Mortified and crestfallen, l was very
strongly tempted to follow the example
OF the heroines in the sensation novels,
and burst into tears but crying, 1t is
said makes the nose red, and remember
ing this, forebore.


I suppose Florence pitied me; she
must have seen from the woe begone ex-
preston Of my face that | was in the last
sta ges of human endurance, for she came
quickly to my side and laid her hand on
my arm.


Como in, Roy" she said ind!y-al-
most tenderly, l thought-and drew me
into small boudoir opposite the sitting
room. Things in the latter apartment
were too nearly wrecked to make it pleas
ant for occupation, suppose.


There" she said, seating me on a
sc!a by her side, AMI speaking in the con-
sollng tone that one would use to a child
who had burnthis apron or broken the
susar bowl, don't think anything more
about it. She was wipins the bloed from
pusSy's autograph on my face with her
handkerchief" Accidents will happen
you know"


She was close to me-her sweet face
so very near minc-and the temptation
30 great, | trust | may be excused
especially as | am bashtul man and not
in the habit of committing such indis-
crctions.


threw my arms around her and paid
back the kiss | had kept so long. A
blrnins blush oversprsad her face.


"Oh, Roy, how could you!" she ex-
claimed, reproachfully.
| had gone too far to retreat; the
words which for years had filed nay heart
struggled up to my lips and clamored ios
Utterance.


Florence ~ l criel passionately, IL
love YOU, and | want you to be entirely
mine Take me, and cure me of the bash
full folly which has been the bane Of my
lifc."


She did not reply. I was in a tumult
of fear and hope. but sort Of desperate
courage kept me firm.


"Oue word, Florence. only one word !
Am I to be consigned to lladcs or Para
disc ? Do not keep me in suspense !"


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


Roy"


FLORENCE! my dar!ing,'


| trust that everybody will forgive me
AMI feel charitably toward me when de-
clare, on my honor, that | was happier
at that moment than had eve, been in
MY life before. Popping the question
has always been acknowledged to be a
serious piece of business and if ordinary
men fad it serious business, how much
more terrible must it be to bashful ill.,
dividual like myself!


A silence fell between Florence and
me perhaps was holding her SO close
to my heart that the effort of speaking
was difficult. l should not wonder. BY
and by she lifted up her face and said
quietly.


"Did you mean for me to marry you
Roy p


"Marry me Yes, dearest, and that,
too, before many days have elapsed. l
have been fool so long that now | can.
not afford to wait"


Yes; but if | promise myself to you,
how can l be sure that on the way 10 the