Year: 1879

them, and renew his acquaintance with
his little friend and her mother.
Would they know himl Time had
worked changes upon his tace-deepen-
ing the thoughtful lines between his
brows, and clothing lips and cheeks with
luxuriant growth of hair. He was no
longer q smooth-faced happy hearted
| boy.


Once in the village it was easy to find
the cottage, and he was soon walking
leisurely up the neat walks. Evidences
of refined taste were visible on every
hand. AS he was ascending the steps, he
found himself face to face with a young
girl, who had opened the door end come
out upon the veranda humming glad
little song.


Thoughts of q pale, earnest face, look
ing with its deep, gray eyes out from a
tangIe of golden curls, had been haunt
ing him ali through his journey. 1t has
not occurred to him that the girl had
grown into womanhood. So it almost
startled him from his possession,
when, after a surprised, lingering glance
into his face, this beautiful stately mai
den held out her hand, and with glad
thrill in her musical young voice, said:


ssThis IS indeed pleasure; come IN
Mr.. Gerald, mamma will be SO glad to
see you once more"


He followed the graceful figure like
one in q dream, and when & fair matron
lady, with a widows cap resting upon
ner glossy hair, came forward to meet
him at Adelaide's impulsive, go, mann
ma, it is our friend, Mr.. Geraldn' He
seemed still in dreamland. Could this
be the emaciated, hectic-painted face lie
remembered so wildly.


The evening passed on flying wings.
Adelaide said but little. 1t filed her
with strange content TO listen to the
deep musical voice OF this friend whose
kindness dated so far III the past, and
get whose acquaintance could be num-
bered almost by hours. Now and then
she would glance up in his handsome
face to assure herself that Mr.. Gerald. as
she still called him, after the old childish
fashion, was a real person and not a
dream myth.


His stay in tue quiet village was pro-
longed much beyond his original inten-
ton. He was once more q we'll man
physically, but mentally he was troubled
with a strange unrest. He had grown to
love Adelaide with the whole force of his
ardent nature, and like all noble minded
men, he was free from conceit about his
own powers Of Pluusing- ffo hesitttoti
to break the spell of silence, lest in ask
ing her to become more than friend he
might lose all.


One day he called to leave book which
she had expressed wish to read. He
found her il the garden tying up vine
whose heavy clusters of opening rosebuds
had weighed it almost too heavily. For
moment he stood watching her, then she
turned and saw him. The light of sud
den Joy that irradiated her face carried
an intuition of the truth to his previous
ly doubling heart, and he said softly,
hesitating no longer:


HAS my little friend rose for me ?"


With a bright face Adelaide plucked
one of the most perfect Of creamy, half
opened buds and held it toward him.
As he took it he said:


81 only want it with its full meaning.
Without that it is valueIess as a gift
from you. Do you know why9


One swift, upturned glance into his
eager face, then Adelaide's head dropped
low and the hue of her cheeks grew like
the cred, red rose;" but she did not re
claim hey iowerl


He gathered her into his arms.


"Oh. my darling my darling !" he
whispered passionately, Il will try to
prove worthy OF such a precious gift y