Year: 1879

them at once"


"Thank you,' said Miss Hannah,
simply. 81 have always gone to DIR.
Case, but, as you know, be is too Ill to
leave his house at present"


And she moved on, bowing slightly
to the doctor as he sprang into his bug
gy, and took the reins.


g Did you ever see such impertinence
In woman beforel" exclaimed Gertrude,
who had watched the scene very intent
ly, though no words of the conversa-
ton had reached her ears.


The idea of stopping him in that
mannerl" said Nettie. "She didn't
seem to care what we thought of such
conduct; and she saw us here too. Ger
tie, it is my belief that she is in love
. with the doctor, and is trying to attract
him. You know old maids are always
on the lookout for chance to change
their condition. Be careful, Gertie, If
Miss Hannah is your rival. She can't
fail to win"


And both the cousins laughed merrily
and long.


Well might proud Gertrude Lorrimer
be called beauty and it was no Won
der that she was called the belle of the
town. Tall, with perfect figure, hair
of q blue-black, eyes like midnight,
clear complexion, and regular features,
she was beauty, and she knew it.


Left an orphan at eighteen years of
age, Gertrude had only been too glad to
accept the offer of her aunt, Mrs. Nor
ris, to take her into her own home and
family, where she could share the pleas
ures of her cousin Nettie. Not that
Bayville suited Gertrude at all = she
thought it much too small town in
which to parade her beauty and her ac-
complishments but still for three years
she had been contented if not entirely
satisfied and, being wholly penniless
and dependent on her aunt for every
thing, she did not allow her dissatisfac-
ton to be seen. She was anxious to
marry well, and therefore DIR. Ashley
was looked upon by her with favor. He
was young, handsome, wealthy and stood
high in his profession and Gertrude
could not ask for more.


He had evidently been impressed with
her beauty and accomplishments, and
had paid her some attention, but never
yet had assumed the character of a
lover; and Gertrude inwardly fretted at
what she mentally termed his "horrid
dilatoriness." She had no fears as to
the ultimate result of his attentions !;
but she was in haste to secure her prize.
Her disposition was jealous one, and
she could not endure seeing even plain
Miss Hannah talking to the doctor.


Miss Hannah, however, would not
have minded in the least if the whole
village had seen her in conversation
with young DIR. Ashley. Her whole
mind and soul were bound up in the
welfare OF others, and the greater part
of her time was devoted to the poor and
afflicted, doing what lay in her power to
help them.


Miss Hannah was only thirty-four
years of age, though Gertrude and Nellie
gave her credit for ten years more, and
she was very plain indeed in appear
ance, and never troubled herself much
about the fashions, or cared if the two
frivolous girls at Mrs. Morris made rude
remarks about her clothes. She had
seen very little of DIR. Ashley, although
her cottage was on the same street with
his elegant, roomy mansion, and within
stones throw of that of Mr.. Morris.


DIR. Case, who was DIR. Astley's senior
by thirty years, was the one to whom
Miss Hannah went with her tales of sor-
row and sickness; but now the old doctor
had been i'll for several days with gout,
and she had mustered up sufficient
courage to apply to DIR. Ashley for help
for the Brewers in ther affiiction.


Miss Hannah had been a pretty girl
in her youthful days. Hers had been
one of those soft, sweet faces which win
the love of all. But, though lovers had
come to her, she refused them all. Her
life was devoted to the invalid mother
and crippled little brother who made up
the household, and she would allow
no new duties to interfere with the
old.


So the years had flown by, taking
Miss Hannah's youth, bloom, and fresh
ness with them; and now the dear
mother and poor brother, for whom she
had sacrificed a woman's dream of
home, were laid beneath the church