Year: 1878

81 know. dear, 1t Is hard to decide upon
matter ike this, in way; but your faith
er and thought, that. perhaps. as you
have not seen many gentlemen, and you
have net become interested in any one yet,
it might not he improbable that you would
like Mr.. King. LAWYER Simmons has
given your father very fine testimonials in
regard to his character. and be is in every
way worthy of you. if he can win your
love. He is in Europe now. but in Sep
tember he is coming home. and will spend
few weeks with US, and YOU are to de-
eide then" ..i....t-. + ....
listened, breathless. Was II true that
had not yet become interested in any
oreo Was nv heart still perfectly free p
Would it have been the same to me IL
had listened t, all this in the morning2
knew | could not answer yes to questions
such as these. managed to preserve a
calm exterior. and for the first time in my
! life shut the door OF my heart from my
mothers gaze. .n


And what becomes of the money If |
do not choose to marry Mr. King" l
asked very quietly now.


at all goes to him."


"And what If he should not like mep"
| "You forfeit it Just the same. Bnt there
! is no danger of that, my child Who
could see and know you without loving
you?'


And my mother folded her arms about
me, and hid her ia ,e in my hair. Then
after a pause, You must not consider us
in the least, darling. | want you to do
! just as you feel in regard to IL. OF course
twenty thousand dollars is great deal to
your father. He could pay off his debts,
and settle down cOntentedly for the rest
of his life; but he will not require you to
sacrifice yourself Only men, YOU know.
do not quite understand woman's heart,
even after liietime's study. aud he
thought you would be delighted with the
chance of good husband in conjunction
with Your good fortune. and he of course.
cannot imagine any possible drawbacks to
it. But | shall not blame you. nv child.
| if you find it impossible to accept your
aunl's proviSo; and if you decide to give
up the money and your husband. snail
understand whv YOU do il. aud teel for y,,u.
| do not like To blame your Aunt Hepsibah
now that she is dead. but it does seem
rather cruel for her to restrict you in this
wav IL looks llttle Ike revenge. She
never lorgave your father tor interfering
in her early love affairs"


But why sh pul papa have to give up
his money. even if do mine P'' said.


"I SUI ,se it was t. influence you the
more. But now, dear. do not trouble
yourself any more tonight; Just pat t out
OF your mind entirely. You viii have
lllenry OF time to think OF it before you
decide. Good night. my precious. good
night" aud she kissed me tenderly many
times.


retired also. but not to sleep. The
day which had begun so bright ended in q
night of misery. Yet who shall say there
were not guardian angels lowering near.
though | could not see or feel them in the
darkness. "Oh it was worse than cruel y
| cried. "for Aunt Hepslbah to revenge
herself upon me, when | never injured
her IN the slightest degree Aud taen
remembered her history, which helped to
leXplan the Will.


When young girl she had loved Al
fred King the son of poor mi 1ster.
He had refined. scholarly mind, but
no faculty for pushing his way in the world.
Her father and br tier objected to the
match, and did everything they coull TO
break il off. At last her broth Charles,
my father, got hold OF some scandal
which was attributed 10 him Uhough af-
terwards il was proved falss,) and re-
ported ii to his father. who shut his doors
henceforth to Alfred King. He also for
babe his daughter to have anything to do
with him aud after Il long while, when
she had become perfectly indifferent to
every one. she was persuaded t. marry 8
very wealthy man twice her age. She
never iorgave her brother Tor The part he
took in the whole affair. but after her
husband died she was left childless
widow, in a great big gloomy house in
Chicago. She sent Tor US TO come and
make Eer visit She took quite fancy
to me. was then q child OF seven or
eight. and my father was vely much
! TcoxoLUpED ON FOURTH pAeE.l