Year: 1866




surface of a river her feet keeping glad time
to the love tune in her heart


s-Et p a 9hA H#





5is.7 CHAP. III


And you have loved me, e,alIthis time, my
Emma, in spite Of seeming neglect and glar-
ing ingratitude ~


Mr. Stevens looked down tenderIy upon
the face, where sweet, fond thoughts were
clothing themselves IN bushes. She looked
upshily. .o4z.a a-a st a


g You are spoiled and dattered enough al
ready, without having me burn incense on
your shrine. You do not deserve to be loved,
anyhow, for deeeiving me so last summer
Think of the unnecessary sympa thy | gave
you, thinking you only q poor suffering,
rIendless. soldier, when gust a line from your
pen would have called myriads of golden
winged butterflies Ground you, all eager to
press their soothing sweets upon you ="


s" And at the first advent. of the shining
throng, my busy little bee would have flown
away and never returned Oh, no | was
too wise for that But did not intend to
deceive you, and gather undeserved SYM
pathY from your gentle heart I did not
think it necessary to tell you that at home
wealth and luxury surrounded met was
sweeter to know that ] have now little
friend without them And really was only
a private then-yOu know ] was promoted
after / had been IN that terrible fight, and
have kept going up ever since. Oh, Emma,
l can never tell you how much I have
thought of you and how dearly have loved
you since that morning when l awoke and
found to whose ministering care / owed my
life. Often before left your home / thought
l would reveal nay affection to you, but upon
reflection 1 thought it would be wiser to al
low you time to study your own feelings. 1
was too cOwardly to run a risk Of losing all
by a premature declaration Then every
thing seemed to conspire. to keep me away
much longer than l intended, but here I am
finally, and Emma is my own.


How handsome and proud and happy he
looked then. And Emma secretly exulted
over his many manly virtues, and altogether
they were very happy, until voice, sweet
of itself but unwelcome then, broke in upons
them.


Emma, have sought for you every
where, l beg thousand pardons for intrud-
ing, but your dear friend the seamstress has
been making anxious inquiries about you.
1 believe one of her half dozen little cher
ubs is III again


Florence spoke in tone of ridicule, not
doubling but that Colonel Stephens would
be shocked to learn that her cousin had a
friend who was a seamstress, and she was
anxious to lower Emma in hi estimation
After Emma had gone, Florence turned to
Colonel Stephens apOlOgetieally,


'' am sorry to have disturbed you in your
pleasant retreat, but the woman, derisively
and sneeringly, " was 50 persistent, l could
do no less than call cousin


Certainly not, absently and dreamily
Florence went on.


Emma is so peculiar in her tastes Why,
she really seems to take more pleasure IN TIE
society of such people than in our more re-
fined circles. It really shocks ne sometimes
to have my cousin associate with such per
sons.


our cousin is 50 secure IN her own
goodness and purity, she does not fear con
tamInatlon b. administering comfnrt and
pity to al who require it" This #as said
IN a zone Of such marked rebuze, that Flor
ence spoke up hurriedly, wishing Of al
things to avoid giving offence.


Oh yes, 1t Is very good Of her ! know,
but then she lacks discrimination in bestow-
ing her charities. Only last summer had
gone down to her home IN B-to spend
two or three months. There was a hospital
there for soldiers, and Emma, not content
with visiting it every day and doing ali she
could, must have one Of the men brought
home to nurse Now that would have been



for instance" looking timid and tender
but then he was great lubberly, rough
fellow, always startling one with some kind
Of hideous noise, and pretending TO be a
great deal worse than he was ] verify be-
lievc. lie did not even possess the redeem
ing quality Of gratitude, for after staying
there n whole month, and imposing on the
credulity Of the family, causing Emma more
trouble than you can imagine, be went 99
and has never been heard Of since. What
was worse yet, lowering her voice almost
70 q whisper, f" / believe Emma loved the
great uncouth creature with her whole heart,
she dropped and pined so after he was gone.
and believe she loves him this day, better
than any body else on earth"


Florence said this, thinking she had al
one blow destroyed all Emmas chances Of
winning the colonel.


hope so, Colonel Stephens said fer
vently


Florence locked surprised, and the gen
tleman continued


Do you remember the fellows name %


Let me think No it has entirely es-
capped my memory


Do you think he resembicd roe any


Florence looked up and burst into low,
ringing laugh.


How ridiculous Why he was a per-
feet fright-in fact / don't be]ieys / should
recognize him now If were to see him I
always took good care 20 keep out Of lis
way. have no affinity with such persons.
They tire me excessively.


rbe colonel picked up his hat and moved
towards the door


{" You are not goibz 80 soon =? 4" She said