Year: 1879

BY LULU W.


Ethel Cameron stood leaning on the
gate straining her eyes, for last glimpse
of Harry Balm as he gallo ped down the
road without once turning for a last look
on either the young girl or the old horne
he bad loved SO dearly. and with both
be had just parted, it might be for
months, years, it nigh be forever. Har-
rvs words, hard and cruel. were still
lingering on Ethe!'s ear, crushing from
her young heart all the bright sweet
hopes she had hitherto entertained Yes,
he had almost broken the heart that had
been so loyal and true to him, that had
given to him all its pure, sweet love and
he had proved false; and had cast aside
her love as an impediment in bis path to
wealth and fame.


Harry Balm longcd for these. He was
am bilious and TOR ambition he would
sacrifice tive purest and noblest impulses
of his nature; and the future promised
success; by graspi"g it his wishes might
be realized and to this he would devote
his very thoughts. "Yeu will forgive
me, Et.el, and ere few short weeks
slspse you will &c again the same happy
and buoyant girl For | am not" he con
tlnued (while her big dreamy eyes fol-
lowed his every movement with strange.
eager look, in which there was much
sadness), No, l am not suited to such a
sweet, innocent girl as you, and, E :hel,
you would be miserable and pine for
your old hone, :he fields and flowers
you love so dearly. We may meet again
in the years TO come and you. Ethel, will
be The same good and beautila al woman
you now are, while shall have attained
the hight of my ambition, fulfilled the
one wish OF my life and be either
happy or miserable. OF course I shall
be wiser, but oh! Ethel, fear not bet
ter man. And now ere we are severed,
perhaps forever, wish to part friends,
SO let me hear from your lips that you
forgive me-


She had stood silent and pale, watching
Harry Balm anxiously but without max
ing movement or u.tering word to
disturb him. at this question she raised
her head and looking him full in the face,
answered, Mol will mover forgive you,
Harry Balm. but promise INC (she asked
the question almost fiercely), if We ever
meet again you will tell me if by your
choice you have gained happiness II
promise, goodbye" and without another
word, passed through the gate, mounted
his horse and galloped down the road.
And she was alone, what agony she suf-
1ered and how bravely she had concealed
it from his eyes! But she could endure
it no longer and sinking down under an
old oak tree hid her face in her hands
and wept as though her heart would
break. At last Ethel dried her eyes, irri-
tated with herself for such weakness;
why should she think of hims Had he
not left herr He was not worthy of the
tears. No, she would weep for him no
more. AS she sat there, her thoughts
flew back to the past and rec tlied to her
memory the many. many rimcs they side
by side had sat in that self-same place in
the gathering twilight. There he had
told her of his love, and taking her hand
liz his, asked her tc be his wife. AS these
thoughts came crowding through her
mind her eyes again filled with tears, but
raising she dashed them away. mo, 1
E'ust not, shall not weep for him. Did
III not CaSt away my iOVC rs ChlIu
would toy it had become tired OF? Has
he not doomed ali my bright anticipa-
tons to be biasted2 He will probably
marry the daughter of some wealthy ian
and break her heart, for in time she will
find out he does not love her; for truly,
soleEnly, firmly, believe that although
another will call him husband, another
will bear his name, his love and heart.
will ever be mine, yes, mipe alone, AMI
On! why can I not go forward and
become create There is that within
me which might, with culture, grow and
strengthen until one day stand before
the world his equal; yes, his equal.
Nc, no, it cannot be. I must work on.
toll on from morn till night, moi
even time for thought. What chance
have to become great2 None. l must
crush these thoughts in my mind; but
oh, cannot. When think of the cities
beyond this little village. it seems 20 |
must, become great, be bic equal os die,