Year: 1874

and returned to that of her parents.
Here she was not only received with
open arms, but condoled and sympa-
thized with to her great injury-a di-
vOrce proposed and all chance OF recon-
ciliatiOn destroyed.


Such was the painful story, rs 1
gathered the particulars-no rare one
in the world, am quite aware, and yet
sad enough as embodying the wreck OF
two lives.


1t was in the month of December that
one very cold and clustering morning a
lady was ushered into the instruction
room by one of the statesmen. She was
a young and remarkably pretty woman,
and dressed very becomingly in the
prevailing mode. The usual remarks
that "she was afraid she would be
stupid" and my reinsurance that l had
taught pupils from twelve to eighty in
age and from Irish Norah to the Hon.
Mrs Highhyer in position, passed be-
tween us and then the lesson began.
Upon the raising of her veil, as she
seated herself, l discovered that her
beautiful brown eyes showed traces of
recent tears and several times as the
lesson progressed an unconsciously
drawn long sigh or sob proved very
plainly that she had lately passed
through some strong emotion.


In the course of the lesson, that day,
she told me that she was married and
the mother of a little boy somewhat
over a year old. She limited at trouble
in connection with her marriage rela-
tions, and of late news that had caused
the past night to be spent very unhap-
PLY. She seemed lOw-spirited, and
deeply ashamed of her ignorance as
regarded all knowledge of sewing or
the construction of the simplest gar
ment. 1 encouraged her-told her that
patience and application only were
necessary, as she showed very good
natural abilities and would learn easily.


The first lesson was succeeded by
others, for several days following. dur
ing which learned that she had been
married between two and three years /;
that she had always before her marriage
led a gay and luxurious existence, her
parents being fashionable butterflies !;
that she had passed through great
sorrow, when her babe was born, and
now was Just beginning to appreciate
some of the realities of life. She con-
fessed that it was when recovering from
sick-bed, and among the new and
strange feelings that came with the
birth of her babe, that she had awak-
ened to the truth. and listened to the
promptings, always before ignored, OF
her more practical nature. That it was
through the advice of kind friend who
had been with her through her sickness
that she had purchased a sewing-ma-
chine, the friend believing that it would
be a good beginning in her efforts to do
something useful.


All this my new pupil did not tell me
in so many words, but it was the SUBJ
stance of what gathered by degrees.
| was very much interested and one
day, as she was leaving, casually re-
marked that her husband was, no
doubt, pleased at her progress in mas
tering the mystery. Then L heard what
had almost before suspected, as with
tears filling her eyes she said that she
had no husband in one sense-that she
had separated from him-that 1t was
her own fault-an act done by herself
in hot anger and rage, but now bitterly
repented.


1 felt very sorry-never more so Tor
any human being; her repentance was
so sincere and her sorrow SO hopeless.
A dim suspicion had been creeping
through nv mind during this last rela'
ton. that / had heard q story some
thing akin to this before !; and as she
was about leaving l reminded her that
although We were well acquainted as
teacher and pupil, had never yet heard
her name. APologizing for her remiss-
ness, she handed me a card as she left
the room. will not say that was very
much surprised, for had half guessed
the coincidence by intuition,-when i
read on the card l held in my hand,
Mrs. Oracle Lee"


Yes, it was Harry Lees wife who had
been my pupil A great many strange
feelings we're at work within my breast
during the next ten minutes. had not
seen Mr. Lee for some time; he had
avoided the instruotion-room-a course
of conduct for which had been thank.
full


Now the rest of this is going to be
very brief. On my bed, that night, the
desire to edo something" born Of the
necessity, took practical shape, and saw
nv way to my revenge on Harry Lee
l hope my imaginary bushes may be
spared, when I say that to accomplish
it 1 took occasion to throw myself into
Mr.. Lees way (of course by apparent
accident), and that within week had
won him back to the instruction roon