Year: 1877

tof scene-tnaf Europe was the best piac'
they could 60 to-and advised them t,
make arrangements for long stay, clos
ing with the remark, accompanied by {
sly look at the patient, that some of th'
society abroad would be very beneficial
/ to her."


The consequence was that the F'idel
ians were called upon to mourn the
loss of a second and and valuable
member before the season was hal
over.


Although Mamie had but little hope
of meeting John, and even if she die
so, knew of no way to win him to her
yet she was pleased with the prospect
of the contemplated trip, and the at
tendant excitement.


In common with many of the othel
young ladies of the Fidelia, during the
several seasons which they had, al
much as possible, spent together at the
seaside resort, Mamie had been in the
habit on her last day at the beach oi
going down to the shore, selecting the
prettiese shell she could find, marking
it with the dates of her arrival and de
parture, and carrying it home with her
These unique records served not only
as very pretty ornaments, but helped
to recall many pleasant memories that
otherwise would have lain dorment.


Although she felt that this season
would need no assistance to'eompelre
membrance, yet, on the morning of the
day set for their return to New York,
preparatory to making their foreign
trip, she put on her hat and strolled
down to the beach in search of her &C
customed memento of the seasons jor.
ity, and this time sorrow.


For the first time in her experience
she could find nothing to suit her, and
was about abandoning her quest in dis
gust, when as if the sea were deter
mined she should not go away dissatis-
fed, it cast up almost at ber very teet
the handsomest shell she had ever
gazed upon. Picking it up, she was
about to brush the water off, when
upon the inner surface she detected
some writing. She let the shell drys
and then read, with quickly beating
heart the impassioned words which
John Burroughs had intrusted to the
faithless waters She needed nc one
to tell her who the author was; the
the words Mamie" and ''John." to
gether with the intended departure OF
the author, and a similarity on the
part of the handwriting which, though
pale and rather blurred, was yet dis
tinct--to that of two or three notes,
which she had treasured up in the Ie-
cesses OF her writing desk, ,conelusively
proved their authorship. So he loved
her, after all, and had only been pre-
vented by fear ofrejection from telling
her of it. Although this knowledge
came too late. there was a world of
comfort in its possession; besides, it
gave birth to faint but cheering hope
that when they next met all would be
we'll.


She looked no more for shells, but
with a lighter heart than she had
known since John Burroughs left the
beach, she went back to the hotel, and
in a few hours was speeding by raj
and boat to her home in New York. II
less than two weeks she and her p IT
ents were upon the ocean, bound fol
Liverpool. They arrived safely, an6
after quiet stay in England, commend
ed by slow stages to make the tour Of
of the continent.


January found them in Rome. Al
along their route Mamie had made a,
many inquiriesas she could without ex
citing suspicion, but, beyond finding
Johns name on the register of one Oh
two places, had been able to learn
nothing of him.


BY constant brooding upon it dur.
ing their journey, the dim possibility
of an ultimate recognition had merged
into a bright probability. Yet now,
when at the end OF their tour, no sign
of the man in search of whom she had
come so far had appeared, a feeling oi
despair was slowly taking possession
of her; the rosy cheek was growing
wan and white again, and the brisk
step and merry laugh were being re
placed by dreary listlessness.


One morning. i / search of oisrrac-
ton from her melancholy thoughts,
she visited the studio of an artist friend
an old Fidelian, who had deserted the
aristocratic mansions of Murray Hill
for the artistic precincts Of the Eternal
City. When she arrived there, he was
busy upon a picture, and did not OBJ
serve her entrance, inasmnch as both
his model and himself were concealed
from view by several canvasses. She
decided not to interrupt him. but after
having rested herself, go out for a
while, and then, returning. apprise
him of her unseen visit. Therefore
she seated herself upon a convenien,
stool for few minutes. Scarcely had
she done SO when, with the remark,
THAT will do the artist stepped out
from his place of concealment, follow
ed by his model That model wss
John Burroughs,


At sight of him Mamie arose. turned
pale, started forward, but before she
had taken three steps, with low cry,
she fell fainting to the floor.


John started back, also changed
color, and, when he saw her fall, con
siderably astonished their mutual
friend of the brush and palette b,
springiDg forward, catching up Mamie,
inanimate form, and after passionately
kissing her still, white face, placing
her on divan, and bowling to hin
go for a DOCTOR" which he did, re
turning just in time tn hear the fran
tic Burroughs of a few moments be
fore, in The most formal tones imagin
able, ask the rapidly recovering damse
If she hadn't better keep still few
moments longer, after which, becom
ing aware of their arrival, he colol,
excused himself, and. bowipg stiffiy