Year: 1877

kind of blank, dreary stupor, striving to re-
alize the blow that had fallen 80 suddenly
upon her. As yet she could not grasp the
truth in all its force. She seemed to be NOV
ing and thinking in dream. Mrs. Laselle,
looking old and worn, came back after q
while, restless in her wretchedness, longing,
yet dreadng, to know how the girl had borne
the shock of her disclosure. Theodore was
strangely quiet and passive. She yielded her
self unresistingly to her mothers remorsefal,
passionate caresses, only saying in a low tone,
as if but one thought were uppermost in her
mind, "Claude must know at once"


"Shall I tell him for you, my darling"
asked Esther, with secret feeling that if she
were made the medium of communication,
she might in some way still bring the matter
to satisfactory conclusion.


"No, mamma. will write to him myself"
said Theodore, resolutely. "And when my
letter is written you must help me to 60 off
somewhere e-anywhere of the way. l
cannot see him again"


my child, why do that? Stay where you
are place the matter in Claude's hands, and
let him act as he thinks fit."


"And throw myself on his generosity No,
never The bond between US must be cancell.
ed completely, and it can only be done in one
way. If see eehim-I-may-be too weak"


And here, for the first time, the poor girl
broke down, as the realization of the destruc-
ton of her hopes swept over her with sudden
force. She did not for an instant falter in
her determination, however; and her moth
er-for so she must still be called found that
it was useless to oppose her farther


There was quiet spot some miles distant,
but little resorted to at this season Of the
year, where they had been once before; and
Esther yielded to her daughters proposal that
they should go there without delay. In
few hours their packing was accomplished.
The surprised servants we're informed Of their
intended absence, and placed in charge of the
house until they should return; and without
leaving any word by which they might be
traced to their destination, they set off by an
afternoon train, and reached their new abode
just as Claude, all unconscious of the blow
which awaited him-for the fatal letter had
been left in the hands of Mrs. Laselle's house
keeper, to be delivered to him that evening
rang their door.bell, and learned that they
were gone.


A fortnight passed away, and Theodore
was sitting alone, one evening. in the garden
of the little cottage, where they had tempora-
rily established themselves. The silence of
the failing twilight was around her, broken
only by the soft murmuring of the pines near
by. June had opened gloriousy with wealth
of roses, and their fragrant breath scented all
the tranquil air, as the lovely blossoms, white
and crimson and pink, reared themselves in
glowing clusters IN every nook and cornero of
the trim domain. A sense of beauty and re.
pose stole into the girls desolate heart, sooth-
ing it for the time into semblance of peace.
She leaned her weary head upon her hand,
and tried to Danish the torture of thought
from her brain.


Presently the garden gate opened, and a
step came along the path. She did not move
or look around, supposing it to be only the
landlady, or the servant, returning from an
errand; but suddenly voice near her called
her name, and starting as if thrilled by an
electric shock, she turned to find herself in
Claude Stanley's arms.


"Oh Theodore, how could you serve me
so ?" was his reproachful exclamation. 81
have only just found out where you were.
What fortnight of misery you have made
me spend !"


"And you ought not to be here now," she
replied, family striving to unclasp his hold.
"Did you not get my letter."


Eyes, and thought you must be insane, to
write me such letter as that. What did you
mean by it? Did you think that anything
could change my feelings, or alter the relation
between us?"


"Oh Claude, don't speak in that way-you
know it must all be at an end" said poor
Theodore, not daring to accept so suddenly
the new, ecstatic revelation dawning upon her.
But his strong, tender clasp showed her how
sincere were his words.


"Ifyou have left off loving me, Theodore,
then will admit that everything is at an end.
But as long as your heart is mine, and don't
believe you can be so tickle as to have taken
it from me so soon after giving it, I'll swear
to you that nothing on earth can ever come
between us, or make me give up my rights"


And no later than a month afterward, the
words we're spoken which made Theodore his
wife. Best of all, the old people at home, to
whom Claude wrote the whole story, offered
no opposition to the match :; and when they
came to know their new daughter, they could
not but acknowledge that whatever her true
origin might be, no filter bride could have
been found for their son among the proudest
daughters of their land while old Mrs. STAN
ley always declared, with an emphasis which
placed the matter beyond dispute, that she
knew full we'll that the little lost babe, picked
up by the old Indian in the snow, must have
been, at the very least "PR1NcEss AsTRAY."


BORROWING BooKs.-Nobody would think
of going into your parlor and picking up a
mantel ornament or tidy, and saying, "Can
I take this for few days? will bring it
back again." But they frequently do so
with your books. Now, books are as much