Year: 1879




Two years ago her husband-who had
been too little practical to make sue
cessful farmer-had died suddenly. leav-
ing his affairs in a very embarrassed
slate and the farm burdened with q
very heavy mortgage. Then Jack,
good son and brother that he was. had
thought it,best to go to The city, taking
advantage Of a situation offered him by
a distant relative, until the mortgage
should be paid off.


Only two weeks ago he had written
cheerfully that the matter would be
speedily settled to their satisfaction |;
and now, just as they were expecting
TO hear that their home was their own
again, came this cruel letter.


AS Marion had said to her mother.
not even the loss of their home went to
her heart with so sharp pang as did
this evidence Of the change IN her only
brother.


That Jack should have grown worldly
and heartless as to consider his pecunl'
ary ady; ntagc before the qualification oi
his mothers com ort that he should
allow them to be actually turned out OF
the dear old home, and go TO reside IN
the strange city. whore they could nev
er feel at home-oh, this was tn, bit
terest pang ofall!


So Marion had thought upon frs;
reading that letter and it was not un'
Ill hearing 'Mella's words to her moth
or that she awoKe TO the consciousness
that fate could have even a greater sor
row than this in store Sor her.


One year ago she had parted from heI
accepted lover, Wat Hinton, in mutual
anger on both sides. Wat had become
Jealous. aud had spoken sharply to her.
and in a manner which size considered
herself justified in resentins.


wat was too proud 10 apologize and
Marion too proud as well as too delicate
to make advances TO reconciliation
and so they had dr:iied apart, both mis-
erable. until Wat had broken the last
link by going off to the West.


She heard of him from time TO time
tbroueh bis family, but no word Or mes
sage to herself ever came. In all TINS
while she had rocked forward with a
faint, yearning hope to the posslolllty
of hi, some time returning, and OF all
being made up between them.


But now this last hope was rudely
stricken to the ground. Wat was gong
10 he married. He had forgotten her,
and was lost to her forever.


.Oh. it is hard-so hard to bear !
thought Marion, as with hands uncon-
sciously tightly clasped, she passed
slowly under the apple-boughs OF the
o,d orchard. Life is bitter. 1t has
t,ken all from me 1t can have no more
to 1--WE. Only my dear, dear mother
aud Myra! For their sakes l must De
strong and try to bear it ALL


On the verge of the orchard, where
the high bank sloped abruptly to the
meadow she came to a mass of tangled
boneysuckle fashioned into rustic ar
bor Wat had made it for her, and
here in fact, it was that they had last
parted. ~
Down in the meadow ran little
nat way, leading by a short cut to
Watts home, couple Of miles away
How often she had sat here OF an even
ING and watched Tor him!


She could scarcely look back upon
any time of her life. or upon any object
now before her eyes, which was not
connected with some association o
Wat.


There was the walnut-tree which he
and Jack used to climb. and there tho
clear. laughing brook in which he hac
TAUGHT her to steer the little boat which
he had made for her, laden with grain
down TO jacks famous waier-nill, a
the roots of that old willow.


Further up was the real grist an'
saw MILL which Jack lad always beer
50 desirous Of owning. and which every
body said would be such good invest
ment for one who could manage i
properly.


And then Marion. seated on the hencl
in the rustic arhor. turned and looked
long and yearningly at the old farm
house peeping from the great beeche
across the orchard. No other place oI
earth conld ever be home to her. AM
her mother! Oh. 1t would he hardr
stir for her. whose whole life OF fift
Years had heen sprnt under that roof.
| A sudden sound aroused Maroon
sharp whistle. as Of some one calling


doc and she saw through tear-dimme
ewes the figure of man hurrving alon
the pathway in the meadow. She dre'
hack behlnd the screen ofa honeysucklt


The path led past the arbor. built a


the foot Of the steep bask; and sh


would not be discovered IN her retrea


So she thought; but moment or tw


after there was sound Of fooisier
ascending the bank. a rustic OF tn
lboneysuckle branches, and Marion sa
standing in the entrance of the arb'
: the fuure Of tall Young man. VIII
tlooked. aim ost as much startled as her
self.


For an instant they gazed at eac
other--Mqriop pale. and the s'rang'
with flush rising to his handsome fac'


Then he said, as heheld odt his hand
Marion. dOn'tyou know me'