Year: 1879

preached herself, and wondered
whether, where ignorance is bliss, if il
be not folly to be wise.


One day toward spring-a bright
warm day for the .season-Eloise, who
had now ceased even,hopingf fora letter,
was walking slowly up and down the
great hall dividing the large drawing.
room and the late Mr.. Bruce's library
from the rest of the house. These
rooms were very seldom opened, and
still more seldom used. Eloise only re-
membered two or three grand occa.
sions on which they had been used for
great entertainments, the last being
that which introduced her into society
two years previously.
A sudden fancy seized her; she would
throw back the closed blinds, and let
the spring sunshine into the dark
rooms. Besides, there were all kinds
of curious ornaments there, and great
many books; to examine them would
pleasantly pass few hours. Miss
Ethel readily agreed. She was glad to
see her niece interest herself in any
thing that could beguile thought from
the one sad, mortifying subject of her
desertion.


Toward noon she went to seek Eloise.
Her first glance showed her the girl sit
ting thoughtfully upon the hearth-rug
with her lap full of letters, and queer
tarnished Hindoo jewelry. She sprang
up to meet her aunt, and with a strange
ly solemn excitement cried out:


80, auntie, they are yours. all yours!
1 was looking at that queer cabinet, and
my dress turned it over. and a piece
fell out of the bottom, and these things
were scattered about" Then she ran
out of the room, shutting the door care
fully behind her.


Poor Miss Ethel needed her privacy.
Here was her lovers vindication; here
were all the sweet words for which she
had nearly died. He had suffered all
she had suffered; he had poured out
his agony and his despair in letters
which had never until now reached her.
The poor lady took them to her room,
and never appeared again that day.
But she had no hard words for the hand
that had wronged her. "Dear father;
he meant it for q kindness" was all
that she said.


Still she grew very restless, and con-
tinually declared that she was SUI.
something was going to happen. But
coming events often cast long shadows
before, and it was full two months
afterward ere Miss Ethers presentiment
came true. Then she got a letter one
day which threw her into a wild, fever
ish excitement. Eloise," she cried,
almost sobbing with joy, "he is come;
he is at the village; he will be here in
an hour. How am to bear itp"


Women seek each others sympathy
in hours like this, and Eloise-perhaps
with just little pang for her own sor-
row-gladly gave it. But when she
joined the long-parted lovers at dusk,
and saw her aunt lingering with tender
cares by the handsome dark stranger at
the fireside, she knew that never again
would Aunt Ethel want sympathy; it
was easy to see her lover was still her
lover, and that they thoroughly under
stood the past.


Perhaps the sight of their happiness
was a little irritating sometimes to
Eloise. She could not help blaming
her aunt in some measure for the loss
of Harry, and she wondered if she ever
remembered now any of her old opin-
ions about the folly of marrying for
love. Many women would have re-
minded her of them, but Eloise was not
ill-natured; and when she saw the old
lovers wandering about the gardens so
happily together, she only hoped that
her own blighted youth might have
some such recompense given it: for
such a Joy it would almost be worth
waiting, little while, but not twenty
two years; that was too strong a test of
fidelity.


1t was not asked of her. On the
morning of the 5th of June, when the
dew was yet on the grass, there was q
messenger to see her. He had with
him an exquisite basket of white roses,
and in their midst was letter which
made Eloise Bruce the happiest girl in
America. And Aunt Ethel was Just as
delighted. He must come here at
once, "she aid;'.they would wait break
fast for him-and he must never 90
away again"


Then the ladies discovered that Har-
ry and James Early were already
friends. They had met at hotel in
New York, and both having their hearts
in the same little Southern town, they
had speedily become confidential. And
Harry was not long in getting his par
don, though his excuse might well have
been considered by a less loving mis-
tress rs an aggravation of his offense.


"You see. darling" he explained
between his kisses, "you wanted to test
my heart, and so thought it only fair
to let you test your own also. Do you
think you would remember me, if you
never saw or heard from me for twenty
two years, as Aunt Ethel did that lover
of hers?"


Harry! 1 should remember you
forever. l never, never would have
married any one else, if you had stayed
away altogether. But indeed it was
cruel to try me SO bitterly"


"And how about you sending me
away" 900. - ,, .,,, H..
and l never really wanted you to 60.
You ought to have known that"


A few nights afterward. as they all
sat together on the moon-lit veranda,
Aunt Ethel said, very tenderly, "Chil-
dren, James and will be married next
Thursday. and we shall sail for Cal
cutta Immediately. Could not the two
marriages be made at oncep Then,
Harry, Eloise could live on at the old
place, and keep it from going to de-
struction. 1t is Eloise's now; made it
over to her to-day, and Mr.. Green says
you are going into partnership with
their firm, so hope you will have
enough to keep love from flying out of
your windows"


Little more was said at the time, for
Aunt Ethel persistently turned the sub
ject, but when she came into Eloise's
room to bid the new bride elect good
night" the happy girl whispered: 20,
aunt, how generous you have been to
us! Surely Mr.. Early must be very
rich, to let you give us such a magnifi-
cent wedding present"


"No, dear, he is not. In fact, he is
yet what he calls a struggling man. He
has great ventures on hand; he may be-
come rich, or he may lose nearly all he
has made. 1t is something about indigo,
dear, l know not what, and l don't
care. am going now wherever he
goes, and / am a very, very happy