Year: 1878

~
counter so that it really did happen
that | was surrounded by hten.-
The evening wis passing pleasant
ly enough. My dark corner was
we'll patronized, and every woman
who has to 90 with church enter
tainments will understand my graf
iication and relief when [ found it
was nearly ten o'clock and all was
well. At his time a letter was put
into my hand by one of the little
postott1ce nessenge1s-we always
made q feature of the postoffice at
our festivals, where pink and parti
colored hisslye5, With doves and
other doting designs upon the en-
velopes, We're distributed at extrav-
agant rates of postage. l had just
heeh favored with IL liberal offer
from customer, and elated with
my bargain proceeded TO put up
my bundles, not giving much heed


the love-letter from the neigh
boring booth. Truth to say, l felt
a little tiE9iing OF the blood as the
idea OF the m"ckery that might be
concealed therein by one Of those
witty village youths, and the letter
lay there Tor full half hour, when
somebody said, ih the most COM
monplace way.


so Jack Hunter is back from
China


In monient every thing was
black before me. l dropped my
hands and my eyes to the counter,
and when this sudden dizziness was
gone, l saw upon the little tawdry
envelope jacks scrawling hand
writing. Here was the little line
had coveted all these years, and
this is what my half-blinded eyes
made out


Il came home because I was mad
to see you-because all these years,
and your old perfidy, couldn't Kill
my love for you. I find you just
as | expected to, in space small
enough to be filled outside and in
side with-men. You are as beau
tiful and fascinating as ever, and
us fond of admiration. | hear that
you are about to be married to the
grocer at your elbow, who SO en-
crosses your attention that you dc
not care to look at the passers by
God help him, and God bless you
l have had my lesson. Now
shall, perhaps, be satisfied. Good
bye


Five minutes after that I was
running home, without my hat, and
with his note erumpled up in my
hand. The people at he tesiiva
no doubt thought that mamma was
taken suddenly. i'll: They could
not have tancied l was running af.
ter Jack, because he had beer
there at the church for an hour
aud ! had beer totally unconscious
of his presence. Dear Heaven how
could it be that | didn't know, thai
something didn't tell me, that
didn' feel he was near me?


But I didn't. | went ON talking
to the grocer about a remarkable
operation for an Ulcer that he hac
undergone, when Jack must hav,
been only Il few rods away [ raj
down the, road, my heart in N,
throat. Fortunately the village
! street was deserted Every man
woman and child were at the festi
val, except those who could not b.


out at all SO [ ran on unchecked,
dim fear gaining weight with M


that Jack had not unpacked hi


trunk, and was off for China again
within the hour But when I reach
ed his house, which was next doc


to my own, I saw him sitting ou
on the balcony smoking It clgal
with his feet perched upon the rail


ing. But lis face grew very pal
in the moonlight, and his feet clat
tered quickly down upon the pore
when he saw me run IN at the gate
The cigar fell from his lips, til
. ashes thmbIing over his broa
white waist coat.


Why, thank God,' be said, 'thi
) must be thy own dear little girl


Now, see here, Jenny he begar
J scolding a minute after but h
> kept tight hold OF me, and tremble
fully as much with happiness as
! did:


Nothing can persuade him tha
! | am pot desperate firt, as beau
tiful as an angel, and irresistlbl
r fascinating. have not the leas


doubt that half the village ar
5 laughing at Jacks ridiculous de3e
r ton and jealousy; but the we
. meant endeavor of his friends an
> family to convince him that I al
a plain, faded, unattractive an
Y neglected old maid he laughs I
q scorn as Conspiracy of envy or jeal
a onsy. And how can l wot der /;
Q his delusion? Mamma says Jac
t has terribly aged during thes


years of loneliness and exile, an
j. looks older and not SO comely {
+ our neighbor the grocer but to n
d he is still the handsome, allurine
e In every way adorable Jack. II
d is Walking up and down the lit