Year: 1878

HE is very kind, Theodore, she said, and
we may trust him at his age to know what Is
best for U.s."


So in few weeks we parted, and no one
can blame me, loving her as did, if the mo-
ment was one of intense sadness.


Three years-three weary years-before
might see her sweet young face again, and
one of us might die, or another might take
nv place in her heart! Who could tell?
felt sure of myself, but how could | be sure OF
her? Who was 80 beautiful, so good, and SC
every way charming that others than myself
must also be enamored of her, and strive to
win her.


"Do not forget me-" pleaded, as I kissed
her lips at parting, and she promised to be
true to me until we met.


My last glimpse of her was taken as turn
ed my head and saw her waving her hand:
kerchief to me from the window. on the sill
of which my golden tulip in its Chinese pot
nodded its gorgeous head in the breeze as
though it were also bidding me adieu.


shall say nothing of my voyage to Cali
fornia, of my first struggles in the city of San
Francisco. Enough that l abandoned my
habits of dissipation, and became steady and
industrious. I established small pratice
almost Immediately. 1t increased. | did
my best to earn the favor of my patients by
thinking of their real benefit, instead of mere
ly grasping at my fees, and considering the
sufferers who had turned to me for aid only
so many "good cures"


Doctors would often succeed better in this
way than any other-I found it so at least ;
and nv health and strength of body and
mind were augmented by the regular life l
led, despite the severe mental labor | i'm
posed upon myself


1 thought of my dear Helen constantly, and
a letter from her would have been very pre-
cious I believe it would have been kinder
in her father to have permitted a correspon-
dence. l suffered much anxiety on her ac-
count which might thus have been avoided.


But had promised to submit patiently,
and / worked without intermssion, thus leav-
ing myself as little time for thought a posi-
Bile.


There were women. of course, within my
circle of acquaintance, who were neither old
nor ugly, but they never made the least i'm.
preston Oh my.heart. What were they when
compared Win my GEAR IleIen


l even stunned society, not from any fear
of their destinations, but because it involved
expenses, and my object was economy. And
SO the three years passed and at their end
l found myself with fine practice, splendid
health, sum of money laid up for rainy
day, and every wild habit of my early youth
discarded.


tits needless to say that the moment my
time of probation had expired, fingered no
longer.


Confding my patients to a brother physi-
clan ON whose skill | relied, | took passage
for New York at once, and arrived there upon
a glorious October day, with heart beating
wildly with the emotions which were natural
ly horn of the near approach of my reunion
with Helen.


only fingered in the city long enough to
Danish the traces of travel from my person,
and then, dressed becomingy as knew how
for who ever forgot personal appearance on
such an occasion ?-I jumped upon train
of cars which ran through the town where l
had parted, three years before, from my dar-
ling.


The time of the journey was four hours
it seemed an eternity to me.


l could scarcely wait for the train to slack
en- speed when the town was reached.
strained no, eyes to catch sight of the pop
lars that grew above her dwelling, and rath
er ran than walked down the wide street
which led to the green lane on which Mr..
Harrington's mansion stood, when my eyes
met sight that trans6xed ME to the ground
in horror.


The poplars stood green and tall as ever,
but beyond them arose only one ruined wall,
with empty windows, and at its foot heap
of rubbish, charred and blackened, and tell.
ing, as l thought, of recent confiagratlon.


I was too much overcome to move for many
moments, but at last summoned courage to
make inquiries with throbbing heart. |
walked up to an old woman who stood at an
opposite door, and asked her if she could tell
me where to find Mr.. Harrington.


She shook her head.


No" she said nor no one in the place.
They went away in the night, and we've new.
er heard of 'em. Perhaps you're friend of
theirs"


eyes, yes," I gasped. "Tell me all you
know"


"You see, Mr. Harrington failed two years
ago." said the woman, land that crushed him
down, and then the bank broke where he had
a little left after the things we're settled, and
then some one set his house afre, and he was
so burnt that he lost his sight, and they
couldn't bear, l suppose, to live where they'd
lived so we'll as they'd have to live, so
they went away secret like, and hain't been
seen since nor heard of. They did say she
was married, but that may be nonsense, and
some say they're in New York, but it's all
guess work. Why, how pale you do look
You are a relation y


But I could not answer her. [ leaned
against the doorway, faint and i'll.


1t was to hear this at last that | had strug-
gled with fate and denied my heart glimpse
of her loved for all these years


The old woman was right. No one knew
more than she I went to New York and
searched for her for months. | advertised,
but all in vain. At last, believing that had
indeed been forgotten, and that the tale OF
her marriage was true, settled down in that
city as physician, determined at least to be
worthy of her and to live the life which had
lived for her sake. And SO two more years
passed without glimpse of her.


One Christmas Eve, the fifth of our part
ing, sat alone in my Office, and could have
wept for loneliness. What was the wealth
and fame | now might confidently hope to
win, if her smiles did not bless me, if no wife
ever sat beside my hearth, and no child call
ed me father? began to wonder whether it
might not be better for ME to find some
woman worthy of respect and admiration
and bestow upon her what remnants Of a
heart I had to give, ere grew cold and sell