Year: 1874

| CreSsy Mitchell and John Martin met at little picnic party in country village, where she was passing few weeks of the intolerable hot summer, and newell, he was reading law for the present with Esquire Morgan, the village oracle, and working about the squire's farm to pay his board.

 John Martin was a handsome young man, and as good as he was handsome. So said Mrs. Morgan and all the old ladies of the village, as also did the children, who loved him dearly for his kind acts and the cheerful words which he had for every one.

 The young ladies all seemed to have great deal of regard for him, for they each and all foresaw that such good young man must make an excellent husband; and besides, they felt assured that he would become very rich, as well as influential for was he not reading law with Squire Morgan, who had gained riches and influence in the practice of his profession

 But, somehow, John had failed to appreciate the regard of any young lady until he met Greasy Mitchell, and from that time he felt that his heart was no longer his own.

 Greasy was beauty, and she knew it. It was passing strange that she should feel willing to deprive herself of the homage of her many suitors and parrish herself to a country village, even for limited period. But she had planned on making her appearance at the sumner resort of her fashionable friends, when the season was over, con- ing fresh and hearty from her country retreat, while the belles of fashion would have become already worn and weary with fashionable dissipation.

 This was tho reason of her seclusion, and, with swift, comprehensive glance, she scanned the face and fea- lures of John Martin, inwardly re joicing that such handsome and agreeable young man was to be her companion during her stay in the village.

 She did not have one thought that he would fail to present himself as a can- didate for her favor. She knew her power, and felt sure that John Mar tins love would soon be hers.

 It was even as she had anticipated. |. At every picnic, pleasure excursion or party gotten up in the village, John Martin was her escort and companion, and ere the time which she had allotted herself to stay had passed, she was sure that she possessed all the love of John Martins generous, noble heart.

 She had learned to love him also. His superiority over all other men with whom she had associated, forced her to yield to him the respect which was due him, and respect soon ripened into 8 warmer feeling, which Greasy Mitchell would not acknowledge even to her own heart.

 The time drew near for her to take her departure from the village, and John Martin had called to say good-by. Without preliminaries, and with no words of cringing fattery such as her former suitors had invariably made use of, he told her in 8 straightforward, manly way, of his love for her, and asked her to give him her hand in mar riage.

 For time there was severe strug- gle in the breast of this beautiful crea- ture of fashion. She loved John Mar tin. She knew it, and he knew it, and her better nature cried loudly for a hearing in this case.

 But pride and ambition whispered in her ear, " You must not thus fl Ing away all your bright hopes and prospects for the future you may form a splendid alliance; become the wife of a mil ionaire wear laces and diamonds and revel in wealth and luxury; do not listen to the promptings of your heart, but let reason guide you"

 Thus importuned by the voice of sell fish ambition, she put the one love of her heart away from her, and, turning to the man who stood with folded arms awaiting her decision, she said:

 MT. Martin, I cannot afford to in- dulge in romantic dreams; that love you will not deny, but you are poor and am not rich; consequently each must form more prudent alliance"

 He stood for 8 moment as if trans fixed, while the cold, worldly ideas ex- pressed by Greasy were floating through his brain. Was this to be the end of the bright dream of happiness which he had so tenderly cherished Alas, he felt that all the world must be false and cold, now that his idol had fallen, and his beautiful Greasy, whom he had in vested with all the charms and virtues of an angel, had changed into cold, scheming, worldly creature.

 But he recovered his self-possession, and extending his hand, he shook hers warmly. and with "Good-by, Greasy, God bless you and make you happy, he hurried away.

 The next day Greasy joined her fash ionable friends at the - Springs, and for the time forgot John Martin and his love.

 *

 Summer passed, and winter came with it's round of metropolitan gayety It was mid winter, and the "affair o1 the season" came off at the house of the leader of the "ton;" none but the elite were there, of course, and, indeed, they were of the " exclusive " set.

 As Greasy was promenading the spa cious saloon, leaning upon the arm of { cavalier, her escort suddenly paused before tall gentleman, who stood lean ing against a pillar viewing the gay throng with weary air. Miss Mitchell" he said, "I am happy to bt able to present to you valued friend of mine, who informs me that he had the honor and pleasure of few weeks acquaintance with you during the pas summer"

 Greasy raised her eyes, and met those of John Martin fixed earnestly upo1 her. Her heart gave an impulsivt bound, but she checked it's mad pulsa tions and replied coldly:

 ''Ah, yes; believe I did have sligh acquaintance with the gentleman"

 Without another word she moved on and, as the gentleman led her to seat he said:

 "Really, Miss Mitchell, you are . | xuoYoIor of o11r D

 "Indeed, sir; and why?"

 CT don't believe another young lad, present would have treated John Mar tin, the millionaire, as cooly as you dit just now"

 "John Martin, the millionaire" sh,