Year: 1877

Burroughs picked up bulky volume
and sat down by the open fire in the sit
ting-room. The bulky volume proved
to he Webster's Dictionary, which care
less Kitty had thrown on the table on
her first hasty retreat from the kitcht n.
Jack turned over the leaves listlessly
until he came to sheet of paper written
upon in chirography pleasantly familiar r.
OF course it was highly improper for
him to read that paper, yet as a chroni-
cler of simple facts l am forced to record
that he did read it. And this is what it
contained


| To dear Uncle Randolph, and all vino love me:
! 1 have determined to drown myself. be-
cause l am tired of life. My heart is broken,
and / can see no relief except in death. For
give me for what am about to do. and / shall
pray to God to forgive me also. do not want
| to live and suffer as have suffered
Here the words "since Jack" were
scratched ont, and in their stead was
written, "during the past" Ga blank
to be filed in when the ice should
thaw).


/ I forgive everybody. l hope you will not
mourn for me. nor remember my melancholy
end, because do not deserve it. With love to
you and to dear Aunt Charity and Tom, 1 re-
II


How many times Jack read and re-read
this singular document will never be
known, but when Kitty entered the room,
a quarter of an hour later, he was still
sitting with the dictionary upon his knees
and the paper in his hand.


81 thought Uncle Randolph was here, 7"
said Kitty, hesitating whether to remain
or not, and failing to observe what it was
that so absorbed Jacks attention. He
turned with start, as though first con-
scious of her presence, and thrust the
sheet of paper back into the volume.
Then he said, very gra,ely:


"Your uncle is not here, Kitty.
Won't you be seated? l want to talk
with you"


Kitty sat down upon the high-backed
sofa, and fell to studying the figures in
the carpet. Jack went over and took a
seat by her side. She did not notice
that he held the dictionary under his
right arm


Kitty" said Jack, with becoming
solemnity, 81 dc not believe that you
have been very happy during the past
month, have your


Kitty's lip began to tremble, but she



l have been happy?'


Because" replied the candid Jack,
"you have not had me to torment you"


You mean to say that / can not be
happy without you, Mr. Burroughs ?"
Kitty was still gazing intently at the
carpet, so that she did not see the smile
that played about Jacks mouth as he
answered:


"Yes, have reason to believe that
without me you would be very miser-
able"


"Indeedr exclaimed Kitty. 81
should like to know what right you have
to believe thatl


"Well, Kitty, Judge you by myself,
have beer wretched ever since the
night of that unfortunate party. 1 made
up my mind Yesterday to swallow my
pride and come here and ask you to for
get and forgive. We were both to
blame, although the fault, no doubt, was
mine to begin with"


"If you have been wretched, as you
say, rejoined Kitty, her eyes fixed ON
the floor, "why didn't you go to Helen
Clapp! You would surely have found
comfort there"


Nonsense, Kitty / care nothing
for Helen Clapp-no more than you do
for Cyrus Phelps. l haven't seen her,
nor have l wanted to see her, since the
night of the party"


You take it for granted, 1 presume,
that will overlook all that has happened
without a word"


"I did not take it for granted, Kitty,
until"


"Until what % Here the young lady
turned her eyes suddenly upon Jack,
and discovered for the first time the
volume under his arm What is
that bookl" she demanded, blushing
scarlet


THAT" returned Jack, with tantaliz-
ing composure-" that is Webster's Die
tionary. While You were engaged in
washing the dishes was improving the
time by a study"


"Give it to me this instant - demand
ed Kitty, springing to her feet.


Jack handed her the volume without n
word. She snatched it impetuously, and
turned over the leaves until she came to
the letter.


"You have read i'll" she exclaimed,
crumpiing the sheet of paper in her
hand


"If you mean your farewell epistle,"
rejoined Jack, gravely, Il have.


"Why, Jack!" And, thereupon Kitty
threw herself upon the sofa, and, with
her face buried in the cushion, began to
sob convulsively.


And what did Jack dol Perhaps he
drew her to his side and told her what
very, very wicked girl she was to think
of drowning her pretty self. Perhaps
he repeated to her, for the thousandth
time at least, the story of his love, which
had grown and deepened during month
of self-inflicted torture, and which was
dearer to him than all else in life-dearer
than fame or fortune, or even the Pin
Beta Kappa key which he had won at
Yale. Perhaps he soothed her with soft
words, and rested her head upon his
breast, and convinced her that, after all,
she had much to live for in this world.
and that her heart was not 30 seriously
shattered as she had fancied Perhaps,
even, he kissed her; but that is no affair
of ours.


Whatever Jack may have done, this
much / know to be a fact when the ice
in the river thawed, Kitty did not throw
herself into the waters of the Connect
cut. And when the blossomy May came
round, she blushed prettily because peo-
pie called her "Mrs. Burroughs. >
Harpcr's Bazar.


Boy OF Mettle.


On Wednesday afternoon, in Capp
street, a lady and child had Just taken
their seats in a buggy, to which two