Year: 1877

it is though, for you are thirty-two to-day
and you were only twenty.six then, John
Preston. I never look back to the year fol-
lowing my twenty. sixth birthday without an
involuntary prayer that I may never have
such another year of trouble and despair to
60 through.


Six years ago to-day I took temporary
leave of my mother, and made my real start
in life. As I seated myself in the comforta'
Bile first class carriage-my mothers arrange
ment-"6rst impressions, my dear boy" she
had said, care everything with my
paper open on my knee, left the unending
hustle and noise of the modern Babylon be-
hind, my mind dwelt in anticipation on the
new life before me, and my newssheet dropped
dis.egarded.


Would my dear father, had he lived, have
approved of this start of mine in life? Should
I accomplish, or be nearer accomplishing, my
desire to make name and standing IN my
profession by its means? ? What kind Of peo-
ple should encounter in the course Of my
professional duties, and would any of the said
people condescend to admit the struggling
young doctor into the select circle Of their In
innate acquaintance? These, and thousand
and one other conjectures kept my mind fully
occupied during the hour and half's ride
between Paddington and my destination,
Clokesham, picturesque and old-world vii
lage nesting on the banks of Father Thames
some few miles beyond the reach of the first
rush of London holiday-makers.


Six months before I should have started
with nothing but bright hopes on my jour
ney, and without one regret to shadow my fu-
ture. As it was-well, it could hardly be q
regret, for this country practice might enable
me the sooner to decide for my ultimate hap.
piness or misery, instead of remaining in
town taking friends practices during their
occasional holidays, as had been doing for
two or three years. 1t was while engaged in
the last of these undertakings that | had
found cause for my present regret at leaving
London. My old friend, Fred Hughes, who
had been fortunate enough to step into his
fathers practice upon his retirement, called
on me one morning, full of his intended trip
into North Wales.


II should be off this day week if could
only get some one to look after my patients
lust for three weeks; the worst Of it is that
everybody else is either of, too, or just going
off, Do you think you could do it for me,
old boy?"


certainly" replied, "if my mother does
not mind putting off her visit to Hastings for
that timer"


"Oh, couldn't let you do that, you know /"


"Nonseuse," said Eve can 60 afterwards,
but unless you 60 now l know you won't be
able to 60 at all when your patients are back
in town.


"You are a trump" exclaimed Fred, CIV
ing my hand a mighty squeeze "Let me
know for certain tonight"


So it was settled that we were to defer our
outing until Fred had returned from his fish
ing expedition.


Ny duties as substitute we're not very heavy,
as large proportion of Fred's patients were,
like himself, taking their annual holiday.
One morning hurried little note was for
warded to me from his surgery, requesting
Mr.. Hughes immediate attendance at l6
Colville square, and signed IN. Betram."
Fearing something serious, started at once,
and on my arrival found the household in q
state of anxious excitement.


MRS. Mason is at Rome, and has left the
children under the care of their governess,
Miss Betram, and the two younger ones are
certainly sickening of some fever" the house
maid informed me, upon opening the door.


Miss Betram, when she heard from my in
quries who was, came forward to meet me-
Shall draw word-picture? From my own
memory it is impossible. 1t would be com.
posed ofsweet hues and nameless graces. The
features of person form, after all, such
very small part of her individuality. But
have miniature, and that can describe to
you. A sweet, pensive, clear, oval.shaped
face looks at you with kind, thoughtful hazel
eyes, which often look black from the deep
shade of heavy lashes-but that is not in the
miniature-the mouth is gentleness and firm
ness combined-rare combination! Looking
at it, you would naturally infer that the owner
thereof was person to be obeyed simply be-
cause it was pleasure to obey her, and this
latter fact would in no degree weaken the
former; delicate but perfectly marked eye
brows complete the face, which, framed in
rippling bands of deep brown hair, smiles at
me whenever open my case to feast on its con-
tents Must confess my weakness, or have
I not already confessed it2 Looking back
i
stood talking in the hushed, shadowy hall. |
did not know then why it was that felt such
tender pity for her in her responsible posi-.
ton. did not know why in addressing her I
involuntarily dropped my voice in emulation
of her own soft tones, or why, in meeting her
eyes, mine took an earnest expression, no mat.
ter how trivial the subject under discussion.


Each day found me fastening to my anx-
ious duties like schoolboy to his play, and,
when Mrs Mason returned at the end of ten
days and found her darlings on the road to
recovery, thanks to the unwearied attention of
their kind nurse, awoke to the discovery
that loved deeply and passionately. No
passing fancy for beautiful face was this,
but all-enduring love, such as true man sell
dom feels but once in his life.


The days slipped by all too quickly until
the return of Fred, rollicking and robust from
his holiday, when there was no longer the
slightest excuse for my daily visits to Cole.
vile square. I heard from him of Mrs. Ma
sons departure for Ilfracombe with her fami-
ly, and lived on the hope Of future meetings
on their return. I hastened my mother from
Hastings a week sooner than she wished,
greatly to her mysti6cation, that might not
miss one chance of seeing my darling, for
had determined, short as my acquaintance
had been, to ask her if she could care for me
enough to wait for one year that I might make
home for her, to ask if she would consent to
brighten the world for me, and me for the
world-to give me an object, an aim in life
to render myself worthy Of her. After week
of patient waiting, I ventured to question
Fred as to Mrs Mason's movements, assuming
q wnnld. be air of nonchalance