Year: 1874

, every incident of her acquaintance with Serb
blcton, and wondered for the hundrcdth time
why she felt the strong interest that she was
compelled to acknowledge to herself that she
did feel, in one who was almost 4 stranger.


''It isn't she thought, ''becausc he is
handsome, for he is very plain i'll appearance.
Ii cannot be on account Of his service to me,
for had any one else rendered me the same
service, | am quite sure my gratitude to him
would not keep him forever in my thoughts.
1t does not seem that even his being an ar.-
thor whose writings have read ana admired
can explain it, for there are still greater ar-
thors whose works read, and yet for whom
/ am certain should never feel this strong
personal sympathy. ] cannot understand it. >
And she stopped trying to understand it,
and leaning back in the easy rocking chair,
and slowly rocking to and fro, gave herself
up to /; train Of thought that cost no effort.
And, as she thought, a tender light came into
her eyes. her lips parted slightly with an ex-
preston Of infinite sweetness, and every fca-
turc wore the charm that only perfect content
and happiness can impress. \ picture Of
dreamy, pcnsivc beauty she was at that mo-
ncnt: and could the infatuated Scribb,cton
have seen her then, and known that she was
thinking of nothing in this wide world bat
his particular worthy self. he would have felt
himself the most abnndantly blessed creature
in existence.


Once a shade crossed her brow at o mo-
mcntary interruption to the pleasant flow of
her mcditations. ''lt is said, she thought,
''that almost all authors hayc idiosyncracies
Think of that horrid creature at Mrs. Sulli-
vans. l hope my author is not bit this
sort man." But the notion was too prepos-
teroUs to be entertained, and she soon dis
missed it, and relapscd into her former pleas
antcr reflections


Think on, sweet little girl, darling Jennie
,~jey to the full the pleasures of awakening
love, than which there are none purer Oh
greater; nor puzzle your little head more with
speculations concerning it. There is so much
about love that is inexplicable, that it will
fail all your attempts to analyze it. Wiser
heads than yours, little girl, have sought to
do so, and wrought only their own confu-
sion. From the beginning men and women
have bowed themselves to its supremacy,
feeling that they must obey, but no: con,prc-
hending the power that swayed them. High
and low are alike the subjects of its atten-
ton and equally its slaves. 1t has changed
the fate of nations, little girl, given impulse
to every step of the worlds progress, and is
it therefore to be wondered that it is able to
sway and bewilder your insignificant little
self, a sweet, captivating little self though It
be: But perhaps you do not yet even i'm
agine that its spell is upon you; for it often
disguises its presence until its fctters are SO
secure that escape and resistance are alike
impossible. All! then, little girl, is yonr fate
certainly sealed. If early apprised of its ap-
proach, it is sometimes impossible to avoid it.
If we perceive and understand its mcshes as
they are woven around us, we may break them
strand by strand and escape utter cntanglc-
ment. But if blind to the devices of the SUBJ
tie spinner, he soon so strengthens the cords
upon us that we have no choice but between
submission and struggle under circum-
stances of terrible agony. Let US hope that
when your awakening comes, little girl, it
will find you willing and happy subject in
the new realms in which you will find your
self, that the inexpressible pleasure You now
enjoy, the sweet peace which now fills your
soul to a perfect fullness, may not suffer the
rude dissipation that overtakes the peace and
happiness of so many. With this hope, dar-
ling Jennie, for the present we take leave Of
you.


TO BE CONTINUED.