Year: 1874

4 -
womanly face, and great wistful eyes
and an abundance Of dark. silky hair


But her small hands were brown and
hardened with toll sbc was poor,
dependent, alone in the world except
for this selfish, unnatural aunt, and
the cousins who scarcely deigned Ia
notice her.


Doctor Chester was q rich, old
bachelor, not 30 very old either, only
thirty-six.


Why he had never married no one
could tell, but true it is he had re.


mained heart whole these years in
spite of the many beautiful women
who had smiled gracefully upon him


But somehow this poor suffering or
phan won his heart completely dur


ing that week Of unconsciousnes
He was charmed with her sweet
prattle about her childhood and
hor innocence and helplessness, to.
gethcr with the suffering he had &c
unwittingly coused appealed, strong
ly to his sympathies, and he fully
resolved 10 win her love and make
her his wife il possible. Never had
patient a more assiduous doctor
did than poor Meta. Mrs. Smith
fumed and fretted over all the fuss
that they made about "that girl until
the DIR. frightened her into silence by
telling her that hc knew how she had
treated the poor child, and that il
she didn't keep quiet and have every
thing done that was needful for her
comfort he would have her arrested
and tried for inhuman cru city.


Under his watchful care tho danger
was soon over. and Meta was pro.
nounced convalescent. The doctor
took her out to ride rs soon as she
was able, in the easiest OF all car
riages. Hare delicacies were sent
every day from the hotel to tempt
her returning appetite. The sweet.
est and most fragrant flowers that
could be found adorned her room.
Meta reconstructed with him for all
this lavished kindness, but he would
silence her by saying he was the
cause Of all her suffering and she
must allow him to atone for it in
every way no could. How eagerly he
watched the faint color that crept
into her checks at his approach
How tenderly and delicately he min
istered to her comforts and pleasure
day after day, until at last hc ven
tured TO tell her Of his love and his
great desire to have her for his own.
He had become very dear to her
during all those weeks OF suffering,
and she acknowledged il and pro
missed to be his wife He hastened
to inform Mrs. Smith OF their be.
trothal and asked her forbearance
for another week when. he assured
her, he would relieve her from all
further care responsibility Of her
niece. Imagine ifyou can her aston
ishmentl She was completely dumb
founded!' and had not q word to
say though doubtless in her heart
she thought it another most 'myste
rious dispensation.'


The next day q notable dressmaker
from the city arrived with various
wonderful and costly fabrics, which
she had orders to make up for Miss
Langdon in the latest style. Such n
time as there was then of cutting
and basting, Of trying and trimming!
Two other seamstresses kept their
sewing machines running at the
highest rate Of speed, until at the
close of the week there was enough
Of q wedding trOusseau to fill o huge
Saratoga trunk. The doctor made
daily pilgrimages between that cham.
Der and the city, until at last he
could not devise another thing which
his darling could possibly need for
dress or ornament during the trip TO
Europe which he had planned. Never
was there q happier bride and groom
than those who were made one in
Mrs. Smiths parlor that bright Sep
tember morning. They went i'm
mediately TO his home on the Hudson
where the mother received the new
daughter with open aims, soon after
went to Europe, where they spent
year. Meta made good use Of the
time by putting herself under the
care Of the best private teachers, and
when on their return the happy doc
tor presented his wife to his friends,
there was not among them one more
highly accomplished Or more elegant
and refined. The doctor was very
proud Of her. and never tired OF
telling his intimate friends how he
found his wifa. or fha reanlk of his