Year: 1878

was once devout believer in mes
merism-that was IN my "salad days,
when | was green in judgment''-but
my faith In the science has been terribly
shaken by some incidents of tender
nature which happened to me person.
ally.


was twenty-five, and can candidly
affirm heart-whole as regarded the fair
sex. My employment was in the city,
and lived with my widowed mother in
little cottage, one of pretty row in a
quiet street in London suburb. Toget
TO the main road, had every morning
TO pass along the row, which | did for
several weeks without anything occur
ring worth mentioning, when one
bright spring day Imet my fate in the
person of very pretty girl watering
flowers in the little garden-plot in front
of No. 6.


took in the ensemble of her appear
;hce in one devouring glance. or the
middle height, 1.-the and well rounded
in figure, draped in quiet mourning
costume, with abundance of rich brown
hair, embarrassing pair ofankles, which
her STOPPING position revealing them
distinctly.


was fairly bewitched by the beauty
of her face and eyes. The former be-
longed TO the. highest type of blonde,
and the latter was as blue as the bluest
of skies; one in particular-the left
shOne with extraordinary brilliancy.
AS | turned into the main road, took a
last look, and that eye was upon me.


My occupation in the city was and is
sedentary, but all that day at business
felt the magic of the wonderful eye.
1t haunted me continually.


was rapidly becoming neglectful of
my duties, to the peril of my prospects,
which were good, when l was saved by
a formal introduction to the cause of my
delirium.


We met, and it was literally in
crowd, for it was at subscription ball
given in the large room of neighbOi-
ing tavern, got up by some of the inhab-
itants of the row for the benefit of some
body-it may have been some old cross
ing sweeper, for aught | ever knew or
cared, so dazed was | with the enchant-
ress, with whom / danced nearly the
whole of the evening. / noticed that
many of the young men cast searching
glances upon us. Some OF them shrug-
ged their shoulders, and | overheard
such remarks as IT'S a case,' 'Fine girl;
but great pity Wonder whether he'll
find it out beforehand But attribu-
ted all this to envy, and went to bed
that night to be haunted by her bright
eyes, one especially which shOne in my
dreams like star of the first magnitude.


The ball led to an intimacy between
our families, and it was not long before
| became suitOr for the hand OF the
beautiful and accomplished Miss Julia
Stokes, only daughter of a widow who
had a small but comfortable indepen-
dency.


Our courtship, presume, was much
the same as that of other lovers. On my
side knew it was very ardent, and in
few months the day, the happy day, was
named.


My mother saw no objection, but can
didly limited that the dazzling lustre of
one of Julia's eyes caused her some per-
pleXity.


My mother-in-law that was to be said.
solemnly, to me:


'sYou take my daughter with all her
imperfections, and my fervent prayer is
that you will never regret the step. l
ought to explain; indeed, it is my duty
to do so. You must understand that In
extreme youth my child met with"


Julia, who was present, hastily inter-
posed, and invited me into the back
garden, whittier willinglyaccompanied
her, for had and have horror of FAM
lily explanations.


While wandering among the flowers,
looking and talking the.soit nonsense SC
dear to youthful lovers, Julia abruptly
turned to me, and fixing her dear orbs,
one especially, firmly on my beaming
countenance, said so me, in tones that
thrilled me to the very centre of my
heart:


"Algernon, if anything were to hap
pen to me--if you discovered | was not
AS good as ought to be for your love,
would you--could you-love me then as
nOwY"


Need say what my answer WASP She
kissed me for It, and on the spot pre-
vailed on her to name the happy day.


In due course we were married, and
dutifully passed away a month together
at the seaside. We then settled down
in d cosey cottage in cosy suburb.
We had been at home fora week or two,
quietly trying to settle down, when one
day thoughtto surprise my Julia with
new dress, or rather the silk for one.
The day was a hot summer one, so with