Year: 1878

rejected? 1, Frank Ford, rejected
Can it be true, or have the last six
months been but vision of delight
AS live, 1t is not dream There have
been delirious moments when l held
her in my arms, and her curls fioated
down my breast, and her perfumed
breath famed my cheek. The witch
How she enthralled me by her soft,
cooing accents, and those flashing
glances, suddenly withdrawn that re-
vealed such volumes of meaning! The
coquette- despicable little jilt!'
Mr.. Frank Ford was wildly pacing
his superb suite Of apartments as he ut
tered these WORDS.


An open letter was in his hand, at
which, from time to time, he glanced
with an expression of mingled chagrin,
incredulity and amazement.
His hair was disheveled, his eyes
blood-shot, his cravat awry, and the
heavy silken cord Of his velvet dressing
grown hung dangling at his side.


For six months he had loved Cora
Mowbray, for half that time he believed
she would become his wife, and now
she had cast him off forever.
In one month they were to have been
married-the preparations for the event
which was to crown the joy of love
which he had supposed to be mutual,
were scarcely concluded-and now she
wrote:


81 am convinced there is not between
us that perfect cOngeniality of senti-
ment and feeling which alone can'ren-
der marriage happy. If l were un-
happy, you would be so also. / wish,
therefore to be released from an engage
ment which-witli my present feelings
has become bond only less support
able than marriage ITSELF"
The struggle passed away and he be-
came calm at last.


He had only to think of her he had so
dearly loved, coolly casting him eff and
moving on her course as gay and beau
tiful and cold as if she had never caused
sorrow to another, and he became
calm again. r..,s...g


And then the letters, the miniature,
and every little token of her love-the
withered flowers which he had stolen
from her bouquet, the tiny glove that
rested near to his heart, were all gath
cred together, made into a package,
and carefully sealed, and directed in a
bold hand that showed no indecision or
faltering.


Then he rang the bell and ordered
the man who answered to send them
Immediately. m


The man obeyed, but looked at his
master in surprise as he saw the ad-
dress, and hesitated. ga 10


''Even the servants have heard itr'
the young lover thought, bitterly.
"Why do you waltz" he said to his
valet. "Go."


The man obeyed.


The dream was over-the awakening
showed him only cold, bare, black
world, without an Illusion or a joy.





Years passed OH.


Silvery lines streaked the raven hair
of the wealthy bachelor, who, having
gradually withdrawn himself from the
world, was left almost unmolested and
alone in his luxurious solitude.


Women feared and men disliked him,
and at forty his only companions were
men like himself. disappointed. and
embittered by the lessons of life, from
which they should have drawn higher
and nobler wisdom.


Every summer it had been his wont
to resort to some fashionable watering
place, where he spent his time sneering
at the follies and denouncing the weak
nesses Of women who surrounded him.
And, In the cynical mood which had
now become habitual, every action OF
those around him, indicated either folly
or weakness. Alas! 1t is fearful
thing to lose faith in our kind!
E But, when his fortieth summer came
and he commenced his preparations for
a retreat from the bot and dusty city,
he found himself longing for solitude
differing from that in which he had
wrapped himself amidst the gay crowd.


Once more, for the first time since his
early childhood, he l0nged to be alone
with nature-to forego the artiicialties
Of life and 60 TO lay his nead upon
the bosom of the benign mother Of all,
and listen to the varied and wise lessons