Year: 1878

What an honest and pleasant face
wonder If shall ever see him
again I this was what she thought.


Josie did see him again and quite
often. The Mannings and Croftons
were not only neighbors, but very in
innate. Mary Crofton had been
strangely attached to Mrs. Mann
ing's only daughter, who died the
preceding winter She spent a good
deal Of lime at her house, and Josie
frequently went with her, Mary was
never weary Of praising John be
was such a good son, and 50 intelli-
gent, steady and INDUSTRIOUS


John soon got over his shyncss with
the city girl, who took 80 kindly to
country ways that it seemed as if she
had always lived there. He used to
walk home with her, Mary consider
ately lingering by the gate to talk
with his mother, both we'll pleased at
the turn affairs were taking.


Then there were rides and walks,
picnics and social gatherings, at all of
which John and Josie had a fashion
Of getting off by themselves--a fash
ion that every one seemed to honor
and understand.


And so the happy days went on,
each day binding those young, loving
hearts more closely together.


When Josie returned to the city,
which was two weeks later than she
intended, she had a pleasant story to
whisper in her fathers ear.


If you>lov him and he is worthy
Of YOU, he said, in reply to the query
with which it ended.


Josles quick ear detected the sad
ness that under-ran these words.


You know you promised to live
with me when | was married, papa,
she whispered, laying her cheek close
" to his. And on a farm. oo!-
| Won't it be delightful !?


Belle and Lucy returned home with
that conscious air OF subdued triumph
and importance peculiar to engaged
Young ladies' Having attained the
end an | aim Of their existence there
was nothing further for them to hope
or expect. From hcncelorth they
were to repcse upon their laurels,
floating down the stream Of life with
no thought or care for anything but
the present enjoyment.


Bellies captive was Wall street
broker, owning a fabulous amount
on paper. Lucy s was the son of a
millionaire, whose ambition seemed to
be to spend as quickly as possible the
money that his father had labored
hard to acquire.


They made no attempt to disguise
their surprise and disdain when they
heard Of Josie modest conquest.


Only a farmer sniTsd Mrs. Will
son. Never did | dream that one Of
my daughters would stoop to that -
But I suppose # you have your faith
er's approval you don't care for mine.


OF course you can't expect us to
visit you, said Belle, loftlly. The
connections Of Charles Augustus are
all Of the highest and most aristocrat-
ic character, and it couldn't be tho't
Of


Certainly not echoed Lucy, "A
wife has 10 take the position Of her
husband, which is something that you
had better think Of.


Josie had thought Of it, and very
happy thoughts they were, too.


The financial disasters Of the three
years that followed made quite a
change in the surroundings Of all the
above, with the exception Of Josie and
her husband.


Out of the wreck of Mr.. Wilson S
business nothing was left but tho hon.
or and integrity, which Lhone all the
more brightly from the temporary
gloom that shrouded him. His wife
took their altered fortunes very hard,
fairly lretting and worrying herself
into the grave, where she was laid a
few months after. Pennjless and un-
fitted for anything higher, the hns-
bands Of Belle and Lucy were glad to
accept positions, one as a conductor
on a city car, the other a third-rate
clerkship.