Year: 1879

My mother would not remain so much.
opposed 10 our union as she now is; she
could not. appreciate your noble res
olution to do nothing to ALLEVIATE us from
each other, but | feel sure you are mis-
taken about it. Become my wife, and
in little while she will be reconciled
to Us. When she realizes that all
further opposition is useless, she will
cease to cherish those bitter feelings
that now make her wretched and cause
her to treat YOU so harshly. We can 20
to Europe for year or two, and we
need not come back till we know that it
will be pleasant. 1 would not think OF
permitting you ever again TO endure
such treatment as you have had lately.
1 would not ask you to share my life il
could not shield you from persecution;
but can, and / will. Trust me, Elinor
can you not ?n be asked, earnestly, as
he saw that she still opposed his will.


"You make it very hard for me to do
my duty, Frank" she said, at length,
gently but firmly, trying to withdraw
her hands. 81 have given my promise.
How can break it? Would you trust
me fully il l broke my word to your
mother? I do not wonder that you can
not believe she will remain as she is,
but cannot believe otherwise. 1 do
not wish to repeat what she said to me,
for cannot bear to add to your pain ;
but 1 know, from all that passed, that
she would never forgive either Of US
and oh she is your mother; you must
not forget that" she said, earnestly, as
Frank excitedly rose and began to pace
the floor.


~ wish 1 could forget it," he said,
desperately, 'if she is going to make my
whole life wretched by her contemplate
notions and prejudiees."


"Hush, Frank; you must not speak
so. II is not best I should be with you,
if cause you to feel so about your
mother" said Elinor, gravely. "She is
weak and suffering. If she had health,
she would be more reasonable. She is
all alone but for you, and l have long
known that her plans for your future
were ambitious. 1t is no wonder she
feels disappointed and angry that she
cannot carry them out. It would be
strange il, with her views Of the world,
she would consent to receive so humble
person as l into her family"


But there Elinor stopred short with
flushing cheeks, for Frank had halted
before her, and she suddenly felt his
dark eyes fixed upon her. Never bad
she looked more lovely, he thought,
never had she seemed dearer to him than
now, when she was calmly telling him
10 leave her alone in the world. Her
slender form was full of grace and quiet
dignity. Her nobly-formed head indi-
Gated fine intellect, strong character,
lofty moral nature and kindly social
feelings. She seemed to his partial eyes
to be superior to all other women he had
ever seen. He thought the soft brown
hair more beautiful than that which
Titan loved to paint. Her noble brow,
her long silken lashes, her deep, beauti-
ful, earnest eyes, her sweet yet firm lips,
her quiet, gentle, modest bearing i'm
pressed him strangely, as one belonging
to fair creation of fancy or Of dreams.
So far away from him she seemed, while
yet so near; while the soul that looked
out from her eyes made him wonder i
she would be any purer and better when
/ she should be translated to another
world. He could not understand the
spirit that prompted her to undertake &
lonely life of toll, and turn away from
love and ease. to crafty one who haC
insulted aud injured her so deeply.


"What do you wish me TO do, Elinor?'
be said, at length, sadly, still standing
before her, for the pause in the conver
sation bad not been long. "What vii
you do?'


"Her voice trembled little, but sh,
said, bravely:


"You must go back to your mothe
and try to comfort her In her loneliness
and learn to feel kindly toward he
again for my sake. l am going to pre-
pare to enter the next class of medics
students. DIR. Duff and his wife seen
almost like parents, and they wish M
to stay with them till / am through.


wanted to earn something first, but tn
kind doctor insisted that I should ge
ready for my work as soon as possible
aud said l might repay him when


could out of my profession. It SCENE,
the best / could do, though it is hard t
be dependent, even for a time. But
shall help them all can, and study a
hard as possible, and hope to be able
by and by, to do some good. Oh, ther
is need enough Of it," and she raised he
earnest eyes to his face, but its gloom.
sadness distressed her so that the tear
came.


The sight was too much for his com


posure, and he turned away hastily an


took two or three turns across the room
Then he came back and said in lo'


tone:


"You cannot know, you do not thinh


how hard it is to let you go out into IN
world alone in this way, exposed to a
kinds of insult and slander. feel as
r I could not endure it. 1t makes me a
most wild to think Of It. II / could b
E near you, and had a right to prote'
| you, 1t would be different; but you wi
D not allow that. Oh, you are hard an
5 cold. EIinorp' he broke out, passion
, ately and bitterly, turning away-"col