Year: 1871

he excused himself for a moment, and
stepped into the hall to meet his sister.
Poor juno could hear their voices-the
sister playfully scoding because she had
been so long kept waiting in the horrid
depot, until she was almost frozen, and
then had to ride in numbering old hack,
and closed by standing on tiptoe, and Civ
ing him a sisterly kiss.


June could see through the half open
door, and felt like guilty usurper, as the
little lady continued to pour forth her
complaints.


Why, Fred, you arn't a bit glad to see
me. L expected to be hugged and kissed
out of breath, as usual, and l meet with
formal reception as if you were my grand
fathar-or husband =


And her laugh rang out as clear as the
notes of "a silver bell.


But it was suddenly cut short She
had followed her brother into the recep-
ton room. and started back in astonish-
ment at the beautiful stranger, as she sat
there with streaming hair and watery
eyes. The timid, shrinking manner in
creased the loveliness of June, and the i'm
pulsive Eva stood for moment in mute
admiration, and then gasped out


Who is she, Fred ?


This is Miss, he began,


Tracy, suggested June.


Miss Tracy, who by stupid blunder
Of the coachman, was brought here in
your place. That is why you were kept
waiting at the horrid depot


Well, L am glad she happened to fall
into the hands Of a gentleman, replied
Eva, looking up proudly at her brother


She welcomed her unexpected guest
most cordial y-made her feel instantly
at home-declared that she would keep
her till morning that until then nothing
should be done to ascertain where Mr.
Griswald lived. and in the end triumphed.
and took her to her own bright room, that
she might arrange her hair.


In the company Of the spirituelle Eva,
June soon forgot her vexation, and the late
dinner and the evening passing pleasantly,
had almost forgotten her singular entrance
into the family But now and then a smile
would curl the dark moustache Of Fred
BusweIl as he thought Of his funny mistake
and how agreeably it had turned out and
the tell-tae blush deepened upon June
cheek as she caught the expression Of his
eyes, and revealed that she had not forgot
ten his over-warm manner Of greeting


To one acquainted with the city and its
directories, the finding Of the uncles home
was not a difficult task, and after breakfast
both Eva and her brother escorted her
thither promised to call soon, and then ep-
arated, mutually pleased.


Uncle Nathan received her kindly, but
in very different manner from Fred Bus
well He was tall gaunt, grim; wore old
fashioned clothes, and huge pointed shirt
collar, which constantly threatened TO am
putate his ears. With d few words he
handed her over to the care os his sister,
who fitted the name Of Prudence perfectly,
and was an exact counterpart Of himself.
clothed in petticoats.


My dear child, she exclaimed, holding
up her hands in holy horror, what terri
bic risk you ran in taking the wrong car
riagc The gentleman who called on Us
this morning explained the matter, and |
never was so much shocked IN ali my life


MIR. BuswelI is gentleman, replied
June, seeing that some reply was expected.


We'll hem yes, | suppose so. But
come up stairs now and take off your
things To think Of you being alone with
a strange young man. l know | should
have tainted


June blessed her stars that her aunt
knew nothing Of what had really trans
plred-nothing saAe that "A mistake had
been made-nothing Of the warm en-
brace and kisses aud mentally thanked
Fred Buswell for retcence.


This j. your room, my dear. When
you have arranged your toilet, your uncle
and | will be happy to see you in the sit
ting room.


Everything bore the marks Of wealth
but was anti luated as its mistress. The
heavy, tall-posts, oId-ia>hioned bedstead,
with ita quaint canopy and curtains, must
have belonged to the great grandfather Of
Mss Prudence Ii contrasted gfIm,y
with the pretty French one she had oc
cupied W tn Eva BusweIl so. IN fact. did
everything. But the room was large and
pleasant everything was neat. and ar
ranged for comfort and June soon became
at ease and happy. At least she would
have been, if Aunt Prudence had not So
frozen the Buswels when they called, that
there was little danger Of their attempt
ing to rsPeat it.


The truth was, the old maid dishusted
the good looking Fred. She could not
but own to herself that he was gentle
man in every respect but, "a she had
concluded to adopt June, she was not 90
ing to have any horrid man around to
persuade her into ioOIishly getting mar
ried, when she intended her to be the COM
fort and nurse OF her declining years.
Henceforth June, with all her life and
youth, and lovelness, was to be a sort of
prison er-never going out save to ride ID
the old barouche of the Griswalds when
the weather was pleasant, with the stern,
yellow face Of Miss Prudence, looking
older and more ugly by contrast with the
bright, dove-eyed golden-haired girl who
accompanied her. Occasionally they met
Eva Buswell and her brother dashing
along in their neat phHton, surrounded by
a party Of friends, and June turned away
sighing, and with difficulty keeping back
the tears. But she dared not give express
sion to her thought


/ The Buswels are nothing to you, my
child-never can be- said Aunt Prudence
when they CHANGED to be discoursing one
day upon the manner Of her coming
They did only what was proper under the
circumstances just what your uncle Ma
than and would have done but they are
frivolous, fashionable people, and the soon
er you cease to even recognize them the
better.


June thought with a smile Of how uncle
Nathan would look and feel, hugging and
kissing a blooming girl like herself But
Ia n1,Ir, o.nrn another sinh thnnoht Of