Year: 1875


beauty, so far as color was concerned,
was made up of black and white and
red, without much toning down or COM
mingling of these colors anywhere.
The red, however, showing through the
white, perhaps should be called pink,
and her eyes were rather brown than
black; but her hair was perfectly black
and her teeth perfectly white, and the
pink and black played fast and loose
with her checks during any and every
conversation. Her form, though shall,
was perfectly shaped and rounded, and
there was grace and beauty in every
motion, whether in the way her pen
glided over the paper before her, or in
the manner she handed you a book
from the table. At least, that was true
in the eyes of our two heroes, Arthur
and Victor, and yet they did moi see
her alike. To Victor, she was beautiful
as horse or bird is beautiful, some
thing perfect in its kind, that to see
and watch is q pleasure, but of kind
that satisfies only the eye, without STIR
ring the deeper nature. To Arthur, she
was beautiful as the angels of heaven
are beautiful, with q beauty that fills
the imagination completely and possesses
the heart entirely. After this, it is
hardly necessary to say that Arthur was
in love, and that Annabel Cushing was
the object of his affections. This fact
was known to all frequenters of the
library, for love is phenomenon that
manifests itself oil the more clearly the
more it is concealed under looks that
are intended to be indifferent. And
one reason that Victor Tuttle so fire.
quently offended by forcing Miss Cush-
ing into conversation was, that he
wished above all things to know wheth-
or Arthur's passion was returned. Of
course all young ladies know that he
had undertaken the impossible when
he undertook to peep into this maiden's
heart, to see what she thought Of her
lover; but it was q pleasure to watch
her, and she seemed in truth as eager
for conversation as Victor himself. The
talk was about indifferent subjects, un-
till hearing steps on the stairs above,
she said hurriedly-


There, you must go now, the mas
ter is coming. But what did you want
to say?


Indeed, I must go; and how then
can I say it whatever it was" he re-
piled mockingly.


"Well, stay then long enough to re-
liovo voar mind, and be sure never to
come here again


With a slight bow, indicating his
thanks for this gracious permission, he
said,


81 think your lover yonder," with q
nod towards the table where Arthur
sat reading, 6 intends to propose to
you to-nights'


And if be does" she quickly re-
piled, the color leaving her cheeks and
even her lips, what is this to you?


80 nothing, certainly! I only thought
you might wish to prepare your answer,
write it and commit it to memory, or
something of that kind, as we fellows
do our parts on commencement"


"To be sure"-with complete self
possession now, though with bloodless
lips" I had not thought of that and
since you are so kind as to give me
warning, perhaps you will advise me
what to say. AT least, think you
might tell me what you know about it.
Did he take you into bis confidence
and tell you what he meant to say ?
Does he mean to fall on his knees in
the good old way, or to adopt some
more modern posture. Please tell me
all that I may be entirely prepared"


go you needn't try to make a joke
of il so; il will be solemn earnest be-
fore midnight, so be prepared-that's
ALL"


He turned and went; but hositating
q moment during which her color went
and came rapidly, shc quickly crossed
the hall opened side door and con-
fronted him in the entry as he was pas
sing out. "Since you really mean it,
and I believe you know, I will tell you
what my answer viii be and want you
to contrive some way to stop him. I
will not need to write it out for it will
be the shortest possible, one syllable
and only two letters. Can't you put q
stop to IL before il comes 10 that p