Year: 1872

l WOdlJ dLu 1Luu-UCSpdUOOISUsb buSy I0dCl10u the town where they were to part and go stage, and Miss Tucker stood in the piazza of the public-house giving some directions about her luggage, when Middleton ap- her.

 "Pardon me-" he said, eff I use too great freedom. You do not know me, goodness to-day not to feel that I know you. I see that you have kindly taken under your protection the poor woman and her child who rode with us, and I am anxious to share with you the pleasure money, which you will oblige me by spending for her use; and card with my address. If at any time I can be of further service to her, you will do me a favor by letting me know"

 The young woman took the card and the crisp bank-note that accompanied it, and expressed her thanks with a dash of embarrassment and timidity which she had not before shown, but which Harvey thought became her wonderfully.

 "There is one more favor," he added with little hesitation, "which I would like to ask of you. Would you object to give me yo,r addressW ....

 Not at all," she answered frankly, and gave it accordingly. He thanked her gravely, bowed again as he might have done to duchess, and walked away, The next day he was at his office in Boston. and she at her busy, responsible post in a great Lowell mill. ..-.

 For just one week Middleton turned things over in his mind. The result was resolution and letter. The last was ad- dressed to Miss Olympia Tucker, and con- tained distinct and straightforward pro- posal of marriage. He recalled himself modestly to the lady's recollection, refer ing to the journey they had taken togeth- CT, and declared that the impression which she had that day made upon him was such that he ardently wished to Journey through life in her company. He told her who and what he was, his family, business, and for tune inclosed the addresses of several per- sons, through whom she might, if she wished, satisfy herself in regard to his character and standing and concluded with an earnest request that she would permit him to visit her. The letter, not withstanding its abrupt and rather busi- ness like character, was gentlemanly and respectful, and one which almost any lady might feel f1attered to receive.

 oThen it was sent he waited in a yerita- ble fever of impatience for the reply. A week, almost another elapsed before it came. He tore it open: his suit was re- jected! --.4 .s's...

 The keenness of his disappointment al- most surprised himself. He had hardly been aware how deeply his feelings and his fancy were interested in this woman, whom he had known but for one day, and who had begun by offending his social preju- dices and his fastidiousne.s almost to the point of disgust. He took up her letter and read it again. It was written some what stif1y, as if it had cost, it's author good deal of trouble, and now and then word might not be spelled quite correctly :; but it was modest womanly letter, digni- fled from it's very simplicity. She thanked him sincerely for the compliment of his preference, though she felt compelled to decline his proposal. She had not done so hastily; she had considered his offer well. She did not even affect to conceal from him that it had strong temptations for her "a poor hard working girl, struggling single-handed with the world. But she did not think it would be right for her to purchase ease and enjoyment for herself in that way. She was not educated for the circle to which he belonged, and if she were to take him at his perhaps hasty word, he might regret it some day. Then too, he had right to the love as we'll as to the respect of the woman whom he should make his wife; and she could not pretend to give that to a man whom a week ago she had never thought of in any such relation. She should always feel grateful to him for the honor he had in- tended her, and she wished him all manner of prosperity and happiness with some wo- man who would be better suited to him than she.

 Harvey read this letter over great many times. He thought he saw that it was not so much any positive objection to himself which had decided her rejection to bis suit as the womanly shrinking from so hasty an arrangement with one whom she knew so little. The naive confession that his offer had been temptation touched. him. Her life aoas laborious and full of care; there could be little brightness in It. Yet when he thought of all she had done and been to others, and recalled the gay courage with which she faced her lot, the cheerful helpfulness, the gentle kindness | Uhdb ACfCk 1dlOu3 AlO uCdIU 0WCllCU WlGu tender admiration. "She is the only wo- by heaven, will win her yetw

 And he set himself to do so as earnestly though not quite so precipitately as before He went to Lowell every week till mid summer, and then he astonished his numer- ousfriends, including his sisters-in-law by the announcement of his marriage Curiosity ran high in regard to his choice but it was baffled for time, for he took

 his bride abroad immediately, and they

 were absent three years. You may well

 believe those three years were not wasted by a woman of Lymp Fuckers energy and ability. She. had shrewdness, tact, an6 readiness of imitation. She only needed good models to shape herself into lady Indeed, all the essential clements of 2 lady's character were in her to begin with f and education drew them out. Accord ingly she is at this present writing not only tho handsomest woman of my ac quaintance, but very nearly the most ele

 gant. She does not laugh so loud as she did, but her smile is dazzling. Her voice , is pitched somewhat lower, but it has lost none of its heartiness. She has leaning

 toward nlagnifcence in her dress, but ii r quoted as model of good taste. She il i the pride of her husband who has beer F growing younger all these ten years, ant the fond mother of three splendid boys Her sisters-in-law refer to her as a kind o 2 oracle in all questions of taste and goot . breeding. She is a gracious and hospitabl hostess in a luxuriant home, and Twin, 5 illustration of the fact that there is n, place Yankee girl will not fill as if sh Q were born to it in spite of the most unfa z vorable circumstances. t A COMET A few nights since at Sal n Francisco, it being twilight and the at t mosphere clear, a comet appeared a littl n to the southwest of the zenith. If wa