Year: 1876

row two hours against q wind without
squealing, and make his mile on the run
inside of eight minutes. What could the
men of your class do +"


''Construe Latin verse without the aid
of pony


The youth was staggered, but he recov-
cred himself


That's all right; but you are begging
the question. doctor. Let us settle the
question Of physical superiority first, and
we'll compare notes on the intellect alter
ward. Now what sense is all this talk
about the physical deterioration OF wo-
men? | can pick you out hundred girls
to-day with fairer skin and better health
and stronger constituted than their grand
mothers ever had Nice girls too, with
eyes like the antelope's, and step as elias
tic; with cheeks like the sunny side of a
peach, and lips like parted coral hiding
pearl"


The audacious fellow was looking
straight at Amy, as if he We're catalogu-
ing her charms. She blushed, half with
anger, half with pleasure; and then she
blushed a deeper red, through vexation
with herself for supposing that his eXtrav
agant compliments were meant for her.


Fortunately Mrs Rossell improved a
momentary lull iii the debate to direct the
antiquary's attention to her supurb dinner
set.


Il have been examining all the pat
terms she said, ''and / am convinced that
this must be over three hundred years old
Even Jack is forced to admit the art of
making this exquisite porcelain is lost to
the world forever"


As an appropriate response to this trib-
ute, Amy looked down at her plate, and,
lo the blue Mandarin whom she had
known from her earliest childhood smiled
up at her from his perpetual resting place
under the shade of the Sacred Mountains.
He actually seemed to open his sleepy
almond eyes in mild rebuke at her for
parting with him. There was no mistak-
ing it, The dinner-service, from the big
soup tOureen to the delicate es g-shell cups
We're part and parcel OF the Old china
which she and Miss Car'line had bargain
ed away for the new silk. She telt as
guilty as Aladdin's wife, when her uncle
said: II don't see anything remarkable
about this dinner r-service, my dear. Up
at my old home in Tunxis we had some
thing very similar to it when | was a boy
| suppose you've seen it often, Amy"


YES" answered the poor girl, trem-
bling on the verge of exposure.


'Oh you dear child" chimed in Mrs
Rossell, ''you must show it to me when
come to visit you Only to thing of own
ING such treasures, stamped not only with
the seal of antiquity, but Of long family
possession. | shouldn't blame you a bit if
you We're too proud to speak to ordinary
mortaS.'


But Amy-possibly owing to the fact
that she no longer possessed the aforesaid
treasures, was not too proud to speak to
ordinary mortals, and before the evening
was over that extraordinary mortal. broth
er Jack, who insisted from the first on
calling her his cousin Amy, had prevailed
on her not only to talk, but to sing his ac-
compartment. And when her pure bir,.-
like voice. which had charmed the wor-
shippers in the village church at TunNis,
rose full and clear lin strains Of unpre-
mediated art Mr.. Jack Graham expert
enced a sensation which was novel but by
no means disagreeable.


The month glided by swiftly. All the
wonders Of the metropolis We're unfolded
to Amy by the good natured Gabby, and
whithersoever the girls went they were
accompanied by the devoted Jack, who
explained that he wished to give them the
benefit OF his superior age and wisdom.


The happy month ended all too soon,
and the last day of Amy's visit drew to a
close In the early twilight of the No
vember evening, Just before the lamps
were lighted" she was in no humor for
talking, and she knew her own room was
not secure against the intrusion of Gabby
She was ashamed OF herself to think that
She was saddened at the idea of returning
to her own pleasant home. Who was it
that she should miss?


Jack came in and tried to counterfeit
the real surprise which Amy expressed at
seeing him. lie was supposed to be down
town; but the sly dog had been watch
ING for her full hour He was more en-
balrassed than She. This is the compen-
saton Of the weaker sex at critical mo-
ments He blundered into one or two re-
marks, and finally asked her abruptly if
she liked Tennyson.


She answered that she liked him very
much.


Then | want to read you something" :"
said Jack And Amy noticed that he car
ried a copy of Tennyson in his hand, and
that he was using his finger for a book
mark.


1t is what he would have called in the
accepted slang OF the day, very thin de-
vice. 1t bore not the remotest appearance
Of being spontaneous. Moreover it was
too dark to read But he read all the same
this one familiar stanza from ''Locksley
Hall; )"


"And I said My cousin Amy, speak, and


speak the truth to me;


Trust me, cousin, all the current of my being


sets to thee"


He flung down the book, and growing
bolder, he said: elf could write as well
as Tennyson, might put what | have to
say in verse. But. in the plainest prose-
| love you, my darling little girl, and |
want you to be my wife"


While he was yet speaking Qor, after
all, he was an audacious fellow his strong
arms twined themselves about her slender
waist, and almost before she knew it she
had pillowed her pretty head on the broad
breast which was henceforth to protect
her. And she could not choose but muir
mur the continuation of the poem
Glove took up the glass Of Time, and turned it


in his glowing hands;


Every moment lightly shaken ran itself in gold


Ell sands.'


The accounts of the sroW blockades on