Year: 1873




In certain little town whose name
would be of small moment to the reader,
among no matter what lofty mountains,
therealighted from the northward- bound
train, one pleasant September day, n
young lady, who proceeded forthwith to
the prominent hotel of the place. Those
who consulted the registry-book after
she had therein entered her name found
written Mr.. A. Dodge, and resolution
was instantly formed to pay all due
honor to the bearer of the name. The
arrival was deemed quite opportune, for
the majority of the guests, having been
stationary many weeks as permanent
summer boarders, were quite ready for
a new diversion.


The next morning Miss Dodge was
agreeably surprised at having her ac-
quaintance sought by anumber of ladies,
and at realizing altogether an amount
of attention which was unparalleled III
her experience. She received an invita-
tion to walk to an attractive spot with
one group of ladies, another invited her
to drive over TO the lake, and yet third
made an appointment with her to ascend
the hill in time TO view the sunset.


All this was very fiattering to Miss
Dodge, nor could she avoid regarding it
as extremely promising to business pros
pects Apparently, the good ladies had
been apprised of her mission, and were
prepared to profit by it. Nevertheless,
the comments made by her new acquaint-
ances when she referred to business puZ-
zled her, and she was astonished to find
them so conversant with her views of
life. Several times she was on the point
of inquiring who had introduced her to
their notice, but something always in
terfered.


In the course of the day Miss Dodge
stole time to call on Mr.. Martin, the
business man whose inducements had
brought her to the place. To her infinite
relief, she learned that he was absent
from home, and would not return for
several days. 1t seemed indeed delight
ful that, before settling down to her
confning work, she might conscientiously
enjoy the bright holiday vouchsafed for.


During the evening the guests were
nearly all assembled in the parlor, and
ladies and gentlemen We'd with each
other in doing the stranger homage.
Miss Dodge had always been considered
agreeable in the present genial atmos-
phere she was becoming truly brilliant.
She-was impelled to relate anecdotes
and adventures in Il manner that aston
ished herself, and she found sundry
crude opinions ripening into definite
form under the deferential questioning
to which she was subjected.


The second day, like the first con-
tanned series of pleasing surprises. In
the morning deputation of citizens
called upon Miss Dodge to request her
to attend grand gala reception to be
held in her honor at the town hall. This
was very charming, but entirely the re-
verse of anything she had anticipated


Miss Dodge was twenty-five years OF
age, and rather above the medium height
of woman. She had eXurberant masses
of glossy brown hair, which she wore
simply coiled above the shapely head,
and her large lustrous eyes were of that
hazle-tinted gray, which is indicative of
decisive temperament. Her features
were not actually handsome, yet they
were too characteristically defined to be
ever stamped as homely; and when
illumined by the smile which was pc
culiarly its own, the face was very at
tractive. Her carriage was incompara-





the Countess Hahn-H Hahn, in her Faus-
tina, tells us few woman can do.


The reception was n success. Numer-
Gus prominent citizens harangued the
newcomer in words of kindly welcome,
and to each little speech she ventured
upon an appropriate reply. Through
out the evening constant reference was
made to a certain Judge Alden, who was
unfortunately out of town, and whose
absence was deemed the one drawback
to the evenings enjoyment. His wife
and daughters were present, and they
assured Miss Dodge that the Judge
would do himself the pleasure of calling
so soon as he returned.


Directly after breakfast next morning,
Judge Alden's card was brought to our
friend, and in no little trepidation she
betook herself to the parlor to meet the
important man. A most comical-look-
ing little individual, endowed with that
sleek complacency and comfortable ro-
tundity indicative of luxuriant living,
arose as she entered, and sprang for
ward with ludicrous alacrity to meet her.
As his extended hand met hers, the eye
glasses, so foppishly perched upon his
nose, fell from their proud position, and
his honor was forced to readiust them
before unburdening himself of the speech
trembling upon his lips.


"Miss Dodge" he finally began, plac-
ing one plump little hand upon his
heart, while with the other he softly
pressed the lady's fingers, "it affords
me infinite satisfaction to have the op-
portunity of making your acquaintance.
1 have long been your most ardent ad-
mirer, and / may safely assert that
first interested our rtownspeople in you. {"


Here the little man assumed modest
expression, while Miss Dodge, rs she
gently disengaged her hand and motioned