Year: 1872

1t was Sophie speaking in her good natured
musical voice.


"But," answered the young school teach
er, 81 am poor and my father is poor; il
1 wore good clothes it would be a sort of
lie."


so dear % said Sophie--she had most
charming way Of saying 40 DEAR" and
now it smote my heart a little-"O dear,
how honest you are Why come home
every day and dress up, and take my school
books and go calling. like people to
think that my nice clothes are my school
clothes"


Here the car going down came along and
they got in, but 1 walked back, not liking
to ride with them. And put my hand
over the watch several times to be sure
that it was there. And wasn't glad that
it was there?


was called home during the Christmas
holidays. My father sent down clerk of
his own, we'll acquainted with the business,
to take charge of my store. ! did not have
to give him any directions except warn
ing not to sell my Lady Elgin to anybody.


1t so happened that in returning to Cat
taqua after New Years, travelled in the
same car and sat in the same seat with
Louisa Jones, the young school teacher,
who had been spending the holidays with
her parents at Aurora. Unsentimental as
am, l liked her more and more, and /
| al fbipoc ahOttt har in tho ayt
days which raised her greatly in my esti-
nation, but which cannot take time to
tell.


A week after New Years she brought
in her watch to have it fixed. 1t was an
old silver English lever of her fathers.
She asked how soon could fix it, and
told her that it would take four days, on
account of the work ahead of it. She look
ed disappointed. A time piece is indis-
pensable to teacher, you know, so of
fered to lend her watch. l took down
one and put it back three times. Then l
went to the show case, and with a tremu-
lous hand took up my Lady Elgin, first
removing the chain. She did not know
the watch, and so let me fasten it to her
watch guard without suspicion.


Before night the absence Of the watch
from the show case had been observed,
and all the girls set themselves to find out


who wore it, Sophie Bennett was accused
of having it, and she managed to deny it


in such way as to leave the impression


that she had it,, u lg


Early the next morning, in came Louisa


Jones. "Mr. Irving" she said, "you have


made mistake. l find in the back of this


watch an inscription which leads me TO
think that you have given me what you


did not mean to-"


Foreseeing that the conversation would
be delicate one, gave Themas, my ap-
prentice, letter to mail, and then took
the watch and read the inscription in order
to gain time. had put on the inside Of
the case a sentence had heard the minis
, ter quote: +" A perfect soomdn molly plan.
ned"
handed it back to her and said: "Miss
Jones, / made no mistake. lent you that
watch on purpose"


"But you must see" she said strongly,


"that cannot wear it on any account y
, 81 do not see," said smiling, and blush


ing, fear.


"It would create false impression.


"If you say that the impression it would
create would be false, must take it back. y
.'How could it be otherwise than false 2?
she asked a little puzzled.
. 81 know of but one way" / said slowly
: "You know what the impression made


would be. On my part wish that it nigh
Q be true one. If you are agreed, it shall
{ be and you shall accept the watch and weal
. it forever"


She was silent, holding the watch anC
t turning it over absently and growing ex
a ceedingly red.


| "Tale time" said. "Do not show
I the inscription to any one. will come
o and see you about it whenever you say
Q Shall it be this evening ?"
i She nodded her head and left.
; She has often told me that she did tn,
: poorest teaching of her life that day. l
l does not matter. She has long since qui
It teaching. But 1t took the gossips lonl
n time to find ont who had the watch. Sh
7 wears it yet--only her name is not Jone
q now.


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