Year: 1871

are lno most uncnangeaDle Ol ldnu uldrkS,
revived the old passion with undiminished
power. He paced his room at night. He
| looked out at the new house of his rich,
| neighbor He chafed under the restraint
| of his vow not to think again of Jennie
| Morton. 1t was the old story of the
| monk who thinks the world subdued, but
| who finds it all at once about to assume
| the mastery of him. do not know how
| the struggle might have ended, but it was
all at once stopped from without.
"There reached him rumor that Jen-
| ME Morton was already the betrothed wife
of Colonel Pearson, who was her fathers
| partner in business. And indeed Colonel
Pearson went in and out at Mr.. Morton's
gate every evening, and the father was
known to favor his suit


"Jennie was not engaged to him, how
ever Three times she had refused him.
The fourth time, in Difference to her
fathers wishes, she had consented to
think about it for a week. In truth
Henry had been home ten days and had
not called upon her, and all the hope she
had cherished in that direction, and all the
weary waiting seemed in vain. When the
colonel's week was nearly out she heard
that Henry was to leave in two days. In
sort of desperation she determined to
accept Colonel Pearson without waiting
for the time appointed for her answer.
But that gentleman spoiled it all by his
own over-confidence.


For wher he called, after Jennie had
determined on this course, he found her so
full of kindness that he hardly knew how
to behave with moderation. And so. he
fell to fattering her, and flattering HIM
self at the same time that he knew all the
ins and outs of girls heart, he compli-
mented her on the many offers she had re-
ceived.


And tell you what he proceeded,
there are plenty of others that would lay
their heads at your feet, if they were only
Gilbert, think they call him, that is
visiting his mother, in the unpainted and
threadbare looking little house that stands
behind this one. I've actually seen that
fellow, in his rusty, musty coat, stop and
look after you on the street, and every
night, when go home, he is sitting at the
window that looks over this way. The
poor fool is in love with you. Only think
of it! And I chuckle to myself when I
see him, and say, Don't you wish you
could reach so high!" declare it's
funny


"In that one speech Colonel Pearson
dashed his chances to pieces. He could
not account for the sudden return of winter





sunshine was powerless to dispel it, or to
bring back the least approach of spring.


"Poor JennieI You can imagine, doc
tor, how she paced the floor all that night
She began to understand something of the
courage of Henry Gilbert's heart, and
something of the manliness of his motives.
All night long she watched the light
burning in the room in the widows house;
and all night she debated the matter until
her head ached. She could reach but one
conclusion: Henry was to leave the day
after tomorrow. If any communication
should ever be opened between them, she
must begin it. It was as if she had seen
him drifting away from her forever, and
must throw him rope. think even such
woman's-right man as yourself would
hardly justify her, however, in taking any
step of the kind"


81 certainly should" said the doctor.


"But she could not find way-she had
no rope to throw. Again the colonel,
meaning to do anything else but that,
opened the way. At the breakfast table
the next morning she received from him
magnificent valentine, ALI at once she
saw her method. 1t was st. Valentines
day. The rope was in her hand. Excus-
ing herself from breakfast she hastened to
her room.


u SS1lQ d fstlGutl1lG W IIc ldllulul
lover was the uppermost thought. But
how9 She dare not write her name, for,
after all, she might be mistaken in count
ing on his love, or she might offend
his prejudices or his pride by so
direct an approach. She went fumblingin
drawer for stationery. She drew out
little pine boat that Henry had whitfield
for her many years before. He had
named it Hope but the combined wisdom
of the little boy and girl could not sue
ceed in spelling the name correctly. And
here was the little old boat that he had
given. saying often afterward that it was the
day. The misspelt name had been the
subject of many laugh between them
Now-but mustn't be sentimental.


1t did not take Jennie long to draw an
exact likeness of the little craft. And
that there might be no mistake about it,
she spelled the name as it was on the side
of the boat:


"'HOAP.'


"There was not another word in the
valentine. Sealing it up, she hurried out
with it, and dropped it in the post-office
No merchant, sending all his fortune to
sea in one frail bark, ever watched the &C.
parture and trembled for the result of ven
ture as she did. Spain did not gray half
oo III fCutly Wnou Gu0 IuVluClDf6 ATmdQd
| sailed. 1t was an unuttered prayer-an un-
utterable prayer. For heart and hope
were the lading of the little picture boat
that sailed out that day, with no other
wind but her wishes in its sails.


She sat down al her window until she
saw Henry Gilbert pass the next street
on his morning walk to the post office.
Three minutes after, he went home, evil
IDENTIFY in great state of excitement, with
her valentine open in his hand. After a
while he went back again toward the post
Office, and returned. Had he taken
reply?


"Jennie again sought the office. There
were people all around with those hideous
things that they call comic valentines open
in their hands, And they actually seemed
to think them funny! She had reply.
1t did not take her long to find her room
and to open it. There was another pic
ture of a boat, but the name on it's side
read DESPAIR And these words were
| added: Your boat IS tue pleasantest, but
| understanding that there aods no vacant place
| a4'o7 1t, Ihaoe been Obliged to take passage ON
this Slowly the meaning forced itself
upon her. Henry had fears that
she whom he thought engaged was CO.
quetting with him. l think, doctor, you
will hardly justify her in proceeding fur





Why not? Hasn't a woman as much
right to make herself understood in such
matter as man? And when the social
advantages are on her side, the burden of
making the advances often falls upon her.
Many women do it, indirectly, and are not
censured"


Well, you know, I'm conservative,
doctor, but I'm glad you're consistent. She
did send another valentine. 1 am afraid
she strained this figure of speech about the
boat. But when everything in the world
depends on one metaphor, it will not do to
be fastidious. Jennie drew again the
little boat with misspelt name. And this
time she added five words: The masters
place is 0dcd7at'


"And quite late in the afternoon, the
reply was left at the door: am an appli
| can't for the gacant place, If you aoM take
that of masters mate"


"Good," cried the doctor; "I always
advocated giving women every liberty in