Year: 1873

The year 1865 had grown old.
Bleak November, burdened with
the symptoms of approaching win
ter, had hidden the metropolis a
chilly adieu. Indoors had become
the resort of choice, out-of-doors
the venture of necessity, the blazing
hearth haven of refuge, and gar
ments of wool the dispensers of COM
fort. Falling leaves strewed the
ground, and stark branches over
head bore witness to the departure
of the sunny days and the never
failing return of the season.


On one of the uptown streets of


New York stood an old frame cot


tage one story in height, then tot


tering to decay, and bearing unmis-


taxable reference to an age past and


gone. 1t was q wide house, but


not very deep, and several years
ago had been divided by a partition
into two equal apartments or tene-
ments. In this partition a door had
been placed, but there being no oc-
casion for its use, it had been nail
ed fast and communication cut off


Over this door was a fanlight, the


glass of which had been broken


long before and as the door was


not a very high one, or the fanlight


wide, any persons could have climb


ed through the opening.


In one side of this house lived az


aged man, who, within the recollec


ton of the oldest neighbors, had al


ways been called old Iuntley. His


only child, Jennie, a lovely young


girl of eighteen, kept house for him,


and appeared to be his sole comfort


and consolation. On the other side


of the old cottage q young man


named Richmond Bar kept bach


elor's hall. Apparently poor, and
certainly very reserved, but little
of his history or situation in life
was known, except the fact that he
was an industrious law student,
with nothing in hand but every
thing in prospective. The two
neighbors had never become COM
municative, merely meeting with a
nod of recognition, and passing by
with conversation, so that compara-
lively, they were as strangers to
each other.


Mr. Huntley and Jennie earned
their living by toiling early and late
Jennie with her needle, and her
father at cigar making, his old occu-
patton. Therefore they were not
utterly destitute, but still found it a
struggle to make both ends meet
and sustain existance.


Richmond Barr had often gazed
on his neighbor's fair daughter with
admiring eyes, and as often thought
it would have taken but very little
effort to teach his heart to love the
beautiful creature who so lovingly
cared for and frightened the declin-
ing years of the life of her own par
ent. He had not before he met her,
been entirely without an object of
affection, for Heaven, in its wise or
had placed upon his shoul-
ders the burden and care of poor
piece of humanity,
relative of the family, |
but a being without mental light or
reasons, direction, utterly under his
guidance and support this idiot
boy, only fourteen, became an object
Of his most tender regard and solici-
tude. This wreched relative was a
second cousin, but had never been
noticed by any other name than
Jack.


On the evening of the day we re-
cord, Richmond Barr sat by the en-
bers of scanty fire, reading the
points of a law case. Perched in
his favorite place, on the only table
in the room, Jacks eyes were turn
I'd toward his cousin with vacant
stare. This table stood Immediate
y under the fanlight and against
he door which divided the apart
nent from old Huntly's. The neigh
,ors were absent at the moment
poken of, though very shortly
Mr.. Huntly and his
laughter both returned from their
laily duties. Jennie set about pre-
,aring the evening meal, to procure
he necessaries of which she was OBJ
iged to cross the street to a store
ONE two blocks off. During her
.bsence one of those prowling vaga-
,onds who frequent that portion of
he city, intent on robbing the hon
st people of the community, and
rho was even then seeking his prey,
'assed by the window of the house.
)ld Huntly had lit the gas, but neg