Year: 1871

her parents, she returned but one reply /:


at is better so; and let the subject
never be renewed"


And from that day forth, the name of
Blake Hammond was unspoken at Elm
stead


But despite her seeming serenity, it
cost Annette no slight effort to submit to
the sundering Of a tie which, for four
happy years, had bound her, Four years
ago, when she was nineteen and he twen-
ty-two, she had pledged her faith to Blake
Hammond, and they were to have been
married the coming Christmas day.


Circumstances had occurred which, to
the worldly mind of young Hammond,
justified him in breaking his plighted
word, and casting the trusting girl from
his heart.


He was ambitious, though poor he as.
pired to wealth, his idol /; and how could
he ever reach the glittering treasure, if
he married an insolvent's daughter?


For five long months had Annette Burns
toiled in the noisy factory.-Far from all
her kindred, in strange city, and among
unsympathizing strangers, she went about
her daily task, From "cock Grow until
starlight" the same weary monotonous
round, unvaried by single kind word or
friendly smile. Every thread that she
wove in the senseess web was {. record of
the death of some fair hope; every desc
late sunset marked the fading out of a
little more brightness from her young
life.


Nothing but the thought that she was
to save the beloved roof over the heads of
her dear ones, buoyed her up and kept
her strong and willing. Only the re-
membrancc that she was laboring for
father, mother, and Fred, cheered and
sustained her.


The other girls-her gay companions
in the factory exp ended their hard
earned money in gaudy dresses she made
no purchases every dollar was boarded
as jealously as the miser boards his gold.
The first payment to Mr.. Steele, the
holder OF the mortgage on Emstead,
had been promptly met; and only the
closest application and economy would
enable her to discharge the next install
ment.


The girls sometimes joked her about
her meager wardrobe; the light hearted
young men employed about the establish
ment, called her the Quakeress and her
landlady entreated her, as special favor
and for the credit of her clearinghouse,
to purchase new winter bonnet.-But
Annette endured all in silence, and kept
on in the old way.


Her quiet, statucsque beauty attracted
much notice, and, had she so willed it,she
might have been what each of her young
companions aspired to be, the belle of the
factory.


But her wish seemed to be to escape
observation, and she turned deaf ear to
all the batteries and galantrics of the ad-
mlrlng young men. When strangers WIS.,
tied the room in which she worked, she
never looked up; what right had she to
meddle with the gay and happy world?


One day her overseer, Mr. Granger,
said to her in passing:


"Miss Burns, there is to be a grand
levee at the hall this evening, in honor of
the arrival of Mr.. Templeton, the owner
OF the mill. He has been in Europe the
last two years You have heard the girls
speak of the ovation, presume ?"


"Yes, sir"


"There will be music and dancing, |
believe. Shall you attend?"


81 believe not"


"Indeed | had hoped otherwise. In
fact, l stopped to ask you if might cs-
cort you thither 2"


"Thank you. You are very kind but
L cannot CO." She turned away to look
after woolen thread, and he walked on
to bestow his attentions where they would
be better appreciated,


Mr.. Granger was selfconceited little
man, and quite favorite with the young
ladies in his room.


"Attend the levee !" Annette said the
words over to herself with sarcastic en-
phasis. She, whose dress was delaine,
darned in the waist and exceedingly scant
in the skirt She, whose shoes were worn
to the utmost, and now hardly sufficed to
perform their wonted office


But this day the girls were all in their
holiday attire. There was a great deal
of laughter and hustle among them, and
many eager glances were cast towards
the door which opened into that depart
mcnt Annette asked no questions, but
the reason for the unwonted display was
explained to her by the girl in the next
row of looms.


MIR. Templeton was coming in that
morning to inspect the works. 1t was
eminently fitting that the owner of all
this wealth should be received with some
little demonstration.


Aye the owner of them all Annettes g
heart was very bitter toward this man.
She felt grieved with herself for it, but
she could not crush the feeling. lie, rich
and powerful, what cared he for the toll
and suffering of the humble operative, by
whose weary labor he gained his wealth ?
She would not even turn her head to
get glimpse of him when he came in,
, attended by his secretary and couple
of overseers. The party halted before
the loom at which she was engaged, and
conversed for moment about that parti-
, cular kind of cloth.-One of the overseers
made an inquiry relative to this web, and
Annette, raised her head to reply, met
the full gaze of Mr.. Templeton. lie dis
appointed her. She had looked for a
wiry little man, with hard features and
r cold eyes; she saw instead, tall, well
developed figure, with a face at once
noble and striking A massive forehead
crowned by clustering curls of brown
, hair, deep, fathomless brown eyes and
r firmly cut features. The only trace OF
) haughtiness was in the firm compression
Of the lips, and the almost stately carriage
D Of the head. MIR. Templeton evidently
noticed her scrutiny, for he bowed to her