Year: 1876

Miss Julia Gordon had come from
the great metropolis to spend few
weeks In the country. Her father,
Q wealthy merchant and widower, had
90 recommended, it that she had fol
lowed his advice. although somewhat
opposed to her own secret wishes.
Indeed, tired and satiated as she had
been with city life. she expected to
be promiscuously bored, aud find no
satisfactory relief or recreation in the
sameness and monotony Of country
life. But at the end Of q single
month, how all such anticipafory
pictures Of gloom and WEAKNESS were
dissipafed! How kind and consider
ate had been her aunt, whom she
Was visiting! How very thoughtful
and attentive even to her slightest
wishl And then the country air was
so invigorating! She could not tave
chosen better month than that so
highly priced. not by poets only, but
10y plain, downright prosaic people
the golden month OF June. How
much elated with her visit, and how
greatly satisfactory IL had been, may
be seen when she wIote her father a
letter, drenched in bucolics, praying
for permission TO remain ut least
month beyond the time she had at
fret made reluctant determination
should be the length of her visit.


She, OF course made some arquaint-
ances In the village near which her
sunt's farm was located; and. among
others, that OF the Methodist minister
ofsaid village, y good looking person on
the whole, but not man TO captivate
. fashionable young lady $ heart, TO
whom Irritation had been u pastime;
and yet there was an Intuition in the
young lsdy's mini that there was
something about him far from un.
pleasing TO her. How they became
known to each other, har rpened In
this wise:


She had gone in her aunt's CON-
pany TO his church. In serious antici-
patton OF hearing prosy, unpleasant
sermon, enforced with customary the
earnestness of the wesleyans, and
had been happily disappointed. The
Rev. Mr.. Paine was not what one
would designate az a fine looking
man, but his forehead and cast OF
head were decidedly so. He had been
in the village only six months. and
had become quite popular. and was
objected to by the older members
snly on account OF not pressing home
the truths OF the gospel In 80 forci-
BILE . manner as they could have
wished. After the sermon, Miss Cor
don adjourned with her aunt to the
Sunday school. and they met Mr..
Paine. Though only II few common
places passed between them. a con-
genial cord was struck, and they
seemed as intimate as II they had
known each other for years. On ie-
turning with her aunt, she could not
but confess to her inmost self how
much interested she had become in
him.


That afternoon she rs-resd Locks.
ley Hall, and had been struck with
the words. "as the husband Is, the
wife Is" and wondered II they were
literally true. Then she thought for
the moment with aversion OF the
young man who had been paying her
considerable attention. He was not
. bad hearted man, but city life and
temptations he had freely INDUCED
In. and she could not but realize how
little there was in his life to -nnObl-
character. In contrast with tho
country persoD, she could not but
feel that he was greatly lowered
I'm the comparison. But why make
the comparison? She had no
thoughts OF marrying yet; AMI still
she did make the comparison, and
continued TO do so.


The parson now became frequen t
caller at the house. and soon their
acquaintance ripened into n warm
and tender friendship, though not as
y partaking OF the holier name OF
love. One beautiful morning they
were to go trout fishing As Miss
Gordon stood ready TO be escoi ted to
the trout stream, may be pardoned
for saying q word about her personal
appearance. From her style OF gar
msnt. one would hardly suppose she
had any serious intent to inveigle
many trout. She wore a pretty
check muslin dress that fitted her
figure exactly: crimson shawl ol
very transpaI ent texture she carried


on her arm; coquettish hat; sur


umbrella, and q dainty fishing rod, q


present from her father; altogether