Year: 1875

and l can never forget that beauti
full face as she lifted it trustfully to
mine, lighted by the raging fire in
background, 1t was then and there
l told her l loved her; and nestlino
her curly head upon my breast, she
burst into tears, and told me that
which caused me to clasp her in nv
arms and kiss her rose bud lips.


And while death was staring MS in
the face, felt momentary thrill OF
joy. We stood closely together
awaiting the dreadful crisis, saving
we would die together, and vet when
we sprang overheard in each others
arms we somehow became separated,
and she was gone! Never afterwards
was | permitted to see that dear
creature who placed so much trust
ing confidence in me at that irving
hour, and who gave her heart into
my keeping ere cruel death stopped
its beating. How [ was saved / can
hardly tell. remember nothing af-
ter jumping overheard, till found
myself in boat with a portion of
the crew, who were rowing rapidly
away from the scene of disaster.


All this called to memory the
subject on which Fred and | had
been speaking, and as continued to
think, | felt sure that he would lose
the wager, and at length be satisfied
that | meant just what | said, and
just what | was thinking about.


"Pinedale!" shouted the railway
porter, as the train stopped at our
destination just as night was begin
ming to envelope the earth in her sa-
bic mantle.


"Come Phil" said Fred, we must
move our pegs nimbly, for we have
yet to dress for the party, and Lex
pected to be there andready in time
to receive the guests And we
jumped out.


The fine residence of Squire Lacy
was beautifully illuminated; and
when Fred and I, arm-in arm, enter
ed the spacious drawing rooms, they
were all aglow with wax candles,
fine dresses, smiling faces and bright
eyes. The gay throng assembled
there was hushed to silence by our
entrance, and murmurs of admira-
tion and welcome-for Fred of
cpurse-dwelt on every lip, whilst
many of his old acquaintance came
forward to greet him.


"Phil, this is my father-Mr. Nor
ton, father" said my companion, and
the next instant'a jovial looking old
gentleman, with gray hair and smil-
ing countenance, was shaking me
warmly by the hand.


/ There seemed to be something fa-
miliar in the benevolent face that at
tracted my attention, and l could
not help scrutinizing it closely for a
moment. But concluded it was a
freak of my Imagination, inasmuch
as it was hardly probable that 1 had
ever before met Squire Lacy.


After making me acquainted with
a few of the chief persons present.
Fred whispered in my ear, "There,
Phil, rush in among 'em and choose
a partner. l can tell by their looks
that those ladies are waiting anxious
" for you to make a selection from
among them. Quick, the quadrilles
are already forming"


"No," Ireturned, shaking my head,
81 wish to be alone for awhile. l
will dance the next SET" And turn
away from him l repaired to one
corner of the room, there to gaze at
the different parties the room con-
tanned.


From my seat l watched the hand
some form of Fred, as he moved
among his happy guests, with a
pleasant word for every one, and
wondered which of the many fair
beings he would select for a partner
in the dance. Twas not kept long in
doubt.


He led forward a young lady-led
her within few feet of me-to fill
the set at the lower extremity of the
room; and as my eyes rested upon
her, fairly started and could hard
ly suppress an exclamation of aston
ishment.


She was a beautiful woman, not
tall and queenly, yet with a form
that was faultless in symmetry and
graceful in motion, A wealth of
silky hair, golden in hue, amid the
folds of which was twined a single
white lily, was an adornment to the
shapely head it covered, whilst the
great, yearning eyes, of soft, ethe-
real blue, reflected in their liquid
depths the soul of their fair owner.
The lips, full and pouting, and rival
ing in hue the ripe apricot, seemed
to invite kisses; and her delicate
cheeks were an index to the state of
her mind, as the rich carnation surg
ed back and forth beneath the trans
parent skin. Her ornaments were
few and simple, and her dress was of
spottless white, sweeping back in
rustling folds from her pretty waist
to the gaudy carpet.


But it was not her beauty that
caused me to start and exclaim with
amazement; it was not that, dear
reader, for there were others pres
ent, perhaps, who were no less pre-
possessing than the blonde beauty
who claimed nay attention. > .


This it was that caused my sur.
prise; there was that in the fair face
before me, that like Squire Lacy's,
struck me as not being entirely
strange to me. More, my mental
decision at first sight of her was that
it was Lillian with whom had Just
five years ago, leaped from the burn
steamer Victory,


But my second though; was that
it could not be; and then l laughed
at the idea as perfectly ridiculous.
How could lit be Lilian-rshe with
whom ! had parted years ago, never
to meet again in this world-she
with whom l had leaped into the
fathomless sea, and whose golden
hair had seen floating on the dark
waters for single instant, and then
disappeared beneath the rolling bill
lows? No, it could scarcely be the
lost love of my boyhood, unless the