Year: 1875

She was half promised to him, but in hel
thoughts there in the dark room she defied
him to exact the promise


"What in the world is the matter with
the girl ~ said her mother.


But the father only nodded his wise
head, and bade the mother leave her
alone. He looked at the absurd little por-
tralt OF his short-waisted aunt Dorothy, OF
whom Bessie was the image and super
scription. and remembered the story OF
her courtship as he had heard her tell it.
1T will all come right mother" he said
Its all wrong now" said the mother
And these tantrums will be the death of
me II they don't come to an end soon"


Perhaps Mr.. Beckwith thought they
would be the death of him If he did, he
could devise no way to overcome them.
half promised as she was BY those melt
ing lips Of hers, he could not arrive with
~ sufficient distance again of the rebell-
lous little maiden to exact the rest of the
promise. That his power was felt, and
not only telt now but recognized, was evi-
deht enough, or She would never have
| tried to escape him 50. In the mask of
holden, OF in the mask OF nonnette, which
ever way it was, she was equally mac
sessible


II there was to be a picnic now in the
parish, an occasion where all were on a
| level, this young woman announced her
intention OF going, before Mr. Beckwith
had the chance to invite her, in the COM
pany OF another suitor and nobody in that
house had ever been much in the habit Of
gainsaying Bessie Allan When evening
meeting was over, she was not the one to
wait for the minister; she caught her
fathers arm, aud said "Quick ! Don't
let anybody take me And after that
mark Of confidence, the proud and loyal
father, happy slave Of q spoiled mistress,
would not have surrendered her to the
minister himself who was, it was very
likely, plodding on behind with her
mother and the lantern When the sew
ing circle closed its session. Bessie said
Yes to the first spruce young Corydon
that stepped forward And when three
weeks had passed after that twilight in
the lane, Mr. Beckwith had not spoken
one word with her.


But, for all that, there was a change in
Bessie. Nobody ever heard her voice
caroling out Of the window now; nobody
heard her old sweet laugh, like the music
Of 4 brook; there was a curious little
tr0Wn between her eyes when on her
maddest escapade, Mr.. Beckwith, look
ing at her unperceiyed, with his longing
pain, felt that if he did not conquer soon,
it would be the worse for Bessie He
knew well enough now after the inno-
cent kiss whose remembrance so thrilled
hlm-that she loved him; he knew we'll
enough that it would break her heart
should lie abandon his attempt; he knew
well enough those hidden springs of feel-
ing which reacted 50 upon the young
nature Of which she was totally ignorant,
and Wnose first stirring 50 disturbed her;
he knew well enough that he could make
her so blsstul that she would one day
wonder at and despise this time Of doubt
and fear and this desire for longer liberty
from the great thral Of love But not
one chance was he finding 70 make her
learn these things


1t was Just at this season, as It hap
penea toward the close OF the bright
September days, that flaming handbills
We're posted up at every corner and on
every empty fence proclaiming the ap-
proach Of Eden's great Scriptural Show
and Gymnastn .,.,,crt fA;odf ;t .lto
snpposlng anything other than a circus.
Miss Bessie, OF course, read the handbills
in common with others, and straightway
announced to her astonished family that
She was to be q patrOness Of the great
Scriptural Show to the extent Of single
TICKET


go to the circus " came the astonshed
chorus Of remonstrance


1T isn't circus" said Bessie 'sIts a
Scriptural show There are texts from
the Bible on every cart


They take the livery Of God to serve
the devil lnr' exclaimed her father.


" i don't see any such necessity y she
reloined. "1t'5 an opportunity for study
ing natural history such as seldom occurs,
the bills say"


"Much natural history in those dancing
women and riding mem"


"Oh as for that part, | shouldn't think
there could be anything more interesting
than the sight of those people springing
through the air from their trape Ee,' said
the well-mforned young persoh, land
showing what fine bodies they c;sn make
tor themselves. Like pictures of the hea-
then gods"


Nonsense y" said Mrs Allan; "non-
sense Your heads turned Youl a
deacOnS uaugntef.


Yes. my child" said her father. Il
agree with your mother here I've never
denied YOU much, Bessie. but | feel that
| must deny YOU this. You can't 60 to
the circus


You" said her mother, that the min
ster has paid attention to!"


That settled it, Nothing but irons could
have kept Bessie from that circus after
those fatal words She contded to George
Knight at once her intention of going to
the circus; and when the mighty show
came into town, she watched her chance
and harnessed the tilly herself into the
little open wagon, and set off with George
Knight unseen and unmssed for time,
to visit the beasts and the gymnasts of the
forbidden entertainment.


"What the minister can see in that girl."
SAID old Miss Sparks, looking through the
window as the wagon whirled by, Il can't
see. She'sau engaging rogue, that's true,
but shouldn't want to marry her" But
as nobody wanted Miss Sparks to marry
her, it didn't 50 much signify.


Bessie was in great spirits. She was
disobeying; that in itself always kindled
her merrment Then she felt sure that
MI. Beckwth would disapprove, and that
was another excitement. She had tore
boding that the time was coming present
y when her free agency would cease; till
i did cease she was defiant. And accord
ingly, well-pleased with her success thus
tar she and George sung and laug4 till
the road rang with their oyertlowing gay
ETY. as they drove along and put the tillv
through her PAGES.


It was only a couple Of miles before the
road grew dusty and thronged. People
were coming and people were going. All
sorts Of vehicles jostled together Far off
they could hear the strains Of band ris-
ing and falling on the wind till they were
IN an ecstasy OF expectation, as they grew
silent and listened Booths began to line
the way, with lemonade and mineral wa
ters and worse; and presently the tents
rose on their sight like white clouds, the
flag waving its long folds over them. And
now they were in the great space before
the tents, crowded with teams, with foot
passengers with men leading plebald