Year: 1871

Paul = said Harry Needham to his friend
DR.. Thornton, when the tea things haC
been carried out, and they sat pleasantly
talking by the bright fire Of Pennsylvania
anthracite that lit up the cosy back k-parlol
Of his pleasant New York home


The remark was most natural one
since the cozy back-parlor was so sugges-
tive of all home comforts. There were
marks of somebody tasteful fingers every
where, and Harry's eyes dwelt lovingly Oh
the closed door whence his household fairy
had disappeared with the year old baby
asleep in her arms.


Dr. Thornton looked around with slow
sweeping glance, which took in all the
graceful appointments of the room, from
the pretty Fayal work-stand, whose tremu-
lOus shadow quantity interlaced the fire.
light cast upon the floor, to the looping of
the snowy curtains, and the training Of the
Iarlor-ivy on the wall. He had the face
and manner Of master and, looking at
him, you would not wonder that, although
still young, he held already an assured po-
sition among men Of his profession who
could count twice his years of practice.


1t is strange, Harry; wish l could.


Why not p asked Needham, in surprise
at his friends earnest tone.


There was no answer for a moment
Thornton bent forward and looked musing-
" into the Goals.


The witchery Of the fre-light must be
on me tonight he said at last, with a
smile. 1t is not often that l am in a
mood for condolences. Why not, did you
say? Because | believe | am hopelessy
in love-with a memory. You would
scarcely suspect me of such romantic i'm
pressibility that the face of a girl whom
saw only once, and that years ago, should
have power to come between me and every
other woman whom might have loved
yet looking back tonight, know it is true
Having once seen my ideal, l cannot be
content with less.


1t was my first year at the German
University. l had been miserably i'll, and
my physician positively insisted upon out
door air and active exercise. So l set out,
although l could i'll afford either time or
money, in company with two or three
others, with staff and wallet, to- visit on
foot various places Of interest.


We stopped for a week in Dresden. One
dar-how well [ remember it | had been
strolling along the Elbe, through tie pub
lie gardens, watching the groups of quaint
ly-dressed people slipping their coffee in
the shade, chattering gayly to each other.
My walk ended, as usual, IN the Art Gal
lery, for pictures were my enthusiasm then
as now Going into the hall where hung
the Sistine Madonna, 1 saw party of
tourists standing before the painting. My
first glance assured me that they were
Americans, and this Of itself would have
attracted me-a home face is so dear in a
strange land-had not the central figure
of the group riveted my gaze in a moment.
The others were engaged in conversation,
pointing out the various features Of
the picture, and indulging in familiar
rhapsodies but this girl a slender crea-
ture Of not more than fifteen, st ood mo-
tioness and silent, her lips parted, faint
flush on her check, and the whiteness OF
her fnger-tips showing the firm pressure
of her clasped hands together. You want
me to tell you Of her face but it Is use
less to try cannot describe it, 1t was
very beautiful but no mere beauty could
have held me with undimnishcd charm at
this distance Of place and time. Her ex-
preston indicated not so much simple ad-
miration Of the picture as a complete
merging Of her own personality into the
sublime emotions which the theme inspired.
The wonderful minglng Of tender adora-
tion with dimly foreshadowed suffering in
the face Of the Madonna seemed to have
reproduced itself in her own until the can
vas might have been mirror, where the
image Of the dark-eyed, oval-faced girl
who stood there was uOrtra vcd


We must be going, said lady, whom
| judged to be the mother; the train
leaves at SIX, you know, and there is the
packing to be finished. Come Annie
Why, the child would stay here whole |
day touching the girls arm, who had
not moved She started, looked about her
with deep breath, and still without
speaking, turned to follow the company
from the room. As she passed me at the
door knot of leaves disengaged itself
from the brooch at her throat and fell to |
the floor | stopped quickly and returned |
it to her, and to this day cannot breathe
the spicy fragrance of geranium without |
feeling again the thrill with which her .
smile repaid me.


DR.. Thornton might have said more,
but little Mrs. Necdham came in at that
moment.


What the gas not yet Hght,d?' she
said in surprise. You gentlemen must
have been asleep, or telling secrets. Shall
| break the spell p


wish it was always as pleasantly
broken, answered Dr. Thornton, gallantly,
while Needham rose to light a taper at
the CRATE.


Your ncy croonet-tabIe is finished
see, Mrs. Needham-cannot we have
game Harry shall take two balls, and
you and l will play against him Then
IN an aside, 1t is but fair, Harry have
played my game Of life alone so long.


Later, when the strife had been tri-
umphantly concluded by Mrs Needham,
who compassed two arches and the stake
at her final stroke, and they were quietly
seated again, Needham said


You will hardly thank me, Paul, for
sending you another case when you are
overcrowded already. Our house has just
lost the services Of young lady, one of
the very best designers we have ever en-
p.oyed. You have seen our last edition of
the Christmas Hymns ? The illumina
tlons are mostly hers-sOme splendid work
there, which you know how to appreciate.
Our last order had not been filled, so [
looked up her address, and called to-day.
found her sitting with bandaged eyes in
a darkened room and suffering great pain.
Knowing that you made diseases of the
eye speciality, | recommended her to
you. had still another reason for doing
so. which | will explain. She lives alone
with her widowed mother, who has been