Year: 1873




there is something in the expression
that, to me at least, is quite unpleas-
ant-almost repellant.n


My cousin took from my hand the
photograph that l had been examin-
ing, looked at it moment with an
expression of surprise not unmingled
with pain, aud then turning away her
head with a gesture of disgust threw
it among the burning Goals in the
CRATE.


II thought that was destroyed long
ago." she said, rising hastily, and
pacing rapidly up and down the room,
as If she were striving to Danish, by
the motion, some unpleasant remini
sciences. Strange that it has never
been destroyedp


1t was one of the deariest days of a
Canadian Winter; the AIR without
was darkencd by the fast falling snow,
freezing as it fell Till it ratified like
hail on the windows; and the wind,
raging and blowing as it does in no
other country, had formed great white
drifts, that threatened to exclude en-
tirely the faint light that still strug-
gled through the ice-covered panes.-
On such day there was no danger of
interruption by visitors; so Ada and
myself had quietly settled ourcelves
in her cozy little sewing-room, where,
with gas lighted, inner shutters closed
and barred, heavy damask curtains
closely drawn, and bright coal fire
blazing in the CRATE, we strove to for
get, amid our pleasant surroundings,
the wild storm that ragged without
We had dragged an old chest from
some obscure closet, and were ran.
sacking its recesses for bright scraps
of ribbon, silk and velvets, with bits
of gold and silver lace and spangles,
from which We intended to form gor-
geous needle-books and pin-cushions
for the fancy table at a ladies' bazaar.
Amid these | had found the photo
graph in question, and / saw, with
surprise, its effects upon my usually
calm and tranquil cousin.


"A storyl storyP exclaimed,
"come tell me a story and make me
forget the snow and the wind and my
disappointment at not being able TO
go TO the theatre tonight, and all my
home-sick feelings for my dear Cali
tornia home, where days like this
could not even be imagined. l know
from your looks that there is story
connected with that very handsome
gentleman with the wicked-looking
eyes"


Wicked looking eyesr' she repeat:
ed slowly. "Ies, Anna, you may
well call them so; but with all their
wickedness there was a strange charm,
magnetism in their beauty, which it
seemed almost impossible TO resist
All / see that you are determined
to have the story and as have vivid
remembrance of how persistent you
can be l know that j must submit.


Ito begin at the beginning as
you used to say, when child; at the
time of my marriage to Henry Cor
don We were far from rich. / had
only the small property given by your
father, who would allow his orphan
niece to go portionless from his home,
and Harry had small amount invest
ed in the Westinghouse OF 4 friend
The failure of this friend soon after
our arrival in New York made it nec-
essary for my husband TO obtain q Sit
nation instead of establishing himself
in business as he had intended, and
we came to Toronto, where he was
employed by the firm of Lee & Bros.
His salary was small and we were
Obliged to live as economically as pos
sible; so Harry rented small house
on Yonge street, furnished with as
little expense as was consistent with
comfort, and took me there to COM
mence housekeeping on very small
scale indeed, keeping no servant ex-
rcept a woman who came once a week
to wash and man who came occa
sionally to saw wood, bring in caol
etc.


HAs this house is closely connected
with my story, will describe it to
! you 1t was a low brick cottage
standing quite alone in the center OF &
large garden, with vacant lots behind
on, each side, and in front too, on the
other side of the street; SO that We
were quite as much removed from
neighboringly companionship as if We
were living in the conntry. A small
!, covered porch was ia front, with q
door opening into our parlor, sitting
and drawing room; in one, fronting
this door, another opened into th'
kitchen, and another to the right int
! my bedroom; door to the right O
the kitchen opened into small store


room; and back of the kitchen was
small latticed porch, with the woot
and coal-house at one side. Here


lived as mistress and maid -ofall.work
: fo- Harry's limited salary would no
: permit us to keep a servant; but, har,
2 as l worked, some of my happies
!. hours were passed in that little house
: l often thought of my dear old hous


in San Francisco, and smiled as i'm
!. agined the astonishment of your ia
II the, if he could but see his gay an


thoughtless niece, brilliant butterfly
: as be used to call me, transformed ID
to busy, working bee.


"One day, when little Alice wa
!, about five weeks old, dismissed tn


woman whom we had employed for


short time, and resumed my house
hold labors. Bridget had been yer
g good, servant, but things in geners
g had been allowed to lose the neat an
Ie orderly arrangement in which ha


left them, and 1 spent busy day
: : cleaning and arranging the appurts


nances belonging to my small house
f hold I cnano1An1 81 10 hrr,, rf,,