Year: 1876

Several years ago Helen Marchmont
and were Schoolmates. We were rear
ed amid the brown hills of New Hamp-
shire, far up toward the spires OF the
White mountains.


- At sixteen, Helen was the belle of the
village, the hyeliest at all our merry
makings, and the admired Of both old
and young. Indeed, in my whole life, l
have seldom seen one more beautiful
than Helen Marchmont, at the time of
which / speak. Traces of her loneliness
vet remain, but so msrred by years and
sorrow, that few who knew her then
would recognize her in the pale, sad
woman of TO- day.


Before Helen was seventeen she had
MANY offers of marriage from young
men highly esteemed by her friends, but
she encouraged them not; her whole
affections were given to Arthur Richard
son, the only son Of a poor widow who
resided in our vicinity.


He loved Helen with his whole soul,
but he could not brook the idea of tax
ing her from home of comfort, if not
of luxury, to the stern life of toll and
poverty which lay spread out before
him. Many and fiercs were the strug-
giles between love and reason; but his
pride conquered every other feeling, and
It all ended in his espousing the resolu-
ton of going to sea. A brother of his
dead father was largely engaged in the
India trade, and this uncle gave him
the supe1cargo's situation on board q
merchant vessel which traded between
New York and Singapore. It was very
hard to leave his widowed mother to her
loneliness; very hard to part with Helen;
but Richardson had before him the
prospect of carving his way to fortune,
and the thought of what should come
afterward buoyed him up through the
solemn parting. His heart was full,
but he left his native village without a
sigh or tear.


Helen was very grave and quiet for
some months after his departure, but
soon her natural sunshiny disposition
emerged from the cloud, and again she
was the life and pride of the village.
Arthur had been absent two years and
one fine September morning, as Helen
and / were picking over the ripe
whortleberries we had gathered on the
mountain the previous day, the yard
gate opened hurriedly, and in another
moment Helen was in the arms of hel
loyerl He had returned for Eriei
visit of ten days; then he was to &c
away once more, to be absent eighteen
months only, and then-the happy
blush on Helen's cheek spoke eloquently
of what would take place.


While he had been away Arthur hao
prospered. A little more of successful
labor, and he would give Helen home
of luxury and crafty her every wish
The morning of his departure arrived
When he came to bid her farewell, he
put into her hand package, saying:


"Dear Helen, I want you to weal
this to please me. It is my choice, tol
it is lust the color of your own bright
hair. And some serene Sabbath day
shall come home to find my darling II
the dress brought her from beyond th'
sea-" And folding her to his bosom
with many a passionate kiss, Arthur
Richardson went away once more. Whel
Helen opened the package she found
amid the folds of tissue paper a piece o
soft, glistening brown India satin. Sh.
laid it away carefully ; and although
often questioned her as to when it wa
to make its appe.,,ance in our ittl
church, she always slliled quietly ant
evaded the subject. But / knew YER.
well that she intended it should be he
bridal robe, and she would not have
made until near the time of Arthur's ex
pected return.


The probationary eighteen month
rolled away-daily was the good shil
Sarah Jane expected to arrive in port


The Sarah Jane was expected o.
Tuesday, and by Saturday night "
might look for Arthur in Milville. Raj
ways were things unknown, or compars
lively SO, in our region, and the journe
from Boston must be performed In a
old fashioned stage coach. Saturda
came-a clear, cloudless day in April
and by special invitation went over t
pass the time with Helen, until Arthur
arrival. She was flushed and smiling,
little anxious, but very happy, and 8
beautiful | could scarcely keep my &C