Year: 1876

in moment! And he could no more re.
| place it than he could fly, without wha,
was the same to him as absolute ruin. Oi
course he must replace it; he could moi
be indebted, through the stupidity of his
servant, or through any other means to
Miss MERCER in that sum. Without any
doubt She valued such bit of lace; and
it anything were needed to demonstrate
to him the wisdom of the course he had
decided on, and the utter absurdity ol
having dared for single moment to look
with love on one of these darling of for.
tune, it was the fact that her handker,
chiefs alone were items of five hundred
dollars. What shame what a wicked
ness what preposterous folly How
could young man marry! He burned
with indignation then.


But to replace it, one third of the sum
he was saving to redeem his little proper
ty from mortgage all the money he really
had in the world beyond that from his
daily expenses 1t was the ruin of his
hopes, his ambition, his pride, that scorn-
ed SO to be anybodys debtor; it threw
him back in the race how longi But it
must be done He had a trille over $500
in the national solyency bank. He drew
his check for the necessary sum, and fold
ed 1t away in his pocketbook, and then
went about his business till night-tall
when he came back to his dreary rooms,
and made himself ready for q call at Mrs
Rarnetta'S


The night had never seemed so beauti-
tul, the stars so large and keen far above
the earth, SO remote and cod-tlley typi-
fled all the dear and happy things of life
forever removed from him His heart was
chilled and his face was white when he
stood at last in Mrs Barnetta's drawing
room, and she tloated forward to meet
him. He had not asked for Miss Mercier


"lt is delicate errand, Mrs. Barnetta, F"
said he, with a dreary attempt at smiling
but the truth is that my maid. in her Of
ticious kindness, has done such damage to
q bit Of Miss Mercier's property that |
must replace it. And have come to beg
you, out Of your friendship for me, to
transact the affair, if such an article can
be replaced here. | believe these little
triles are rather costly, and if you will
procure one"-and he laid the check he
had drawn that morning and the little
limp rag in Mrs. Barnetta's hand-"as like
the original as possible, II


My dear Mr.. Malyln, what III the
world are you talking OFF" cried Mrs.
Barnetta. Have you money to throw
about in this wayP Five hundred dollars
what is it tor?"


TO replace Miss Mercier's handker-
chief, it you will be 50 kind as to make
the purchase"


Like this?n said Mrs Barnetta, hold
ing up the little lIny rag by one corner


Like that" said Lucian.


"Oh, that is too good" cried Mrs Bar
nctta with a peal of laue ehter. "lt is too
men are. Did you imagine that this bit
of hnery was worth all that ?-this little
scrd of grass-cloth and German Lace? No
wonder the young men don't marry, then !!
My dear Mr. Malvin, this miserable hand
kerchiet cost exactly two dollars and Il
half, and was nearly worn out at that.
Did you imagine, too, that my poor little
Rosa could wear five hundred dollar hand
kerchiets, without a cent to her name ?"


"Without a cent to her name ?" cried
Lucian, springing to his feet


Exactly. Aha! Is that the trouble !?
Now why didn't you come and talk it
over with me in the way you used to do,
and save yourself all this vexation. and
save my little Rosa too? What an absurd
boy You are Another would have waited
to hear that she was an heircss; you wait
to hear that she is pennless. Well, she
is, if that satisfies you, except for what
shall leave my little god-daughter when
die-which will not be at present. d. V.
And there she is in the next room now
But, bless me-


Lucian had not waited for the rest of
the invocation He WAS already in the
next room, and Rosa was already in his
arms