Year: 1873

gentlemanly desertion of his betrothed.
Yet we, who watched her with the jeal-
ousy of affection, soon discovered a change
in her. She became pale and sad, often
fearful, till finally she confided to me that
Stanley was evidently weary of her, and
had ceased to love her. Even then she at
tributed the chage to some defect in her
self, not seeing the mercenary motive till
later, when time had taken the glamour
from her eyes and heart. She gave him
back his ring and promises, thus accepting
the position his unmanly conduct had
forced upon her, of herself breaking the
engagement between them. The first love
of her life was the last. She was your
grandfather's comfort until he died, and
then went to keep house for Hoyt who
lost his wife and baby one year after his
wedding-day. When he died he left her
the house and money, and she lived there
till she died. Still know she loved you,
and / am quite sure her will is not de-
signed so much to keep you single as it is
to win the disinterested love of your future
husband"


There was a long silence after Mrs.
Markham concluded her story, and Jessie
allowed her head to rest in her mothers
lap, under her carressing hand trying to
picture future Of easy competency shared
by the companion of her life. 1t had its
bright side there was still love and hap
piness for her yet. And then bright face
crowned with curly brown hair would come
before her, and she knew that the hand
some house nor the comfortable income
could ever fill her heart if Charlie left an
aching void there.


Suddenly, like gust of wind, there
swept into the little sitting-room, tall,
broad-shouldered young man, in gray
tweed suit and souch hat, which latter
article found resting place upon the floor,
as the young giant braced himself before
Jessie in an attitude OF grim defiance that
sent thrills of glad music into her heart.


will you have the kindness, Miss Mark
ham," said the intruder, towering in his
six feet of manhood over Jessie's new seat,
"to tell me what you mean by that absurd
letter Polly handed me? Was it not fully
understood that you and were to share
this cottage with your mamma until l at
tanned sufficient legal eminence to warrant
the purchase of a brown-stone front in New
York? was deluded into the belief that
your presence in the culinary department
of our establishment was to reduce our ex-
pences to the limits of our present income
Was it not represented to me that my
present hoard was sufficient to meet the re-
quirements of two in this domicile? In
short, Miss Markham, in what way was /
ever led TO suppose that the fortune of
your spinster aunt was to influence in the
slightest degreee your matrimonial rela-
tions in regard to myself? l pause for a
reply"


Jessie stood up, her hands meekly folded
together, and her happy eyes downcast
till the long lashes kissed her cheek.


"Please forgive me for this time, and
I'll never do it again." she said and then
the laugh dimpled her cheek, danced in
her eyes, and rippled out clear and sweet
upon the air.


"Oh, Charlie Charlie | knew YOU
never thought of Aunt Jesses money"


I" And YOU" said Charlie, holding her
off at arms length, "you can have it all if
you give me up"


GAS if loved money better than you"
said Jessie, nesting now in the strong
arms wrapped closely around her.


1t seemed, however, as if Charlie was ac-
tually afraid of the money that was SO
temptingly near Jessie's grasp, for he com
menced series of interviews that bore en-
tirely upon the subject of an immediate
marriage.


"What is there to wait for? he would
ask, and then enter upon calculations of
his present expenses and those of the
future, proving most conclusively that
there was decided saving for both in
uniting their incomes.


"You remind me" said Jessie, " of the
Dutchman who said he could almost sup
port himself alone, and it was pity il
two OF them could not do it entirely"


But though she laughed at him, Jessie
was quite willing to admit the force of his
reasoning, and one bright June morning,
six months after Aunt Jessie's death, there
was quiet wedding in the village church
and breakfast in the cottage for few
chosen friends. Among these was Aunt
Jessie's lawyer, for the win stipulated that
the sealed codicil was to be opened at Jes
sie's wedding il she preferred love 10