Year: 1873




September Hattie found herself at the
country residence of Mrs. Montgomery, on
the Hudson. Mrs. Montgomery saw at
once she had not imagined half how lovely
Hattie was.


One evening as Edith and Hattie were
sitting in the parlor, Edith said, "Oh, l
do wish could have you for my sister,
Hattie; but as have no brother old enough
for you, l have cousin that l wish you
could catch"


cor, rather" said Hattie, "that he
could catch me ?''


"Well, don't care which, so you both
were one. Just wait one minute, have
his photograph in my album, and just tel
me if you do not say he is an fat? All
the girls are dreadfully III love with him,
and in fact, some say he is engaged to his
cousin, Bell Langdon, with whom he is
now travelling in Europe"


They turned over each succeeding page.


"Ah, here he is, now," said Edith.


Hattie's head swan and her heart gave
one great throb, while a film spread over
her eyes, as she bent down to look at the
new photograph. 1t was like meeting Vim
cent LIE Roy again, and as though he were
Just about to speak to her. Why had he
never told her Edith and he were cousins ?
A sudden revulsion came over her, and she
suddenly closed the book.


"This,,' said Edith" does not do him
half Justice"


Hattie tried to act as though she did not
know the original; but her womanly mod
esty and fear of betraying herself, caused
her to become perfectly silent, SO much so
that Edith remarked upon the silence so
suddenly come over her, and asked her if
she was sick.


Nothing at all; it will soon pass off,
said Hattie. "It is only a slight faint
ness" and size felt that if Edith would
only be, or could be, little suspicious, she
would have confided in her, and then and
there told her ALL But Edith not suspect
ing, continued saying,


"Nincent is the handsomest, richest and
best bred man you ever knew or saw; and
now when he returns he will be so splen-
did. "But phsaw,' Edith continued,
"what will be the use of all the girls fall
ing in love with him? He cannot marry
them all at once; and 1 know one thing if
he is not engaged to Belle Langdon, he can
get her if he wishes to. 1t is true she is a
beauty, and great heiress, and the belle
wherever she goes; and If Vincent asks
her, l know she will have him. He is an
excellent part; and will not refuse him,
though Vincent says she is cold.'


SWELL" said Hattie, If were in Miss
Langdon's place, l would refuse him point
blank as punishment for his conceit and
vanity"


"Papa and Ma are both anxious for the
match, bat think it is pity to bind him
down so soon, for he is so young


1t was more impossible now than ever
for Hattie to tell Edith that she had long
known Vincent lie Roy. Can all l have
heard be true? thought she; and yet the
letters he writes me are so full of decara-
tions of love. Can the heart of man be
deceitful above all things? Does he think
he can be engaged to another and yet tlirt
with me? Oh no, Mr.. LIE Roy, it is Hattie
Weston you are acquainted with.


Hattie used to love to sit in her solitude
and think of the time when he would re-
turn home, her heart apparently cheerful
and full of sun shine; and her eyes bright
with liquid brightness that told there
was life within; but after hearing all this
from the lips of his cousin, her first
thoughts we're to Danish him entirely, and
no longer correspond with him; but as she
had never done anything unlady-like or
unconventional in her life, she thought she
would abide the future and not act upon
the impulse Of the moment. His letters
were full of sincerity and constancy, and
telling her he hoped after such long pro-
baton, she would raise him from his knees,
and resting her head upon his heart tell
him she was his.


Love is romantic; its first impulses, of
all the previous sensations that are vouch-
safed to us in this world, are the most
intoxicatingly delicious; and none will
laugh at them, and tho description of
them, except the lone and pitiable, who
have never felt them; or those more lonely
and pitiable who have felt them only to be
blghted and agonized by the sting Of dis
appointment they have left behind. And
some in addition to the hoary heads, whose
hearts time has scared, not mellowed as it
should; and who laugh at the gushing
emotion of youth, and their own youthful
days because the canker of worldliness has
exspelled them from their memories, or
exhibits their buoyant earnestness in a
destroying mirror. Yes, love constitutes
the essence of the souls romance, and has
little in itself that hath affinity to the dull
common places of the world. But to the
cold and chilling ice of those common
places will thrust itself in with its torpify-
ing influences, to the fairest and most
glowing of its spirits ideal paradises.


The Summer had come and gone, and
October found Hattie Weston Governess
again at Clover Dale. She tried to resume
her old cheerfulness, and be bright as
usual. She dreamed her young dreams,
and saw bright visions; but envy and
doubt often troubled tho calm surface of
her soul. She was so much a child, and
yet so much woman, that she played
with the lonely toys of her imagination
and regarded not the outer world.


Two years had rapidly passed by, and
the Spring had once more come at Clover