Year: 1871

He could not account for he sudden
return OF winter in Jennie Mor.on's
manner And all his sunshine was
poweress to dispel it, or TO bring
back the least approach to spring.


"Poor Jennie! You cap imagine,
Doctor, how she paced the floor for
all that night. She began TO under
stand something of the courage 0:
Henry Gilber,'s heart, and something
Of the manliness of the motives
All night long she watched the light
burning in the room in The widows
house; and all night long she debat-
ell the matter until her head ached.
She could reach but one conclusion:
Henry was to leave the day after to
morrow. II any communication
should ever be opened between them,
she must begin it. II was as it she
hal seen him drifting away from her
forever, and must throw him a rope.
think such woman's rights man as
yourself would hardly justify her,
however, in taking any step of the
kind


Il certainly should" said tie Doc
tor.


"Bnt she could not find a way
she had no rope to throw. Again
the Colonel, meaning to do anything
else but that, opened the way. At
the breakfast table the next morning
she received from him a magnificent
valentine. All at once she saw her
method. It was ST. Valentines
lay. The rope was in her hand
Excusing herself from breakfast, she
fastened to her room.


"To send valentine to the faithful
lover was tie uppermost thought
But how? She dare not write her
name, for, after all, she might be
mistaken in counting on his love, or
she might offend his preiulices or
his pride by so direct an approach
She went tumbllng in a drawer tor
stationery. She drew ont a little
pine boat that Henry had whitfield
for her many years before. He had
named it Hope but the combined
wisdom of the little boy and girl
could not srccecd in spelling the
name correctly. And here was the
little old boat that he had gwen, say
| ing often at,erward that it was the
boat they two we're gong to sail in
some day. The misspelt nams had
been the subject of many a laugh be-
tween them. Now-but l mustn't
be sentimental.


1T did not take Jennie long to
draw an exact likeness of the little
craft. And that there might be no
mistake about it, she spelled the
name as it was on the side the boat:
'HoAP.'


''Therc was not another word III
the valentine. Sealing it up, she
hurried out with it, and dropped it
in the Post Office. No merchant
sending all his fortune to sea in one
frail bark, ever watched the depart.
u-e and tremblcd tor the result OF the
venture as she did. Spain did no,
pray half so fervently when the in
vincible Armada sailed. 1t was al
uttered prayer-an unutterable pray
er. For heart and hope were the
la,ing of the little pictureboat that
sailed out that day, with no other
wind but her wishes in its sails.
';She sat down at the window un.
til she saw Henry Gilbert pass the
next street corner on his morning
walk to the Post Office. Three min
utes after, he went home. evidently
in 4 great state of excitement, with
her valentine open in his hand. After
while he went back again toward
the Post Office, and returned. Had
be taken a reply?


Jennie again sought the Office
There were people all around with
those hideous thing that they call
comic valentines open in their hands.
And they ctially seemed to think
them funny! She had a reply. 1t
did not take her long to fin l her
room and to open it. There was an
other picture OF boat, but the name
on its side read despair And these
words were added: Your boat is the
pleasantest, bat uadvstaaainJ that h,rs
uas no raeaat place upon it, I hare been
Obliged to take passage on tbs" Slowly
the meaning forced itself upon her
Henry had fears that she whom be
thought engaged was Co quoting
with HIM. think, Doctor, you will
hardly justify her in proceeding iur-
ther with the correspondence
why not? Hasn't woman as
much right to make herself under
stood in suM a matter as a man. And
when the social advantages
are on her side the burden Of
making the advances often falls upon
her. Many women do it indirectly
aud are not censured.'


"Well. you know. I'm conservative,
Doctor, but I'm glad you're consist
ent. She dill send another valentine.
| am afraid she strained this figured
! of speech about the boat. But when
everything in the world depends on
zone metaphor, il will not do to be
.astidlous. jennie drew again the
little boat with misspelt name. And
this time she added five words: 7ht
masters place is raeant.'


And quite late in the afternoon
the reply WAS left a. the door: Il an
az applicant for the raeaat place tf yas
uiW tah that Of masters mate. :"


Good cried the Doctor al
ways advocated giving women every
liberty in these matters


"But will stump you yet, Doctor
said Hubert. That evening Cough
was to lecture III the village, and ny
friend went, not to hear Cough, bn'
to see Miss Jennie Morton st 4 DIS.
tance. Somehow in tho stupeiactior