Year: 1875

Earle TrevoYS stood upon the verandah
in the freshness of the Summer morning,
and watched the girl gathering flowers in
the garden. She did not know that he
was Watching her, for an old lilac bush
screened him therefore shc was her own
natural self, and had not that air of res
traint and shyncs> which she usually man
ii,strd when he was with her. Her cheeks
were brieh as amy of the roses she was
Gathering. and Earle could not help think
ing that her face was like flower in its
brightness and color; u shy, wild flower,
that was all the sweeter because it had not
been subjected to the hothouse treatment
of city life and fashionable ways.


If she were educated and could have
the advantages of refined society she would
make any man a wife to be proud Of
young Trevors thought, as he watched
her.


He had taken fancy to Susie Dnsmore's
face the first time he had seen it, 1t was
30 different from the faces he was used to
that it half fascinated him. He had known
her three weeks, now, and the charm her
face held for him at first had not worn off.
Sometimes he almost fancied he was getting
in love with the girl. Her frank. shy WAYS
were novel enough to any one who was
used to the hollow artifcialities of fashion
able life and they charmed him. When
she said thing, She meant it. How many
ladies Of his acquaintance in fashionable
circles Of city life could lie say that of? lie
rather felt inclined to believe that what
they said they did not mean. Sometimes
he thought that society was all sham, anC
he wished he was rid Of it. But, after all
societys opinion was too strong to bt
ignored. or he was too weak to brave it
lie hardly knew which.


bird flew up from the June rose-busl
by the gate, and sang his sweetest as IL
scared away up in the blue. Susie stopped
to listen, and when the birds song wa
completed, and the bird itself was a mer
speck overhead, she began to sing. He
song was something like the birds, full O
runs and thrills and plaintive little note
ludL set All lllc ali " IlIl2liS Win IIlSl
melody. She made beautiful picture a
she stood there, with her hands full G
flowers, her hat fallen off, and her brow
hair blowing all about her face. The gra
stone wall with the June roses clamberin
over it, and the wide, green meadow beyon
made a fitting back ground for it al
Earle Trevors keeps that picture in h
heart to this day. 1t is one Of the thin:
he will never forget


"You have outdone the bird he saio
when she had finished her song. II
will hardly dare to sing again if he
wise


She gave started look, and deep
color dyed her cheeks.


Il didn't know you were listening 81
said.


81 am glad to say was he answere
81 never knew you sang Now that ha
found out that you do, ! shall ask you
sing for me often. Your voice would
your fortune if you choose to make it Sc
II don't know anything about singing
she said, pleased at his admiration.


81 don't suppose bird does, if you
duce his knowledge to rules and theOri
and yet, most of us would be glad to 81
as well as the bird does" he answer
coming down the path TO where she sto
Let me help you gather your roses, wo
your"


Gathering roses with girl whose
had already fascinated you is rat
dangerous experiment if you would k
heart-whole. 1t would have been bot
far better for Earle Trevors if he had g
his way that morning and left Susie d
more to her old life; he might b
forgotten her face in time, and her "
would have ceased to haunt him. But
never know when we ought to do
which we see clearly must be done 81
time. He knew, or he might have knc
if he had stopped to think about it,


it was not safe for him to linger here
this girl, who interested him as no o
one ever had. That which we call inte
in a case like this, is apt to become Sc
thing more than mere interest. If he


could have foreseen then what the II
of his summers idling would be how n
pain he could have saved himself.


But he did not foresee it, and so
summer drifted by, with its roses ant