,,/,v,
24
“LILLIEF “Then,” I cried, ‘‘you love me when you sleep! May I think so?” “Oh! yes, if you choose: for Rory O’More: says that dreams go by contraries, you know” I eat down beside her. ‘Ah!’ I said, sighing, “Rory’s idol dreamed she hated him.” ‘sYos,” said Gusy, ‘that was the difference between his case and yours.” We chatted away foratime. At last I began, ‘Miss Busy, I came up this evening to tell you that I-—I-——” How she was listening! A bright thought struck me: I would tell her of my journey, and in the emotion she was certain to betray, it would be easy to declare my love.
“Miss Susy,” I said, ‘‘I am going South to- morrow.”
She swept her hands across the keys of the piano into a stormy polka. I tried to see her face, but her curls fell over it. I was prepared to catch her, if she fainted, or comfort her, if she wept. I listened for the sobs I fancied the musio was intended to conceal; but throwing beck the curls with a sudden toss, she struck the last chord of the polka, and said, gayly,
“Going away?”
- ¢ Yes, for some months.”
‘Dear me, how distressing! Just stop at Levy’s, a8 you go home, and order me some extra pocket-handkerchiefs for this melancholy cecasion, will you?”
‘‘You do not seem to require them,” I said, rather piqued. ‘I shall stay some months.”
_ Well, write to pa, won’t you? And, if you get married, or die, or anything, let us know.” “T have an offer to be o partner in a law
office in Kentucky,” I said, determined to try
her, ‘‘and if I accept it, as I have some thoughts ef doing, I shall never return.”
Her face did not change. The old, saucy look was there, as I spoke; but I noticed that one little hand closed convulsively over her watch-shain, and thet the other fell upon the keys, making, for the first time, a discord.
“Going away forever?” she said, with a sad one, that made my heart throb.
‘Mies Susy, I hoped you, at least, would niss me, and sorrow in my absence.”
She opened her eyes with an expression of profound amazement.
ssyp””
“Yes, it might change ell my plans, if my sbeence would grieve you.”
‘¢Change all your plans?”
- Yea, I hoped—thought——"”’
Oh! that earnest, grave face. My cheeks burned, my hands and feet seemed to swell, and [ felt cold chills all over me. I could not go on. [ broke down for the third time.
There was an awkward silence. I glanced st Susy. Her eyes were resting on my hand, which lay on the arm of the sofa. The contrast between the black horse-hair and the flesh seemed © strike her.
‘What a pretty little hand!” she said.
A brilliant idea passed through my brain.
- You may have it if you will!” I said, offor-
ing it.
She took it between her own, and, toying with the fingers, said,
“May I?”
‘Yes, if—if you will give me this one,” and I raised her beautiful hand to my lips.
She looked into my face. What she read there I cannot say; but if ever eyes tried to talk, mine did then. Her color rose, the white lids fell over the glorious eyes, and the tiny hand struggled to free iteelf. Was I fool enough te release it?
What I said, I know not; but I dare say my wife can tell you. Five minutes later, my arm encircled the brown dress, the brown curls fell upon my breast, and my lips were in contact with—another pair.
“LILLIE.”
DY
MYRTA
W1!!! the Summer flowers were dying,
And the Autumn flowers were slghlng,
Mournfuliy and low,
Then we left our Lillie sleeping,
Where the willow tree is wet-ping,
And the flowers grow.
There our darling one rcposes
With the blushing summer roses,
She has passed away.
W1~M1~» 1' 1,~
Where the violets are springing,
And the woodland birds are singing,
All the summer day,
MAY.
And our hearts are very lonely,
For she saw the first, and only
Link in love’s bright chain;
Yet although on earth ’tis rlven,
Soon in yonder glorious Heaven
’Twill be joined agniul
