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Kecipiioca.tko Maxims.
120
But like too man another man en.
Uowcd 13' mother nature with pre-eminent
talents, Howard Mclvee was falling into
dissipated and unprincipled habits. Those
habits, however, were as yet only incipi
ent, and had not gained the ascendency
over his better nature; and they weie
either too little known as yet by the pub
lie, or else his good humor and brilliant
talents so ingratiated him in its favor, that
these faults were only too readily over
looked. He had become acquainted with Nellie
Raymond at an evening party, and, pleased
with her pleasant, quiet ways, luffl for
some time after sought her company
merely for the pleasure which he found
in it, company which lie daily found the
more pleasant because it payed him little
of the llattery which friends were daily
sounding in his ears, Rut gossips soon
began to whisper that his attentions meant
more than all this; and not a fortnignt
after Mrs. Grundy had hinted to Mrs.
Uundy that young Mclvee called frequent
ly at the Raymonds', the story had got
into private circles that the two were en
gaged. Strange to say, Miss Nellie did
not object to these attentions, but, on
the other hand, rather fostered and
encouraged the attachment that was
springing up between them. She was the
last person that one would ever suspect to
have been guilty of coquetry, and, know,
iug, as she did, his character, (for though
Howard MoKVe's faults were many he
did not piactico dissimulation,) such
conduct on her part seems strange, indeed.
Perhaps she loved him, though she was
not willing to acknowledge it, even to
herself, and, like many another girl under
similar circumstances,' became so dazed
by Ii is good qualities as to bo blind to his
gross faults, until some kind friend point
ed thorn out. Rot the best of women are
ofttimes capricious in matters of thissor',
and it will probably be just as well if we
attompt no further explanation of Miss
Nellie's seeming inconstancy.
M. itters however had reached a crisis.
Two days before this upon which our
story opens, Miss Nellie had graduated at
the academy, and Howard a day later had
been granted the privilege of attaching
the scholastic sulllx, R. A., to his cog
nomen. Only one exercise now remained
at the college, after which the students
would be disbanded; the undergraduates
for the summer vacation, the graduates to
enter upon the more practical duties of
life, for which they must now lit them
selves by forgetting a large per cent of
what they had already learned, and then
by learning as much more anew. This
exercise was the entertainment of the
Adept io Litcrata Socidas. There were
two societies in the college the Adtptio
Litcrata ivcitta.t and the lnceplio Litcrata
iiucietus. Howard was u member of the
former, and had been appointed to deliver
the closing oration and valedictory of the
entertainment. "When our story opens,
Howard Mclvee and Nellie Raymond had
returned from a k-cliuc, and were leaning
against the railing of the steps in front of
Mr. Raymond's commodious residence.
Howard's father was a banker, and his
son from childhood had been accustomed
to every advantage which wealth can be
slow. So soon as he should have com
pleted his college course of study, his
father had designed tiial he should s-pend
some j cars in Europe, after which it was
expected that he would settle down to the
study and practice of law. Howard had
now graduated, and in two days more he
would be oil" on his lour. Willi what
eagerness, then, did he urge the gentle
Nellie to accompany him, and make his
contemplated visit a delightful wedding
tour.
The temptation was strong, but Nellie
conquered it, and How-aid Mclvee .went,
home thai night sorrowful, angry, crest
fallen, and chagrined. "When he started
for the lecture his hopes were bright, but
now he found himself one of the many
who have learned from sad experience
that ' the course of true love never does
run smooth." The high spirited youth,