b22
A COMMON.PI.ACK 8TOIIV.
Vol. vii,
perlenccd a change of heart. The sum
mcr days sped by, anil the last holiday
evening that John was to spend at home
came all too soon, and we find our friends
taking a stroll by themselves along a pleas
ant woodland path. We need not trouble
ourselves to find out what they were say
ing with their heads so close together, for
it is private matter of their own, nor need
we trace minutely their history for the
next six months, since it is not essential to
a full t nderstanding of our story. It is
enough to say that John went back to col
lege and applied himself with more than
usual diligence to his studies, while Hat
tie pursued the even tenor of her way at
home, the pride and joy of her many
friends.
It would seem that felicity must be
counterbalanced by gloom and sorrow,
even in the most constantly happy liv;s.
A time came when Hattie Glceson's life
was no longer all ecstasy, when she no
longer seemed to taunt everybody with
her happier lot. Scarcely six months
had elapsed after John Howard had gone
back to his studies, when Hutt'u received
the following letter from a friend residing
in the vicinity of the college which John
was attending.
A . Mmch 10. 18-.
Deau Hattie: I intended to wrlto to you last
weak, hut every day Flipped hy with the good in
tention in mind, but yet finding me without the
will or the nmhltlon for the execution. Hut I
have something to tell you now. for which bit of
news 1 think you will pardon my delay. You
remember, Hattie. that you once told mo, that
you and John Howard were not positively en
gaged, but quite an good as engaged. You laugh
ingly bald that you could read. " .' rolrtre 1'ar
," Thus the fates decreed. in JoIiu'h even,
even if you had possessed no better assurance of
n positive engagement soon. 'J'hece college boys
are hypocritical fellows, Hattie to tell you the
truth, John Howard'- holiday tllrtation with you
is nothing new or extraordinary for him. Ho In
now quite as desperately in love with a coquettish
hlackeyed beauty, Mine (illlot. Take my advice
Hattie, and give this young scape-grace a " thort
answer" that " turneth away wrath." Come down
and pee us. Good Hyo.
With love I remain yours,
Hl.MK.
Hattie Gleeson, wilh all her beauty and
accomplishments, was not a coquette, nci
titer was it in her nature to love one man
one day and another the next. The afi'ec
tions of such a person cannot with impu.
nity be wantonly tampered with. She
had loved and put confidence in John
How tird, and her feelings, therefore, -when
she received the letter, can be better int.
agincd than described. A woman will
pardon almost anything in a man before
she will inconstancy and deceit. And
particularly is this the case with such a
woman as Hattie Gleeson; and so, as we
may surmise, not many days had elapsed
after she had received Elsie's letter, before
John Howard did receive in answer to
one of his loving epistles, requesting her
hand and heart for all eternity," just
such words of advice as will always put
a man's good nature and the stability of
his theology severely to the test.
John ground the letter for a time under
the heel of his boot, then seized his pen,
and after writing and tearing up some
half-dozen such notes of friendly requests
as "Go to , etc., etc.," he finished,
scaled, and mailed the following:
A .April 5, IS-.
Miss (Ji.kkson: Your note if received. I ara
sorry that you are so out with me, but I can't help
it. I shall hereafter, as heretofore. I assure you,
consult my own good pleasure with reference to
my compHiiy. I wish you long life and happiness
Yours with rogards.
John Howaiid.
This incoherent note had all the efl'cct
of the most polished rhetoric, in causing
a break to be made in the even tenor of
these two lives.
Two months dragged slowly along.
During this time Howard was straining
every nerve to stand at the head of his
class, and acquit himself with honor upon
graduation day. Hut he didn't forget
Hattie Gleeson, though he tried to per
suade himself that lie could very easily do
so. Like that lovesick lover of the Scot
tish pool, ho might have said every day of
lliwc two months,