Baseness Requited

Lillian Burle gh was hiteen years old when she and herwidowed inother left their home, which had beon sold up under the sheriff to pay a debt incurred during the long and fatal illness of Mr. Burleigh. In hopes of employment, tho mother and daughter removed to the metropolis. Here they encountered the usual fate of the strange poor, alone and heluless in the 6eething, selfish crowd - fought the grim fight with the fiend of poverty - till, in the weary struggle, Mrs. Burluigh sauk at last, tho victim of hopeless illness, and a new buiden upon Lil lian's shoulders. Chance at last led the poor girl to the houso of Mrs. Vernon. The lady attracted first by the sorrovriful beauty of the girl's face and her quiet demeanor, became interested in her story, accompauied her hom-i to verify it, and bocarne frorn that day the best and kindest of friends to the widow and her child. Employment enough was ob tained arnoDg her friends to remove all sense of dependence f rom Lillian's mind. Her charity was basto tred in a wny not to vround the sensitiveness that could not endure beggary. Her own physieian lent his ekill to soothe Mrs. Burleigh's departing days ; and when death had released Lillian fro,nher cl.argo, this kind friend took the orphan to hie home. Lillian bad livcd with her friend two years when Benard O-sbone, Mrs. Vernon's brother, came home irom India. To see the sweet, graceiul girl who instructcd his sister's children, and was his sister' friend, in simple mourning, was to feel a strange unwonted interest in her. He was often at his sister's house, often saw Lillian, and at length gave evident signs of his admiration. That she avoided hira only incited him to a more determ ined pursuit. He was the first man of the world, handsome, fluent, acconiplished, that Lillian Burleigli had ever eseen How he iniüressed her voanz heart ! How plainly he wrote bis image upon its virgin pages ! Ere she hall' knew her danger he had become the light of her eyes,alraostthelfe oí her soul. But she did uot yield readily. She resisted all his protestations, all his offers ; after putting him to every test she could de vise, UDtil finding his purpose still unaltered, and his love even more ardent in oxpression, she at last yielded to the wishes, the demari 's of her own heart, no leas than to his entreatiea,and prom ised to become his wifo. O nee betrothed to bim ; she revelled in the sweet dream of love, and cast all fears aside - the future no more dreaded, the past lorgotten, Three months later came a strango, unoxpected summons to the doath-bad of Walter Burleigh, her uncle. Ttiis man had nog'.ected and dispised his brother, had refused all aid to the widow and orphan, and when Mrs. Vernon, who had learned something of him oa inquiry of Lillian about her friends wrote to him during Mrs. Phillip Burleih's last days, his only response had been a pitiful sum of money, extorted rather by the influence of Mrs. Vernon's name, than by any kindly feeling. but when he was dying, he bethought him of bis mece, the solo person in whose veins his own blood was running, and summoned her to his side. He died and Lillian found herself heiress of all his wealth. Something, perhaps the tbe strange feeling of pain that it brought her - perhaps the desire to be receivfid once moro as she had ever been - kept Lillan silent to her new wealth. She wrote to Mrs. Vernon that her uncle had remerabtred her in bis wilt, but in a manner that conveycd do idea of' the truth. To Orsborne she did not write at all ; for strangely enough, his letters had ceased ubout tho period of her uncle's doath, and after writing once or twico without receiving a roply ; she was forced to wait until time 6hould solve the rnystery. It but reiiderod her more impatient, as she chafad under tho long delay. At length she was at ho:nc ; for so eho had long learned to cali Mrs. Vernon's houso. At length she was slowly descending tho stairs to meet her lover - filowly, becauso with the itnpatient joy that would have sent her flying down the stairease was etruggling ihat terrible dim fear. Why had he not written? Why had he dolayed soeing her until the second day of her return was well-nigh pafi? She had spent the two days aione ; for the Vernons had beon called into the country by sotne gathering oi their farnily. He stood i tho centro of the room, hat in hand. He had evidently no in tention of remaining. As bho ap proached him ho bowed, but did not ook at her affered hand, "Bernard I" sho said. Ho bowed again. "Will you teil rao what this means ?" " It means that I nm here in answer to your notes of yesterday aod this morning," ho replied. "Ono would have sufficed to iniorni me of your return ; but I remcinbered that you had seen but little of its usages. Can I do anything for you F" " Teil me what this moans ?" aaid Lillian. " Wliy does my bethrothed busband receive me in this manner ?" 'Since you must know, I will teil you. I ara bethrothed to you no longer.- My silence should luwe told you that. You will retnember that you were reluctant to become engagecl to me ; you arrayed beforo me all the worldly reasons having received duo considération in your absence - I have dotermined to annul the engagement. You were unwilling to love. You will do as you did befcre - live with Mrs. Vernon, probably, though it n,ay embarrass us both to meet, and though the little legacy, which I underatand your únele has left you, may enable you to dispense with your employment here-." "Oh, Bernard ! " interrupted Lillian. "Here me out, if you piense. I eannot be hindered and dragged down in the career 1 have resolved upon, by a wife. I must forego that happinoss, in order to suceed, unless, indeed my wife could bring ine wealth " "But Barnard ! " she again interrupled. ''Tliese interruption8 are in the wors', possible taste, Miss JLSurleigh," said he. 'But I have little more te say. I wo'd but bid you furewell, wita wishes tor y u happiness. You have so mucb wisdom and self-control that I ara sure you wiil conquer this emotion, and learn to agree perfectly with the view I have taken of the matter in qiiestion." He met her gaze through the tears that Rtreamed from her boautiful eyes, with a glauco as hard and cold as hls words. He bowud again, and was gone. Lillian was i 1 wben the Vernons returned. She had borne a great deal,and the last shock prostrated her. Sho was not dangerously ill, nor did sbe lose her reason. She had mueh time for tho't, and so, now that his conduct had removed the illusion, snw her lover as he really was. It was not easy, not poasible to forget bim all at once, nor even to cease feeling tenderly towards hun. But he had deserved her contempt, and sho could_ not long love vrhere she dispised. Before she was quito well, he learned from the Vernonti the story of her wealth. After that he made an attempt to sec her. Relying upon her simplicity and singlesness of heart, he represent ed that hu had boen too harsh - that he had reconsidered the matter ; and was willing, especially as she lelt the disso lution of the engagement so seyerely, that it shoulii be renewed. Lillian's only answer was, "it is too late." She would not trust herse'.f to speak the contempt she feit. She did not pino, nor did sho live single, lier heart was not broken ; but whon it was sought sorne years later by one every vray worthy to possess it, it was found to be in excellent condition. Lillian Burleigh has long been a happy wifo and mother. Bernard Osborne's career has never been accomplished - never even commenced. Ho asoribes his failuro to Lilli n's fiokleness. and assem that as sooa as sho discovered that sho was an heiress, she cast him off, loaving him to Btniggle, ag.iinst his wotimled feeli ngs, and his confidence betrayed. This strugglo is tho sole employment of his life, so far as his triends can discover. - ui ii