A Story Without A Name

The following story I received from a friend, as the hittory of his rjiatrirnoDal experience ; " I !im now forty years oíd," sad he, 'and my hair is lightly tinged with pray; but, is long a I have known you, I believe I never have told you how I gpt mafrjed. You well knovv that J was a eonfirmed woman-hater and how I was eaptivated by a pair of btight ey.es has ollen been a wpnder to myeèt It vins in the winter of '45. ono pleasant evenina in December, having nothing to do, I 'honght I would go to the theatre; so I sluit up iy law-books and d'innpd my ovei coat and Bullied OOt. I reaehed the place, and, the play lieing a verv rtnll oni', I amused myself by gazing nronud npon the spectators. At last my ey; feil upon a lady and genllernan in the box opposiie. The ladv was young, not more than eighteen, and very handsome - (I arn not goiiiar into rhiipsodioe over her) a perfect Hebe. The gentleman was of medium huight, and had a siriister-lol{iiig coun'enance - one of th se %vhin)i as capable of deep plets, soheming villainy, &c. 'l'he ladj did nut seem to liku hi? co.npanv at all, for ever and Bfion she phnifiged her pretty shoiiidars, is if his manner and conversation were disagriejilile to her. 1 conld not help adir.iring her, and au her gaza rnet mire therc was a loot of impatienee, if I n ay so cali it, .hun she haslily averted lur lce. When the play wns about throngh there afoso a c.ry of ' Fire ! Fira ! - the theatre is on fire !' Then catr.e a general rush, and my fair friend'fl compari ion was the fiist to By, leaving his fair charge to iti ke her way f. ut the besl way she could ■ his only idau appered to bo to gat out ; and ho hugged it bo clcse!y that he pushed Jovvn several persons iq his frnntiu endeavors. I, alihough I had said 1 ould never hitve anything to ijp with i woman, could not see her left to perish, po J l?ojd]y pushed up to her and 8aid - " Your ieemed to think of no one but himself ; will yri) pt(t yourgelf under my charge ? I will endeavor to do my best to extract you from your perilous position, whioh ia becoin ing naiiiientarjly mofe dangerous." S!iu glaflly acepted, saying as she took my arm - " I shall nevcr be able to repay you, p;r,'; in suplí sweet aocents Ihatl never eha.]' forget,and whjcii penetrate1 deep ïrto my huurt, and t liegan to believe in 'love at sight.' i liad the satisfaclion of seeing her resciied, and by my hands. Just as we pasped the door vyp pnet hu:' companion, wti . at once cama up to us and congratulated her on her happy escape, and said ti me - " Bir, I will relieve yon of your biirdon," :l the xaina time offering bis arm to har. She said eimply - " Sir, I liavo an escort - one who will not descr; mp liko a coward in the time of (langer." We papóos on, r.nd I heard a rrmttered threat from behind, and 1 knew he was folloyving us. We soon reached her home. She gave me her curd and I gave l}gr :iine, and as we parted I auifi, " Müy I ciill on you." "I should hp happy to have VOO, for I phall teil papa all about this, not omitting Mr. Ilerman's coWiirdly ponduet; and 1 am sure that he would ]ik(; to see thp tinu who saved his daughter'," she gi.id, and added, "If convenïent come next Sunday." I bnwed and lef t her, and was soon asleep in my oivn room, drearning of fair maidens and Ugly youth, in which m}T new acquaintances figured conapiuuously. In the morninp; tho first thing I did was to look at the card uhe had given rite, and thenamu of " Grace Gordon " was written in delicate hand, which embodied so rrnich 'jeauty of expression in every letter that I continued yazing at it several moments. Then the ques lion alose, how conld I endure the time until 1 whoiild visit her, four davs. - "Merey !" I cried, " Fly Bwiftef round, ye wheels of Time, And bring the prorai.sed day." May be I did not ning it e?actly to the tune, it was nel, but never tnjnd ' Sunday eumo at lengtli, as does every. In the evening I dressed i'ip in niy best and proceeded to tlie house. - How mv heart -eat. I was a hal mind to turn back, but summoning u all my courage I gave the buil a pal The door was opuned by a neat domes tic, who Bhhpunpéd my presence was (hown into un elegant drawing room, as (jlcgunt as wealth could mak it; but the maiden who iat there wa far more beaiitifiil than the costly trap pings whii'.li tMirroiinded her. She Fal.l ted me very gmcbfiilly, ond in a manner that put, me entirely at yqy eaae, and ivc snon feil :nti easy pnnvertation, In hult' uu huur her father waa intiu juoed Hu waH a nohlu-looking man. on the pliady Btde "f liie; yery polished in mannerti, vury yn$ and evm-y WRy a gentleman. Hu suid - f' I am greatly indebted to yon, BÍr. for yrur kindnecs to :ny daughter on the night of the tire. But for vour timely assi.'tance rny house would now be in monding." " Do not mention it, nir," said I. "I vras very hap j y lo ronder any aeatat anee in my power, and especially to one so charniing. "I shall reward }ou handsornely, nir," ind kissing tiis daughter fondíy he lt'ft us ülune; but, as t was quitu late, I bid tny tuir íiiend. gnd tiitht und haatened hoine. I rontinued my visita there for ríx mnnths,til it last nne evening I de tunnined t know my futo, so I clressod with unusual uure, and haviug anivud I ñOtiiéd th ut Qraeedid not reoeive me wilh such loving demonstrations ís she was wont. We had bten coiivmaing about half an hour vvlien she aid - " Henry, you are thu best íriend I have." I ftilt tho time had come, so I pas ginnátely told her of my love. Sha haard me through, and said sadly - " Htítirv, I love you as I have nevor loved any one, but I oannot be your wiíe." " Why ?" I exclaíraed madly. "I daré nt tel! you," aul he; " it woiild stir up your fierce pasion." "But teil oie; do not kcep rae in suspense " ' Well, snce ynu wjíl know, I am the wiíe oí' Charles Herman 1" And she búrmd her lace in her liands and vvept for ten minutes; neither spoke; then I said-- ' Graoe, til me ai! about it. You ro not tit least afraid to trust me." "Trust you? no; but she added, " it s a painful recital, and tl.ongh it vvring-i my heart to relate it, yet yon shall have t, and I say "VenéXoance is mine, Ï wül epay it, aiíh the Lord." "Á week ago, as I was on the street, met Mr. Herman ; he offored me his rrn and asked 1110 ií I woiild take yster wi'.h him I assented, as I had ften done. As we entered the saloon ie said to the waiter, ' a privat room. nd oysters for two." Wel), we ero oon chutting over oi'r oysters, when ie said - " (iruce, I 1o7b you madly. Wil] qu be my jyife ?" " Mr. Ilurman, oaid I, yon know rny entiments. I cnnnot I love anoth r." " And who a that other ?" " I question your right to ask me, ir," I siiid, haughtily, " Mv inanner Bgered him and he aid- ' GKice, I ara nnt to bo trifled with n thn marmer. In onu liour you will )e tnv vife." " N'iver," I snid, "never." ' He suid nnihing-j hu' oahrlv drew a listol and c ivering my heurt, suid 'm a lOMise voice; - ' Chnose hetween thnt and death." "I a.'iw ha v:n tèrrthlv i'i earnet. - Wh;ii was I to do? I Inye 1 life :is woll s anv one I wan forced to yiekl." 11 Pi-omise me, nir, yon wil! not rotihle me for a week,'1 s;ikl [. " Oh, ves"H-ül ha, " I prqtnfoe thnt. s I am to he away ten days. Wu will irocei;d to the eiiuroh from hero. (Jne wof() in opposition to my vvi-hes and oiir f;tte is sealed. Foljow niö." 'I diire4 not not do ötherwise. Wc vere married. Ifnw you know uit." I did n-'t say a word, but aro.se, took my hat and feft. A week tf'tervyard I heard that Mr. ierman had been killed in a rowdy rawl (♦ riese, 'hen, was free I flew o her KÏde; thera was nothing now t) ippise our uoios; the world knew ïothing of her murciase with Herman, .n six weekf) we wure married Hcav en has prospered us and blessed U with an abundance oí Ihis world's rond'c, hi]t whut is butter, ooiitüiitment ind two loving heart?. IJeasii' my tule i.s done.