on steamboats the kind of people with whom he must
associate to be happy, and a gulf seemed to open between us which even
such love as mine would be powerless to bridge.

"But though hope thus sank in my breast, I did not lose my old ambition
of making myself as worthy of him as circumstances would permit. I read
only the best books and I allowed myself to become acquainted with only
the best people, and as I saw myself liked by such the awkwardness of my
manner gradually disappeared, and I began to feel that the day would
come when I should be universally recognized as a lady.

"Meantime I did not advance an iota in the object of my journey; and at
last, with every expectation gone of ever seeing my husband again, I
made my way to Toledo. Here I speedily found employment, and what was
better still to one of my ambitious tendencies, an opportunity to add to
the sum of my accomplishments a knowledge of French and music. The
French I learned from the family I lived with, and the music from a
professor in the same house whose love for his pet art was so great that
he found it simple happiness to impart it to one so greedy for
improvement as myself.

"Here, in course of time, I also learned type-writing, and it was for
the purpose of seeking employment in this capacity that I finally came
to New York. This was three months ago.

"I was in complete ignorance of the city when I entered it, and for a
day or two I wandered to and fro, searching for a suitable
lodging-house. It was while I was on my way to Mrs. Desberger's that I
saw advancing towards me a gentleman in whose air and manner I detected
a resemblance to the husband who some five years since had deserted me.
The shock was too much for my self-control. Quaking in every limb, I
stood awaiting his approach, and when he came up to me, and I saw by his
startled recognition of me that it was indeed he, I gave a loud cry and
threw myself upon his arm. The start he gave was nothing to the
frightful expression which crossed his face at this encounter, but I
thought both due to his surprise, though now I am convinced they had
their origin in the deepest and worst emotions of which a man is
capable.

"'John! John!' I cried, and could say no more, for the agitations of
five solitary, despairing years were choking me; but he was entirely
voiceless, stricken, I have no doubt, beyond any power of mine to
realize. How could I dream that in consideration, power, and prestige h