issful dream
came a lengthy telegraphic dispatch from my young girl-friend Evelyn,
inviting me to hasten to New York, and accompany her on a bridal tour
through Europe. In a brief and almost incoherent note, subsequently
received, she accidentally omitted the name of her future husband, and
designated him as 'my prince,' 'my king,' 'my liege lover.' The same
mail brought me a long and exceedingly tender letter from my own
betrothed, informing me that at the expiration of ten days he would
certainly be with me to arrange for an immediate consummation of our
engagement. A railroad accident delayed me twenty-four hours, and I
did not reach New York until the morning of the day on which my friend
was married. The ceremony took place at ten o'clock, and when I
arrived, Evelyn was already in the hands of the hair-dresser. I was
hurried into the room prepared for me, and while waiting for my trunk,
noticed a basket containing some of the wedding cards. I picked up
one, and you can perhaps imagine my emotions, when I saw that my own
lover was the betrothed of my friend. Dr. Grey, eight miserable years
have gone wearily over my head since then, but now, in the dead of
night, if I shut my eyes, I see staring at me, like the rayless,
glazed orbs of the dead, that silver-edged wedding card, bearing in
silver letters--Maurice Carlyle, Evelyn Flewellyn. Oh, blacker than
ten thousand death-warrants! for all the hopes of a lifetime went down
before it. Every ray of earthly light was extinguished in a night of
woe that can have no dawn, until the day-star of eternity shimmers on
its gloom."

She shuddered convulsively, and the agonized expression of her face
was so painful to behold that her companion averted his head.

"I was alone with my misery, and so overwhelming was the shock that I
fainted. When the hair-dresser came to offer her services, she found
me lying insensible on the carpet. How bitterly, how unavailingly,
have I reproached myself for my failure to hasten to Evelyn, even
then, and divulge all. But with returning consciousness came womanly
pride, and I resolved to hide the anguish for which I knew there was
no cure. As soon as I was dressed, we were summoned down stairs to
meet the remainder of the bridal party, and there I saw the man whom I
expected to call my husband talking gayly with his attendants.

"Evelyn impetuously presented me as her 'dearest friend,' and,
without raising his eyes, he bowed profoundly and tu