bed of the happy--alas, too happy,
Jane Sinclair.

"Is it possible, my dear," said her father, "that our darling is
restored to her sense and recollection?"

"Try her, Henry," said the proud mother.

"Jane, my love, do you not know me?" he asked.

"To be sure, papa; to be sure," she replied smiling.

"And you know all of us, my heart's treasure?"

"Help me up a little," she replied; "now I will show you: you are my
papa--there is my mamma--that is William--and Maria there will kiss me."

Maria, from whose eyes gushed tears of delight, flew to the sweet girl's
bosom.

"But," added Jane, "there is another--another that must come to my bosom
and stay there--Agnes!"

"I am here, my own darling," replied Agnes, stooping and folding her
arms about the beautiful creature's snow-white neck, whilst she kissed
her lips with a fervor of affection equal to the delight experienced at
her supposed recovery.

"There now, Agnes, you are to sleep with mo to-night: but I want my
papa. Papa, I want you."

Her father stood forward, his mild eyes beaming with an expression of
delight and happiness.

"I am here, my sweet child."

"You ought to be a proud man, papa; a proud man: although I say it,
that ought _not_ to say it, you are father to the most beautiful girl in
Europe. Charles Osborne has traveled Europe, and can find none at all
so beautiful as the Fawn of Springvale, and so he is coming home one of
these days to marry me, because, you know, because he could find none
else so beautiful. If he had--if he had--you know--you may be assured, I
would not be the girl of his choice. Yet I would marry him still, if it
were not for one thing; and that is--that I am foredoomed; a reprobate
and a cast-away; predestined--predestined--and so I would not wish to
drag him to hell along with me; I shall therefore act the heroic part,
and refuse him. Still it is something--oh it is much--and I am proud
of it, not only on my own account, but on his, to be the most beautiful
girl in Europe! I am proud of it, because he would not marry if I were
not."

Oh unhappy, but affectionate mourners, what--what was all you had yet
suffered, when contrasted with the sudden and unexpected misery of this
bitter moment Your hearts had gathered in joy and happiness around the
bed of that sweet girl, the gleams of whose insanity you had mistaken
for the light of reason; and now has hope disappeared, and the darkness
of utter despair fallen upon you a