th
Barbara to such entertainments as the place afforded, and
enjoyed seeing her happy, and admired, and courted.

When Barbara was about eighteen years old a young man came
to our place. I will not write his name here--there is no
need. He was London-born and bred, and, though a printer
like myself, far cleverer, and full of ambitious schemes of
which I never dreamed. He was a handsome, dashing fellow,
with finer ways than we were used to. He could do a little
of everything, and very well too. He sang, and played the
guitar, and danced like a Frenchman, and in no time had won
his way with every one. The women folks, of course, were
carried away with him.

The first time he saw Barbara was at a dance where I had
taken her. He pointed her out to me, and asked her name. I
may have betrayed something of my love and pride as I
answered, for he gave me a quick, curious look, and a moment
later asked for an introduction to her. After that they
danced together a good deal, and every one was saying what a
handsome couple they made.

Soon after this the mother became ailing and fretted at
being left alone of evenings, so I often stayed with her
while Barbara danced at some neighbor's house or public
assembly with the new-comer.

I never had a thought of jealousy, not even when the fellows
in the shop began chaffing me for letting my sweetheart run
about with another man, for I trusted Barbara, and was not
he my friend? Unlike as we were, had he not singled me out
from all the others, and made me his confidant and companion
on all occasions?

Even after I had left the shop, having at last secured the
position as book-keeper at the ---- Mills which I had for
years been working for, he kept up the former intimacy, and
often I found him waiting for me when I returned late from
my work, and I liked nothing so well as to sit and smoke,
and listen to him and Barbara, their singing, and laughter,
and foolish talk.

It went on so for a good while. I was beginning to lay by
money, and the time for our marriage was not far off. But a
strike broke out just then among the spinners. I had known
it was coming, and done what I could to prevent it, knowing
what the result would be, but it was all in vain. Their
wrongs were too re