connection, except as others
do, by time and patience. Being a bachelor is quite against a young
physician. If I had a wife, and such a wife as you, I should be sure
to get on; you would increase my connection very soon. What, then,
lies before us? I see but two things--to wait till we are old, and our
pockets are filled, but our hearts chilled or soured; or else to marry
at once, and climb the hill together. If you love me as I love you, you
will be saving till the battle is over; and I feel I could find energy
and fortitude for both. Your father, who thinks so much of wealth, can
surely settle something on YOU; and I am not too poor to furnish a house
and start fair. I am not quite obscure--my lectures have given me a
name--and to you, my own love, I hope I may say that I know more than
many of my elders, thanks to good schools, good method, a genuine love
of my noble profession, and a tendency to study from my childhood. Will
you not risk something on my ability? If not, God help me, for I shall
lose you; and what is life, or fame, or wealth, or any mortal thing to
me, without you? I cannot accept your father's decision; YOU must decide
my fate.

You see I have kept away from you until I can do so no more. All this
time the world to me has seemed to want the sun, and my heart pines and
sickens for one sight of you.

Darling Rosa, pray let me look at your face once more.

When this reaches you I shall be at your gate. Let me see you, though
but for a moment, and let me hear my fate from no lips but yours.--My
own love, your heart-broken lover,

CHRISTOPHER STAINES.

This letter stunned her at first. Her mind of late had been turned away
from love to such stern realities. Now she began to be sorry she had not
told him. "Poor thing!" she said to herself, "he little knows that now
all is changed. Papa, I sometimes think, would deny me nothing now; it
is I who would not marry him--to be buried by him in a month or two.
Poor Christopher!"

The next moment she started up in dismay. Why, her father would miss
him. No; perhaps catch him waiting for her. What would he think? What
would Christopher think?--that she had shown her papa his letter.

She rang the bell hard. The footman came.

"Send Harriet to me this instant. Oh, and ask papa to come to me."

Then she sat down and dashed off a line to Christopher. This was for
Harriet to take out to him. Anything better than for Christopher to be
caught doing what was