Life's Little Ironies

e of these, on the first floor, the apartment being a large drawing-room, sat a lady, in appearance from twenty-eight to thirty years of age. The blinds were still undrawn, and the lady was

ature rather than a handsome woman; dark-

o the room from beh

u,' he said. 'Why are you

fair,' replied the la

very year! I wish it c

ike

no accountin

window with her, for politeness

minutes

ome in?' asked

m'

his time. I meant her to

for her, m'm?' said t

ary: she is a good gi

, went up to her room, cloaked and bonneted herself,

Anna. I have made myself responsible for her, and must see she c

ings, talking to her young man as I came in. But I'll go if

o. I shall come t

overed Anna, seated on the revolving horse. As soon as it stopped Mrs. Harnham advanced and s

man, who had dropped into the b

he has stayed. She looked so graceful on the horse that I induced

your hands,' said Mrs. Harnham

uld do no other than smile at the accident; but neither spoke, and each waited passively. Mrs. Harnham then felt a man's hand clasping her fingers, and from the look of consciousness on the young fellow's face she knew the hand to be his: she also knew that from the position of the girl he had no other thought than that the imprisoned hand w

r?' she mused as she retreated. 'Anna is real

ed the pair from a screened nook. Really she argued (being little less impulsive than Anna herself) it was very excusable in Anna to encourage him, however she might have co

found a lover, apparently a very devoted one. Mrs. Harnham was quite interested in him. When they drew near the door of the wine-merchant's house, a comparatively deserted spot b

've been looking at you! That young man

I didn't mind-it would do me no harm,

And he was a stra

ma'

him your name and ever

aske

idn't tel

Anna victoriously. 'It is C

, in the young man's favour. 'But I must reconsider all that, if he attempts to renew your acquaintance. A country-bred girl like you, who has never liv

I didn't do anything,'

ous young man Anna's companion had seemed. There had been a magic in his wooing

lose through the fog she again perceived him who had interested her the previous evening, gazing up thoughtfully at the hi

e maiden herself to the end-of-the-age young man, or she might have wondered less. Raye, having looked about him awhile, left abruptly, without regard to the service that was proceeding; and Mrs. Harnham-lonely, impressiona