curtain of the future!

"And yet," murmured poor Esther, the flush of hope fading as suddenly as
it had arisen, as with meek sad eyes she glanced at the reflection of her
features in the small oval glass suspended above the mantel-piece--"I
almost doubt, Susy, dear, if he would recognize me; even if old feelings
and old times have not long since faded from his memory"--

"Stuff and trumpery about fading away!" broke in Mrs. Davies. "Henry
Mason is the same true-hearted man he was eight years ago; and as a
proof that he is, just read this letter, which I promised him to give
you. There, don't go falling into a flustration; don't now, Esther,
and to-morrow market-day and all! Don't cry, Esther," she added
vehemently, but at the same time sobbing furiously herself, and
throwing her arms round her sister's neck: "but perhaps--perhaps it
will do us good, both of us!"

It may he necessary to state that I owe the foregoing particulars to the
interest felt by my wife--herself a native of beautiful Devon--in the
fortunes of this humble household. Esther was her foster-sister; and it
happened that just at this period, it being vacation-time, we were paying
a visit to a family in the neighborhood. A few hours after the receipt of
the welcome letter, my wife chanced to call on Esther relative to some
fancy needlework; and on her return, I was of course favored with very
full and florid details of this little bit of cottage romance; the which
I, from regard to the reader, have carefully noted down, and as briefly
as possible expressed.

We met Henry Mason with his recovered treasure on the following evening;
and certainly a more favorable specimen of the vigorous, active,