"I have felt rather graver than usual to-night. Something brought to
my recollection, too vividly, a little act of folly that has been
attended with serious consequences."

His wife looked slightly alarmed.

"It was only a joke--just done for the fun of the thing; but it was
taken, much to my surprise, seriously. I was innocent of any desire
to wound; but a few light words have made two hearts wretched."

Mrs. Mears looked at her husband with surprise. He continued--

"You remember the strange misunderstanding that took place between
Clara Grant and young Fisher, about two years ago?"

"Very well. Poor Clara has never been like herself since that time."

"I was the cause of it."

"You!" said the wife, in astonishment.

"Yes. Clara used to make herself quite conspicuous by the way she
acted towards Fisher, with whom she was under an engagement of
marriage. She hardly saw anybody in company but him. And, besides,
she made bold to declare that he was about as near to perfection as
it was possible for a young man to come. She was always talking
about him to her young female friends, and praising him to the
skies. Her silly speeches were every now and then reported, much to
the amusement of young men to whose ears they happened to find their