“He was very affable and pleasing in his address, and soon made the acquaintance of many of the young people of the village, and we soon found him to be a very agreeable addition to our pic-nic excursions and other parties for pleasure and amusement.  He paid marked attention to me from the time when we first became acquainted; and, to shorten my story, after an acquaintance of six months, he asked me to become his wife.  I am now an old woman, Clara, and need not blush to tell you that I had learned to love him with a deep affection, and I yielded a willing assent, provided that my parents approved.  True, I had no knowledge of his connections or former life; but since his residence in our village, his conduct had been irreproachable, and he was fast gaining the respect and confidence of all who knew him.  There was something very attractive in his personal appearance; he seemed to have seen much of the world, for so young a man, for he spoke in a familiar manner of many distant scenes and places.  When he sought my hand in marriage, my parents did not object.  He was gaining quite a lucrative practice both in Littleton and adjacent places, and he declared his intention of making Littleton his permanent home.  Doubtless, this influenced my parents to favor his suit, as the thought of my settling in my native village was very pleasing to them.  He was very much flattered by society, and I was all the more pleased to find myself the object of his choice.  When our engagement became known, I had good reason for believing myself to be envied by many of my female acquaintances.  Neither they nor I were aware how soon their envy was to be turned to pity.  An early day was appointed for our marriage, and my poor parents exerted themselves to give me a suitable wedding outfit.  About this time, Mr. Almont had business which obliged him to leave Littleton for a short time.  When he bade me adieu I felt a foreboding of evil; and, after he had gone, I experienced a depression of spirits, for which I could not account.  But, when he had been a week absent, and I received from him a cheerful letter, informing me of his return in a few days, I strove to banish my sad thoughts and busied myself in preparing my wedding outfit.  Going one day to the Post Office, with the expectation of finding there a letter from Mr. Almont, I received this instead.”

As she spoke, Miss Simmonds unfolded a letter, which I had observed her take from a drawer before commencing her story.  It read thus:—­

“Boston, June 4th, 18—.

“To Miss Priscilla Simmonds: 

Although you are, personally, a stranger to me, I nevertheless take the liberty of addressing you.  By the merest chance I learned your name and residence, also, that you are shortly to be united in marriage to Mr. George Almont, a lawyer from the city of Boston.