tarted from the table and left the room, the waiter looking after
them in surprise. They were not long in suspense. A letter from
Blanche, addressed to her mother, which was found lying on her bureau,
told the sad story of her perilous life-venture, and overwhelmed her
parents with sorrow and dismay. It read:

"MY DEAR FATHER AND MOTHER: When you receive this, I shall be married
to Ellis Whitford. There is nothing that I can say to break for you the
pain of this intelligence. If there was, oh how gladly would I say it!
My destiny is on me, and I must walk in the way it leads. It is not
that I love you less that I go away from you, but because I feel the
voice of duty which is calling to me to be the voice of God. Another
life and another destiny are bound up in mine, and there is no help for
me. God bless you and comfort you, and keep your hearts from turning
against your loving

BLANCHE."

In all their fond looks forward to the day when their beautiful child
should stand in bridal robes--and what parents with lovely daughters
springing up toward womanhood do not thus look forward and see such
visions?--no darkly, brooding fancy had conceived of anything like
this. The voice that fell upon their ears was not the song of a happy
bride going joyously to the altar, but the cry of their pet lamb bound
for the sacrifice.

"Oh, madness, madness!" exclaimed Mr. Birtwell, in anger and dismay.

"My poor unhappy child! God pity her!" sobbed the white-lipped mother,
tearless under the sudden shock of this great disaster that seemed as
if it would beat out her life.

There was no help, no remedy. The fatal step had been taken, and
henceforth the destiny of their child was bound up with that of one
whose inherited desire for drink had already debased his manhood. For
loving parents we can scarcely imagine a drearier outlook upon life
than this.

The anger of Mr. Birtwell soon wasted its strength amid the shallows of
his weaker character, but the pain and hopeless sorrow grew stronger
and went deeper down into the heart of Mrs. Birtwell day by day. Their
action in the case was such as became wise and loving parents. What was
done was done, and angry scenes, coldness and repulsion could now only
prove hurtful. As soon as Blanche returned from a short bridal-tour the
doors of her father's house were thrown open for her and her husband to
come in. But the sensitive, high-spirited young man said, "No." He
could not deceive h