hen, for it was a sore
trial to come to my boy away out there alone with
his trouble. I had much ado not to hate that girl
to whom you had given your love, and not to fancy
her a most disagreeable creature with airs, and no
sense, not to recognize the man in my son, and not
to know his beautiful soul and the worth of his
love. But then I thought perhaps she couldn't help
it, poor child, that she didn't know enough to
appreciate you; and likely it was God's good
leading that kept you from her. But I have kept
hoping that some time He would bring you to love
another who was more worthy than she could have
been.

"Dear, you have never said anything more about
that girl, and I hope you have forgotten her,
though sometimes when you were at home I noticed
that deep, far-away look in your eyes, and a
sadness about your lips that made me tremble lest
her memory was just as bright as ever. I have
wanted you to know the sweet girl Hazel Radcliffe
who has been my dear friend and almost
daughter--for no daughter could have been dearer
than she has been to me, and I believe she loves
me too as I love her. If you had been nearer I
would have tried to bring you two together, at
least for once, that you might judge for
yourselves; but I found out that she was shy as a
bird about meeting any one--though she has hosts
of young men friends in her New York home--and
that she would have run away if you had come.
Besides, I could not have given you any reason but
the truth for sending for you, and I knew God
would bring you two together if it was His will.
But I could not go happy from this earth without
doing something towards helping you just to see
her once, and so I have asked her to give you this
letter with her own hand, if possible, and she has
promised to do so. You will come home when I am
gone and she will have to see you, and when you
look on her sweet face if you do not feel as your
mother does about her, it is all right, dear son;
only I wanted you just to see her once because I
love her so much, and