John F. Trow & Son, Printers,
205–213 East 12th St., New York.
CONTENTS.
| CHAPTER | PAGE | |
|---|---|---|
| I.— | Dora’s Diary | [7] |
| II.— | Author’s Journal | [15] |
| III.— | Dr. West’s Diary | [19] |
| IV.— | Johnnie’s Letter to Dora | [27] |
| V.— | Dora’s Diary | [31] |
| VI.— | Letters | [44] |
| VII.— | Dora’s Diary Continued | [54] |
| VIII.— | Jessie’s Diary | [80] |
| IX.— | Extract from Dr. West’s Diary | [84] |
| X.— | Dora’s Diary | [87] |
| XI.— | Richard’s Story | [102] |
| XII.— | The Shadow of Death | [119] |
| XIII.— | At Beechwood | [134] |
| XIV.— | In the Spring | [146] |
| XV.— | Waiting for the Answer | [159] |
| XVI.— | The Engagement | [169] |
| XVII.— | Extract from Dr. West’s Journal | [178] |
| XVIII.— | Poor Max | [182] |
| XIX.— | Anna | [193] |
| XX.— | Richard | [209] |
| XXI.— | The Night before the Wedding | [212] |
| XXII.— | Down by the Lake Shore | [216] |
| XXIII.— | The Bridal Day | [226] |
| XXIV.— | The Shadows of Death | [235] |
| XXV.— | Breaking the Engagement | [240] |
| XXVI.— | Giving in Marriage | [254] |
| XXVII.— | More of Marriage | [263] |
| XXVIII.— | Dora’s Diary | [270] |
| THE RECTOR OF ST. MARKS. | ||
| I.— | Friday Afternoon | [283] |
| II.— | Saturday Afternoon | [291] |
| III.— | Sunday | [299] |
| IV.— | Blue Monday | [309] |
| V.— | Tuesday | [319] |
| VI.— | Wednesday | [328] |
| VII.— | At Newport | [341] |
| VIII.— | Showing How it Happened | [354] |
| IX.— | Anna | [368] |
| X.— | Mrs. Meredith’s Conscience | [379] |
| XI.— | The Letter Received | [383] |
| XII.— | Valencia | [393] |
| XIII.— | Christmas Day | [403] |
WEST LAWN.
CHAPTER I.
DORA’S DIARY.
“Beechwood, June 12th, }
11 o’clock P. M. }
“At last, dear old book, repository of all my secret thoughts and feelings, I am free to come to you once more, and talk to you as I can talk to no one else. Daisy is asleep in her crib after a longer struggle than usual, for the little elf seemed to have a suspicion that to-morrow night some other voice than mine would sing her lullaby. Bertie, too, the darling, cried himself to sleep because I was going away, while the other children manifested in various ways their sorrow at my projected departure. Bless them all, how I do love children, and hope if I am ever married, I may have at least a dozen; though if twelve would make me twice as faded and sickly, and,—and,—yes, I will say it,—as peevish as Margaret’s six have made her, I should rather be excused. But what nonsense to be written by me, Dora Freeman, spinster, aged twenty-eight,—the Beechwood gossips said when the new minister went home with me from the sewing society. But they were mistaken, for if the family Bible is to be trusted, I was only twenty-five last Christmas, and I don’t believe I look as old as that.”