Waiting For Her—A Mesmerist's Story.

ing at single ladies for being single . Dear me , I knoAv many an one single from choice ; and let me tell you , young people , it ' s my belief that there are very few women indeed but have had chances of marrying , if they liked .

" Well , my dears , " uncle began , " I suppose you wish me to go on Avith my story . " " Yes , yes , " Ave all answered . " Imagine then , my dears , " uncle Avent on , " that two j'ears had jwssed away . I Avas entered at St . Thomas' Plospital . Dr .

Elliotson Avas then assistant physician there ; he had been elected to that post in 1817 . It Avas not till 1837 that he oAvned himself the leader of the mesmeric party ; but at this time , 1821 , mesmerism Avas much discussed amongst the students at

St . Thomas ' , and about three years later Professor Gregoiy , AVIIO filled the Chair of Chemistry at Edinburgh , had his attention draAvn to the subject by Monsieur Courdet , of Geneva , who had seen the famous cases of Dr . Petelin , of Lyons , Avhose Avork on the subject I read . " I had become much interested in the

subject , and had determined , if opportunity should offer , to try for myself the truth or falsehood of mesmerism . " An opportunity did offer , ancl sooner than I had expected . But I must not anticipate . Since the day Avhen I gitve up the charge of MilicentI had never

, seen her but twice . She bad gone home , had speedily recovered , ancl the last tidings I had heard of her Avere that she Avas engaged to be married to a young clergyman Avho had recently come to reside in the neig hbourhood of Orley House , Mr .

Bertram ' s residence . "Mr . Bertram , Milly ' s father , Avas a gentleman of great pride ancl of undoubted ancestry . The barony of Bertram , of Avhich he Ai'as one of the descendants , had fallen into abeyance in 1311 , Avhen Roger ,

son ancl heir of the first baron ( so created 1264 ) , died , leaving an only daughter , Agnes , Avho , dying sine prole , as the heralds say , the barony fell into abeyance amongst the descendants of her four aunts , daughters of the first lord . I merel

y mention this to SIIOAV that if he Avas proud of his family and lineage , length and nobility of descent Avere some excuse . lie owned a small estate in the country , and had contracted but feAv intimacies amongst his neig hbours , your father being ,

hoAvever , one of the notable exceptions to this rule of non-fraternity . " I don ' t think I ought to blame Milly for changing so suddenly . She had not indeed changed really , only she bad fancied she loved meancl IIOAV she found she did

, not . Looking back upon it IIOAV , I cannot blame her . I had IIOAV been some tAVO years in London , ancl had never Avritten to her , as , indeed , I had no right to do ; but though my sister had seen her often , she never sent a kindly message to me ,

perhaps fearful to give me encouragement , ancl I , equally proud Avith herself , never expressed any desire to knoAv IIOAV or Avhere she Avas . I kneAv she liked me , but I kneAv also that she did not love me . So , I had been Avaiting for a sign of the change ,

and this Avas the sign . "My OAvn Milly—the idol of my heart —the one hope of my life—she to Avhom I had sacredly and secretly affianced myself , as I madly thought , though she , poor g irl , had never been a party to the

bargain—she whom I so fervently , passionately , ancl deeply loA'ecl , had bestoAved the Avhole wealth of her affection upon another , ancl I Avas left alone . What Avould I not give to make her love me ! What AVOUM I not do to make her Avholly mine . A sudden thought came over me , ancl made me shudder , as I p ictured it in my mind . "What Avas this new science of

mesmerism ? this Avoiiderful poAver of fascination 1 Could it be used to make her bow to my Avill ? Could I make her yield to my AA'ishes ? " I should tell you that I lodged in London Avith one Mrs . Wingrove . Ralp h Wingrovewho Avas a distant connexion

, of her husband's , and Avho Avas my chum at St . Thomas ' , first took me there , and I soon changed my quarters to come ancl live Avith the family at Bloomsbury . Kate WingroA'e Avas a sweet , nice girl , very ladylikeivith black ringlets and a pale face .

, "They were Avhat I am afraid Mr . Thackeray would call a shabb y-genteel family ; indeed , Mrs . Wingrove was a decayed gentleAvoman , Avho Avas forced to make a livin . _ r out of her boarders .

I rather think they fancied I Avanted to marry Kate . We , certainly Avere great friends , and I Avas very much interested in her , poor girl , for there Avas something indescribably mysterious that attracted us to each other ' s society far oftener , perhaps ,