Having happily married my heroine and disposed of her lovers, it occurs to me that I have reached the place where story-writers usually make a big flourish, write "Finis," and then lay down the pen.
But the story of a person's life does not end with marriage, as some would have us think, for marriage generally brings out one's best qualities or develops the worst, and is sure to make or mar the life of every woman; consequently, this story is not yet finished. Yet why should I trouble myself to write out the remainder of it until I have discovered if the reading public are interested in Dexie's life so far as it has been already told? It may be that no one cares to follow her fortunes any further, or feels the least desire to know what the future has in store for her, to say nothing of the friends who have been associated with her; and as I have no wish to bore you, dear reader, gentle or otherwise, it rests with you to say if their married lives shall be laid bare or not.
I am aware that the marriage of my heroine lacked theeclatwhich usually attends events of that kind—in story books—but I fancy the average reader is well acquainted with all the details of an elaborate wedding, and must be surfeited with the various accounts of them by this time. However, if that is the style of wedding you prefer, I can give the names of several volumes which contain everything you can possibly desire in the way of description of gorgeous wedding costumes and all the rest of the paraphernaliathat goes along with them, and you can read any account that suits you better, then take up my story further along. See?
Those that take objection to Dexie's home-life—particularly to that immediately preceding her marriage—are reminded that such lives do exist. When death visits a family, and removes the restraining head, the petty faults of the remaining inmates are apt to grow apace, unless the Angel of Death has touched their hearts with divine grace. Lacking this, the development of character has a downward tendency. It does not make pleasant reading, but I have not told an impossible tale. But who knows "how the other half lives?"
The question is—Do you care to know if Dexie has chosen her life as wisely as she might have done? Would her married life have been happier if she had married Lancy Gurney? The affection they had for each other was akin to love; there was a sympathy between them which those who have an intense love for music can alone understand, and which might have proved a source of happiness, even during a life-long existence. They might not have experienced the rapture of heartfelt love, but their lives might have been more peaceful and contented without it, for deep love often means keen sorrow.
Or would it have been better if she had accepted the love as well as the money which Hugh McNeil was so anxious to lay at her feet? She might have learned to care for him in time, and to have found pleasure in a life surrounded by all the joys that wealth can bestow. To have an abundance of worldly goods, and to be exempt from the petty cares and economies which a limited income necessitates, is a condition much to be desired, even where no love exists to soften the heart of husband and wife, and in thiscase Hugh McNeil could not be charged with possessing an unloving heart.
Dexie thinks she has made the wisest choice in accepting Guy Traverse and marrying for love, but she has yet to face the question—Is mutual love alone essential to secure a happy married life? or in the language of the world:
"Does it pay to marry for love alone?"
The need of a simpler and swifter mode of writing is felt by all who have much writing to do—by newspaper men, by legal gentlemen, by clergymen, by students in taking class lectures and making notes of many things valuable for future "refreshment," authors and scientific men in recording important facts.
Amanuenses are in demand as corresponding clerks and secretaries in all important mercantile and literary offices, at salaries much higher than is paid in any similar employment. Indeed, many of the leading business and professional men owe their prosperity to their knowledge of Shorthand and Typewriting.
If a young man or woman desires a business or profession, light, pleasant, what is more congenial than stenography? Other occupations are crowded, and the income for years is small. But stenography, on the other hand, is an opening through which one can enter any business or profession with rewards equal to ability and capacity.
Which System?
There are a dozen or more different systems of shorthand. Each one is best to somebody. Which is best for you? Eleven are hard to learn, and harder to practise; who will learn them? One is simple and easy—children learn it. The one is
Simple Shorthand
best, because simplest, easiest, quickest learned, most legible of all, and fully answers every purpose for which shorthand is desired.
Shorthand must be learned quickly, or most people cannot afford the time. There has never been a satisfactory system till now. Previous systems have been too complicated, and people get an idea that shorthand is very difficult—it is not. Simple Shorthand is not.
Simple Shorthand excels the difficult systems in all their good points, and seems to have none of their faults. Therefore I cannot be too exact in describing it. The several advantages are:
No shading, no positions, no arbitrary characters, and the vowels are written in their natural order without lifting the pencil; as in longhand, no depending upon "context."
If you could learn the Pitman system (100 words a minute) in six months, you could easier learn Simple Shorthand in three months. Our scholars learn Simple Shorthand in a week, then use it writing up their book-keeping. It saves more than half their time.
You can learn shorthand by mail just as well. I guarantee success in every case, or return the money. I send lessons, instructions, criticise and correct all exercises, until you can write 100 words a minute, for $10, payable at beginning.
Lesson free, write for it.
SNELL'S ACTUAL BUSINESS AND SHORTHAND COLLEGE,
TRURO, N.S.
R.J. TURNER,
VICTORIA SQUARE, TRURO, N.S.,
Direct Importer of
Hardware, Crockery and Groceries.
THREE SEPARATE DEPARTMENTS UNDER ONE ROOF.
FRENCH, ENGLISH AND AUSTRIAN CHINA GOODS A SPECIALTY.
Blanchard, Bentley & Co.,
IMPORTERS OF
DRY GOODS,MILLINERY,CARPETS, Etc.,
WHOLESALE AND RETAIL.
Large Assortment, Small Profits and Strictly One Price.
TRURO AND NEW GLASGOW,NOVA SCOTIA.