Eastern times., 1856-02-28

no more fear in my heart, when / rose up,
tired, very tired, but Nth Gods great peace in
my SOUL
A week has passed. 1t has gone by with
swift footsteps, for have been very busy all
the time. The days are wearing towards No
vember, and so the nights fall early, and the
tasks lay out with the rising Of the sun are
not always finished with its going down.
am novice, too, in housekeeping, and the
responsibility of supervising all this domestic
machinery lies heavy on my mind.
The salary of country minister is never
very enormous, and can afford TO keep but
one girl, to whose hands feel | must always
be head. We have great deal of company,
too constant callers, whose fifteen minutes
steal away the day. But | am very happy
The people are very kind, aud have won
strangely upon my affection already. must
not forget to write mamma, they have voted
me President of the Ladies' Sewing Circle,
and Directress of the Young Peoples Aid So
ciety. What t1iH she think OF her little Ber-
tha' being so conspicuous parsonage Had
letter yesterday from my cousin Hester. Il
don't believe it, and won't she says, 'tiIl
have had occular demonstration of the matter,
that my little cousin has gone and buried up
her sweet face in that out-ofthe-way country
place, with a Methodist parson And you
might have been the bride Of millionaire, the
mistress of a house on Fifth Avenue, this win
ter. / won't forgive you, Bertha Clarke, in
deed 1 won't, for thus incarcerating yourself,
not even when you put up your little rosebud
mouth for the kiss | am coming TO give you
Bryan and had hearty laugh over all
this. My fashionable cousin does not dream
that love is greater riches than milionare's
money and house on Fifth Avenue
Aunt Jane made me present of my bridal
hat. 1t came just before left home, and
had not time to unpack it. Last Saturday az
ternoon | opened the bandbox, and what
beauty revealed itself! 1t was Just the dainti-
est bit of millinery inspiration that ever glad
dened the eyes of bride. White waiered
silk, the front margined with heavy lace frlls,
and inside were moss buds, their rich, red lips
cleaving through the dark, green leaves, and
over all, like flmy vapor, lay the folds of
silk lace
But the crowning beauty of the hat was the
three white plumes that dropped gracefully
over one side, like thick fall of snow flakes
/ tried this on, and the little French mirror in
my bedroom told me an unusually fattering
story.
Al last went into the library. Bryan had
just finished his sermon.
Now, Mr.. Raymond said, making
mock curtesy, 'what does your reverend self
think of the lady who is to walk out with you
tomorrow
She looks very, very charming he said,
turning me round, and alternating his admiring
glances from the hat to my face.
Isn't it beauty, Bryant
(Which! The hat or the wearer!'
was improvising a pout at this, which
broke down TO a laugh, as l caught Bryan's
roguish eyes.
But in the sudden movement of my head he
saw the plumes, which had been turned from
him.
Why, Bertha,' he said, you must have
endeavored to incarnate your ideal of bonnet
beauty in that hat!'
No, didn't. 1t was aunt James gift
One of my selection would have been less
elaborate, certainly less beautiful matter
How much did it cost.'
don't know. Twenty-Five dollars, per-
haps. But, Bryan looking into his deep
eyes, you have grown sober. Of what are
you thinking!'
That those plumes are rather expensive
matters for minister's wife-perhaps hardly
appropriate for her position
But they are SO graceful, Bryan. 1t would
spoil the hat TO remove them
Are you certain of ii, Remember, Ber-
tina, no icomdn's example in dress is so powertul
as that Of a ministers pife'
Then you think it may be wrong to wear
the plumes 2
What do you think, Berthai This love,
this passion for display, has, am convinced,
become fearful social evil. You understand
me-
Every woman should aim at taste, beauty,
congruity in her dress. God never gave us
this love of the beautiful and interdicted its
development, only its excess
But you know your position, and its re-
sponsibilities. A bonnet like that, would, in
the way Of example, give almost any latitude
to others. leave it to your own conscience,
my Bertha
Dust then the bell rang. Somebody for
the minister said Bridget, putting her round
face inside the door.
sat down in the chair Bryan had vacated
and taking the little scissors that lay on the
writing desk, severed the plumes from the
bonnet. The hat looked palmer, but very
pretty still.
Just as | had finished this, my husband re-
turned. held up the pIumes.
My wife. Bless you y
| Ha