The Portland daily press., 1869-04-27

They had grown up" together, IN tne Iull
sense OF the term-and that was just the mat
ter. They had eaten each others mud pies,
taken the Group in each others snow forts,
cried out the sums on each others states, tip
ped over each others ink bottles, sopped up
the ink with their mutual handkerchiets,
I" told' of each other in about equal proper
tions, and made up" in a common exuber-
ancs OF sobs and sassafras. They had played
at lovers behind the wood-pile, been married
by the prize speaker, been divorced by the
/" first base," been reunited by the minister's
daughter, and gone to. housekeeping in the
peat swamp, at regular intervals, as tar back
as their memory extended.
she had blue eyes, and never understood
Vulgar Fractions.
He used to miss, so that she might get to
the head of the class.
One day she braided her hair in two little
braids behind, and tied it with pink Lutte
string ribbon at three cents yard. When
they walked home together he touched 1t
gently, TO signify bis appreciation, and she
blushed like ayfower.
1t could not have been long after that be-
fore she grew shy at singing-scbool, and was
apt to be going home with her brother. In
another year, when he went to st. David's
College, she cried herself to sleep, forgot to
crimp her hair, and said that nothing was the
matter.
So, OF course, when he came home on his
first vacation, it all happened as it could not
very well help happening, and as suppose it
must go on happening to the end of all
young things dreaming or of old ones warn
ing.
She sat in the choir in blue dress with
white lspots, with a pink bonnet and pink
cheeks, and sang in a very sweet little coun-
try voice, that quivered and curled about the
pillars of the sunny white meeting house
like incense IN an open field on May day,
you might have thought-or you might not.
He, grown rather tall, rather quietywith
long hair, and the unmistakable St. David's
shawl, sat below in his fathers box pew-and
listened.
One Sunday it chanced that the Rev. Mr..
Love, the recently settled and very popular
shepherd OF the injecting house." felt moved
In the spirit to preach to his flock sermon
upon Christian amity, and to suggest as its
most fitting musical accompaniment HYMN
S5I of the Sweet Singer Of Israer just in
troduced.)
All, you excellent mothers with washing
days on your minds, and ye fathers strug-
Cling to keep your faith under the discovery
Of Toms first cigar, do YOU never suspect in
your stupid good hearts, the tears of solid
comfort rolling into your spectacles as you
sing, and your souls a-glow with all the hid
oen meanings OF fellowship in the one Mas
ter whom they who love not never know
DO you never suspect the firtations conduct
ed over that admirable hymn?
1t may be very much too bad, but it is very
much the case. 1t is quite as bad in me to
suggest the sacrilege to your young people,
Bless your indignant souls they stand in
need OF no suggestion. Ask them. do not
deny that it is atrocious in me to spoil the
hymn for you; but that is another matter.
She then, in her blue and white dress, with
sunbeam struggling through little ground
glass gallery window upon her pink bonnet,
sang:
"Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds
ls like to that above"
1t struck him that her voice was less like
incense now, and more like melted silver;
which was very good fancy by the way, and
ne would make note of it against some in
definite exigencies as class orator.
sour fears, our hopes, our aims are ene,
Our comforts and our cares
taltered the little silver voice; and so faltered
into this:
"Wben we asunder part,
1t gives us inward pain;
But we shall SUN be joined in heart"
And he tnrning round with the audience,
back to the Rev. Mr.. Love, as was the fashion
In the Bloomsbury First Church, lifted his
face to hers, and their foolish young eyes met
met and dropped, and the work was done
Elizabeth Stuart Phelps in H@per's Mag
Gzine.