, 1877-03-02

t... rnmvny vas thirty-hvs veal

h.l been married twelve years,
= tonr bright, loving children WerO
r.,o love and care for.
M. vife. Maud, was true and devoted.
- Loved her With all his heart and
A.b,i returned that love in full.
Hog happy Luke TramWay vas du-
- he hrst few months Of his mar.
- -, and how happy was Maud.
~, 4 cloud 10 chst . shadow upon the
,.;-ht sphere Of love and good will,
.-3po, 4 jar 10 disturb the harmony Of
- sucet music.
They were capable Of JOY. aud their
IN vas filed TO the brim.
tould the clouds ever come
They told themselves never.
sneh love a. theirs could not die out,
Il - for truth and faith they we're both
.ure and steadfast.
And so. in sunshine and gladness,
thsir 6rst child was born, and new joy
Sastheirs.
Twelve years had passed since the
h.ppy morning Of life-years Of unin-
tsrYupted prosperlty-and the house Of
lake Tramway contained all the out
ard things that can make life joyous.
md vet the brightness was gone.
heart had been in o measure di-
xorced from the home.
The husband had been giving him
self more and more to his business, un-
N The whole sum Of his aspirations and
desires had been transferred to the
work Of gaining worldly wealth.
Gradually, but surely. the crust had
been gathering about his heart
shutting it out from the joys that
had once given him peace and comfort.
At the age of five and thirty he had
grown pale and careworn, with an in
eipient stoop in his shoulders, and a
touch of frost upon his head.
He came now to his home with no
~ brightness, but he brought care and
] study-eare and study OF the increasing
Of his store Of worldly goods.
Luke" said his wife to him one day,
twill you not go with us to grandfath-
ers?" She and the children had planned
10 90 TO her grandfather's country-house
for recreation and fresh air.
"No, Maud. / cannot leave my bust
ness. You and the children can go as
well without me-"
"But, Luke, putting her arm
around his neck, "we could enjoy ii
more if you could enjoy it with us.
And-you need the rest and the respite. y
mo, no, Maud-I must make hay
while the sun shines"
And what will you do with the sub
stance you are gathering the wife
asked, with her arm still around him.
What? Why we will enjoy it in the
time to come"
"why not enjoy it now9"
That is just like a woman" And
Luke looked up and smiled-not the
bright smile as of yore, but an almost
cynical smile. And he added" you
are like q. humming-bird, skimming
from flower to flower, with no thought
Of the morrow"
You are unjust, Luke. do have
thought Of the morrow; and the wealth
Iwonld lay up is health and happiness.
You are not gaining health; you are not
happy"
Luke broke from his wife's embrace,
with an exclamation Of impatience, and
shortly afterward. with a heavy heart,
she left him pouring over mass Of bu-
siness papers.
She stood for moment at the door
and looked back upon him.
She saw his white fingers pressed up
on his brow; she saw the blue veins
Standing ont upon the hollow temples.
She saw the lines Of care upon the pale
face; and she saw the fugitive pencil
lngs OF silver in his hair.
And when she finally departed, her
heart was swelled with prayer to God
fora gleam Of the old time Joy.
Maud and the children went into the
country, leaving Luke to his business;
Dut they did not stop long.
When they returned, Maud's grand
father came with them.
How is this, Maud ?" asked Luke,
Why are you back so soon?"
- could not enjoy myself, Luke,
while thought Of you here alone"
Pshawl was doing we'll enough.
and yet home is more cheerful with
your face in it, I must admit"
John Farwell, Maud's grandfather,
vas man who had seen q long, long
forescore and Ave years was the Epan.
=, bis frame was bent, his hair was white
me snow; but a truly wordrous con-
'atution had brought him TO this great
age without breaking.
One evening after the others had re-
afed, Luke and Mr.. Farwell sat alone
IN the library.
Come. my boy" said the old man,
Esa.antly; put away your papers; 1
want to talk with YOU
Ion arc Just In time, grandfather,
a nave lnnt examined the last one"
And Lnke pushed away the papers
a,cn he had bundled up. and leaned
.a.s sass % tell yog = story. Luke" ;,