The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-02-13

how dark the clouds may be about
yourself, you will feel the sleams of a
sunny day radiating through the be-
logged chambers of your soul. ]
should like to become acquainted with
the gifted writer"
"You are certainly eloquent in her
praises. Under what nom de plume
does she write ?" inquired Mr.. Bronson,
with more than ordinary interest.
~Grace De Ormo."
"Let me read the article in that pa
per, please. You have quite aroused
my curiosity"
Was it because the sweet name of
Grace was attached to the paper that
made the little sketch seem as familiar
to him as household words? or was
there some especial attraction in the
statement made at the close of the
sketch: "One who seeks for happiness
in the affections of pure, fond hear.
will as often find it in lowly hut as
lordly hall"
Over and over again did he read these
words, and each time he became more
thoroughly convinced that they were
written especially for him, for the -
Weekly had been his favorite literary
paper for many years.
Suddenly he threw down the paper.
saying he had letters of Importance to
write, and went to his own room.
"Mrs. Brown, put by your work and
come down to the parlor this evening.
Another guest arrived last night, and /
noticed he seemed quite inclined to
melancholy, although the ladies all did
their very best to entertain him. I
know that one of your gifts is to cheer
the respondent, and thus augment
your own rather scanty pleasures.
think he must be professional man,
but it don't matter. Pm sure you will
do him good" and garrulous Mrs.
Downing smoothed back her silyery
tresses and Strengthened the folds of
her black silk dress in very compla-
cent manner. For ten years Mrs.
Downing had been widow, and during
those years the yearly income lett her
by her lovely man." her "deal, devoted
husband" had been greatly increased
by the well-to-do quests" who found an
elegant and agreeable homo beneath
the ly-hospitable roof.
On this particular evening, Mrs. Brown
would much rather have kept her room
and continued at the little writing
desk but her hostess had been like
mother for long, weary months, and she
would not now refuse 80 small a re-
quest. So she put away her writing
material, and, with Il glance in the mir
ror, announced herself ready to 90
down to the parlor.
Not In that black robe, Mrs. Brown,
though that is nice enough to wear on
most occasions, but this time / want to
dictate little" And she stepped to
Mrs. Browns dressing-closet and
brought out soft, white tissue,
trimmed with numerous frills and fut-
ings. There, you are to wear that
dress to- night"
All the time Mrs. Brown was going
through the mysteries of fresh toilet,
the busy tongue of the amiable hostess
ratified on. At last the soft laces about
throat and wrists were adjusted, the
delicate blue forget-me-nots arranged
among the fluffy curls, and the last deli
cate knot OF azure ribbon in place, and
the usually-plain-robed Mrs. Brown
looked like fairy queen.
Mrs. Downing made no hesitation in
complimenting the beautiful appear
ance of her favorite.
A murmur OF pleased surprise ran
through the room where were seated in
groups some fifteen or twenty persons of
both sexes, when Mrs. Downing en-
tered and introduced Mrs. Brown to
the stranger guest.
Not very long after the formal intro
duction, Mrs. Brown found herself an
eager listener to the pleasant voice of
MIR. Raymond. 1t was not 80 much
what he said, as the tone and manner,
that interested her. These constantly
reminded her of another who had been
her constant companion in the "long
ago." And then she found that Mr..
eyes had the same dark hue
and the same expression of tender re-
gard as had those other ones that were,
as she believed, forever closed to her.
always of him" ran the undercurrent
of her thoughts, as she listened to Mr..
Raymond's incidents of travel, or his |
criticisms upon various authors.
"Ah!" whispered Mrs. Downing, to |
one of her "guests," 81 know that will |
make match, yet. Mr.. Raymond has
not once taken his ewes from her pretty
face since / introduced him. And
there's Miss Pike, as mad as wet hen
because brought Mrs. Brown down to
the parlors. Poor thingl she keeps
herself too close in her room. 1t must
be two years since she lost her hus-
band, and yet she keeps out of society
as much as though she had just put on
She looks beautiful to-
night; there is such delicate color in
her cheek, and such brilliant light in
her eyes.
Mrs. Downing was in her element if
here were any matches" to be made
among her friends. And more than
one congenial pair could thank the
hostess of Downing House for their
,onjugal felicity.
1t was very evident to the company
hat Mr.. Raymond had found a con-