, 1883-11-03
9nRMS SECRET.

Come, Helen, dear, dinna sit
dreaming there Mrs. Frazer wants
you to gae dOun to her room; she's
maun be at the kirk by eleven, ye
KEN"
Helen Muir, a bonny young Scotch
'lassie," scarcely nineteen years of
age, rose hastily from. her chair.
'Pll gae dOun TO her in a minute,
Jenny, but l maun comb my hair out
first" As she spoke she drew out
the pins that confined her hair, and
II fell in a ripping mass to her knee.
II was a lovely chestnut hue, the
same color as the lashes that shaded
her fine gray eyes.
"What funny bridesmaid rll
make you, Helen ~ said Jenny,
laughing, as she cOntrastcd her dunn
py proportions with the tall, graceful
figure Of her friend. "Annie or Kate
wad match your size much better"
81 wadna exchange either of them
for you, my ain darling girlr said
Helen, turning To kiss her friend.
There was tear in hereye and Jenny
noticed il.
"What gars yeluik sac sober, Helen,
lass Ane wad think it was buried
instead Of married you was gaun to
be! Sic luck girl as you are to catch
fine, steady, strapping lad like Robin
Stewart! A. the ither lassies are
envyin' you and wishin' themselves
in your place.
"Are you amang them, Jenny?"
with humorous twinkle in her eye.
"Weel, no, considering there'ssOme
one else that likes me pretty well,"
said Jenny, blushing while she
laughed. "COme, moo, We luik mair
like yourself. It's a happy, thankful
girl you ought to be, not STAN there
WI the corners Of your mouth dTawed
doun, an tear In your ee ~
"Jenny, dear, ye ken how / lOe
Robin, an am happy and thankful
i suld be sinfu' girl else. But We
maun remember what C happy hame
/ am leaving, and how Mrs. Frazer
hus cared for me ever syne was four
teen year auld."
"Ohl aye, | ken she thinks a deal
o. you, an nae wonder! Sic a guide,
faithful girl as you've been to her
But sure it's not leaving her you are,
when you're gaun to live on her ain
grounds, and Robin to be her garden
er! Sic luck for you bath Come,
now, lets gae dOun.n
" | shall never find such a girl
again ~ sighed Mrs Frazer to herself,
as she sat musing on the morning Of
Helen's wedding day. "But must
not give way to selfish regrets. only
wish Robin was a Christian, and that
/ did not hve that feeling Of uneasi-
ness about him that l cannot shake
Off He seems a very nice fellow,
devoted to Helen, and yet there's
something in his face that troubles
me, don't know why. But perhaps
my very anxiety for the child's hap
piness makes me suspicious. l have
no right 10 feel so. His employers
spoke so highly OF him, and he seems
to be respected by every one who
knows him."
And so Mrs. Frazer tried to put her
unwelcome suspicious away, and
greet the young bride with a smile.
Plaeinga chair before the glass, she
took the comb and brush from her
hand.
ooh! Helen, what hair you have ?
I'd give hundred dollars for a head
Of hair like 1t D she said, as with
skillful fingers she plated the rippling
locks and wound them into graceful
cOrOnet.
And now the pretty white muslin
wedding gown wentOn. II was a gift
from mrs. Frazer and so was the vail
and the wreath Of orange blossoms
she fastened in Helen's glossy hair.
"Why, what's the harm ?" she had
said IN answer to some gentle ridicule
from her sister-in-law. Tnever shall
have the pleasure Of dressing a daugh-
ter OF my own for her wedding. And
Helen has been the most faithful, de-
vOted-n