, 1886-04-24
A BROTHERS SACRIFICE.

~" $3.50" $3.50 ~ 80 1890
aspirations for n better, purer existence
han the life we lead.
His day dream. cherished for a long
time, wa to leave society, and, choosing
some retired spot, live there alone with
nature, in study and contemplation
Talk, y his friends called 1t when they
heard OF 1t. But Kenneth through all his
work-and he was no idler-retained the
notion OF this plan. At last an unexpected
legacy enabled him TO leave tho bar and
purchase the chosen site for his new
home,
It was n ruined chapel on the side OF n
moor, a place he had known all his life.
OF the wayside chapel nothing was left
but an archway. Behind this he had new
walls built, dividing the house into two
rooms, one over the other. When all was
completed he went there. Some people.
know. thought him mad; his sisters
laughed, saying he would soon be tired OF
his scheme. / believed in him. ] would
gladly have joined him, but a man with u
wife and child is not a free agent. lie eau
not retire into a life OF contemplation,
however much he may wish II.
] went to see Kenneth In his new home.
The place was almost inaccessible, had
not Kenneth met me OF the hilltop and
shown me the way over moor and moss |
ruOulu ntNtE nave lJunQ H. Inv NhtAfcA
was In n copse: a Wild stream brnwled by
II. The oak, alder, and holly were re-
strained by a fence from enc%roaching on
the chapel, and marsh plants thrust their
stems through the bars. The nearest house
was a farm half a mile away. Kenneth's
bedroom was simple, his sitting-roOm fur
nished In perfect taste. On the walls some
fine etchings, "A plaster relief whence
smiled the homely face OF Socrates, ON a
bracket m image OF Buddha- Between
these was an engraving Of Dore's Vale OF
Tears. Books, too, there were In plenty,
and the fox terrler-such were Kenneth's
companions.
And nature, " he said when l made this
remark.
And here II Is that you viii stay, In
peace and quiet" | said, "until your mis-
sion sends you forth"
peace and quieti" he answered, smil-
ing; mo, those are not for me. / have a
presentiment that this ideal life will not
last long. shall marry"
| looked i~ncredulously at him. He
showed me his hand. at Is written here
he said; Il see 1t only too plainly. Far as
il Is from my desires, II is fated."
For more han six months | heard moth
Ing OF Kenneth. We went for the winter
10 T~orremouth, l and my wife, and to our
surprise and pleasure found the Lamberts
had the house next our own. We had a
fat, and on the fiat below us lived Mrs.
Vernay. Mrs. Vernay was the belle Of
rorremouth, and justly. | never saw any
woman so beautiful, never shall again see
such "A face. She was tall and slight, with
a fair skin, blue eyes Shaded with dark
lashes, and her shapely head crowned with
'eally golden hair. No art was there, IL
vas all nature, nature in her utmost per-
lection She was young, n widow, said TO
be enormously rich, but had she been a
beggar maid we NIL should have w~orshiped
her. Young, old, single, married, there
were none but paid homage at her shrine,
Frank Lambert was badly bitten by her
charms. He was two-and-twenty, home
for his first long leave. Mrs. Vernay en-
%oouraged him more than any of the others;
perhaps being such n boy she looked on
him as a safe game. / know hat she stole
his heart with the first glance Of her violet
eyes, and that he has never recovered from
her influence.
We were sitting together one afternoon
In the Lamberts' drawing-room when
Kenneth walked In. Torremouth was not
more han ten miles from his retreat, and
he had walked over, not to pay his mother
a passing visit, but TO stay IL she would
havs him.
Did any mother ever refuse to receive
her eldest SOM How the girls laughed at
himl declaring their prophecies true and
saying he was weary Of solitude. felt a
little surprised at him. Only one person
preserved her faith In him; this was Grace
Cheslyn, the girls friend, almost like an
other sister. She was staying with them,
and upheld Kenneth whatever we might
say.
- w. Hill 49, III. III. -
Lamberts, coming In like some beautiful
being from another world. Jewels ~glintlng
In her dress and in her hair a snake that
glittered with diamonds and rubies.
We all came and paid court to her, Ken
meth included She looked with interest at
him, saying;
~Ahl The hermit brother. l nave so
wanted to see you. Have you left yourse-
clusioni"
"Yes, we all knew he would,7 quoth
Marie Lambert. "rhe cold weather on
that moor could not be endured"
MY sister is mistaken" said Kenneth;
IL left FOR other reasons, and did not par
ticularly like coming away from my soli-
tude.
W. viii teach you the pleasures OF so
ciety," Mrs. Vernay cried solitude Is
horrible. Man was not made TO live
alone"
Did | see Kenneth wincei / could not
tell.
Then Grace came, asking Mrs. vernay
to write in her birthday book. And the
beauty inscribed Lilly Vernay" in a clear,
beautiful writing, matchless as herself.
Kenneth read II over Grace's shoulder.
@Your name is Lilith, f." he said to Mrs.
Vernay.
who told you THAR" she asked, and he
replied;
Il know it, without offering any expia-
nation.
~Lilithl horridi" murmured Grace, as.
with Frank, Mrs. vernay moved toward
the piano.
Il Think it pretty; why horridi" Marie
asked.
do you know about Lilithsr her friend
replied. ~She was Adams first wife, and
for transgression wa turned out OF Para
disc. She rs the enemy OF all little chill
dren, aud when Jewish babies are born
the nurses write Lflith, avAuntr against
the wall. lest she should come and kill the
child And tradition says that she stlll
haunt the world US a beautiful woman,
who entlces men to marry her. and then
~strangles them In her golden hair"
"A tradition" said l. something ike the
legends OF the Greek LAMA"
allow do yon know that there Is not
truth in traditions and folly In rejecting
AcAfr Kenneth asked.
Meanwhile Mrs. Veruay was singing
sJug after song and with every note steal
ing away Z bit OF Franks heart. And her
music won Kenneth TO her side, for he
took his brothers place at the piano, and
stood there turning over her pAges-f be-
ileve In all the wrong places, for he looked
more In her face than az the music.
I confess that In those days I was vexed
with Kenneth. Tor he seemed 70 have taken
: sudden and i~nexphcabls plunge int the