Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1890-09-26

One day when no was nearly well, rs /
went to his room, he said;
Lloyd, am glad was hurt have
learned TO know Annie's sweet disposition
and gentle nature as never could In any
other way"
"She is dear, good GIRL" said. 81 can
promise you that. We have always known
each other"
"Now, when leave here, l shall know
what precious darling am coming back
for" he continued rs though he had not
heard my words.
Just then Annie came into the room,
bright and happy, with plate of tempting
food, which she had prepared for him her
self.
"What are you going to busy yourself
about, Annie, when your Fred gets welli"
asked.
Think of what pleasure 1t was to wait
on him, or to scold him IL he did not mind
me-" she answered gaily.
One evening Stella came to me and
perching herself on my knee, saids
az want you TO promise eternal secrecy
"What order of secret society are you go
ing to introduce nowi" l asked, taking
her hand in mine. "What is your grip
and passwords"
"Oh, now, do be sober If you can" she
said, shade of vexation crossing her fair
brow.
"There, smooth out those wrinkles, pet.
and 1 will promise anything YOU wish.
Even to the half of my Kingdom" | said.
"Annie came to my room to-day, and
nesting IN my arms she told me that she
once thought size loved youi When you
left her to go 50 America and never told
her of your love, she thought she was
broken-hearted. She said that your moth
er and she had often talked about tho fut-
ure and that she had always thought she
was to be your WIFE She told how she
lost her appetite, and would not read any
thing but love sick stories until shs fan
so far as to write you letter telling you
the cause of her death.
But when you came homo and told her
that you were soon to be married, she was
ashamed of herself, stopped reading love
stories and took her usual exercise on
orse-back and soon was her own self
again, glad that you were going to marry
me, and commenced planning what happy
times we would have together again. Now
she says she knows that she never loved
you; that she would havo been your slave
ready to do your slightest bidding With
never thought Of her own fear OF offend
ing you.
"She says that now she knows what it is
to love and yet feel that she has IN indi-
vidual existence. Not like Hannah Jane,
to be obliterated through her love, but to be
strengthened and made more self-rel.ant.
"Then she looked up In my face and
asked il that was the way felt toward
you. 1 told her that It was and that 1t was
always the feeling where true hearts wero
united in close companiopship. told her
/ believed truo love made each feel equal
TO the other. No servile fear of being re-
proved OF having thoughts and wishes of
your own, or fear OF expressing them.
think most of her sorrow came from i'm
proper reading"
~ do not doubt IT," / said. 81 think a
great many of the evils of life come from
improper reading. 1t gives bad impulses.
How careful parents and teachers should
be in the books placed before the young"
my father used to say; let me choose
the books for child to read or study, I'M
til he IL fifteen, then you may do what you
will with the child after that and he viii
not change" said Stella.
70, VIZ ueou lOOu lOT IIfG Us well
as for the body There is a lifo within
that is of more value than the outer frame
we call the body. The living. thinking
part il eternal and the culture that we
give to It is never LOST" / said.
II have seen so many families where
there seemed ne thought OF anything but
dress and food. The spiritual life was
dwarfed and pinched. Thoy go through
life without mutual love or sympathy.
Just bare existence together with great
gulf Of hopes and fears hid deep within
their hearts," said Stella with a thought
full look in her clear brown eyes.
"Our deepest, holiest, purest thoughts
are often hid beneath an indifferent man
ner. We dare not utter the longings of
our hearts for fear OF being misunderstood,
or giving offence. Shall 1t be SO with us,
my darhngi Shall we drift apart or shall
we keep near together and know the sweet
content and happiness that comes with
mutual lover l would know your evory
hope and share IL, and your every trial to
help you bear it. We remember the past
with pleasure only because we were to-
gether. VIII the companionship OF years
bring added pleasures as they pass, and
find us still happy in each others lover"
II hope they may come laden with joy
Gus recollection OF well spent time" said
my wife.
A.,