Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1895-10-18
THE LOST BANK NOTE.
By Mrs. Henry Wood. !
CHAP. II.-CoNrINUEp.
THE NEW HOME.

"She wishes me to take the super
teudence in her place, observed
Maria. 81 will do the best can.
(Which will be vast deal better
than anything she can do, though, OF
course, not perfection, for we can't
put old heads upon young shoulders
was the remark of Miss. West. "Bnt
| believe you are more steady than
most girls at two-and-twenty
Il have had experience and sorrow,
Aunt Hester, and that has brought
me sober thought. My mothers
illness was a long one-it was a time
of sadness and trouble; and | think
il took all the iightness of girlhoood
out of me. Except at night, scarce
" left her room for months, and
during the whole of that time she
never ceased to labor for my benefit.
ITO labor | thought she could
do nothing interrupted the Invalid.
"By counsel and precept. She
showed me plainly what the future
would bring me, and how | must
strive to pass through 1t. Preeept
was spoken upon precept, and line
upon line. She never ceased for she
knew she was dying, and would not
be spared 20 guide me. ! trust !
shall remember her counsel practic-
ally, until die.
II declare it is as though you were
talking Greek to me, how could she
show you your future? She was
not conjuror,' exclaimed Miss
West.
Maria smiled. "The general flu
tire, Aunt Hester. There is not
much real difference in the future OF
any of us; we all have trials TO en-
dure, temptations to overcome, some
in a more, some in less degree; and
then comes the closing scene. My
mother said that that closing scene
comes for nearly all of us before we
expect it-that it arrives like a thief
in the night. She taught me bow to
take God for my guide, implicitly to
trust Him, no vever dark my path
might seem to be; and that, so long
a. | did trust to His grace, ! should
be helped through It,"
Il hope she taught you something
useful as well, or | don't know how
YOU will get through the world"
cried Miss West, with but little rev
erence for what Maria had been say
ing.
81 have Taught myself usefulness,
Aunt Hester. 1t is three years now
since mamma died, and | have been
an active manager at home ever since.
Do you remember telling me, when
! was here four or five years ago,
that had turn for domestic duties:
] think | have
care you a good nurse in sick
ROOM"
81 believe | am. ! had so much
practice with my dear mother Oh,
Aunt Hester, hers was a happy
death"
''Because you know you are to at
tend upon me now you are come,
was Miss Vests only answer. "Mrs
West is of no use but just come in
and gossip, and the servants are for
getful."
81 will try to do my best in every
way for you and for all while / am
here, aunt" replied Maria.
81 hope so. | can tell you that
this world has its duties, and that
those who would fulfill them must
put their shoulder to the wheel, and
be workers, not dreamers.
81 am aware of that" said Maria.
"When my mother talked TO me of
the duties that would lie upon me,
she did not suffer me to think that
it was by neglecting those of this
world we could prepare for the next. "
al am glad she had some good
common sense, at any rate" remark
ed miss West.
1t was spoken In tone that made
Maria smile "Dear aunt, she had
great uedl Ol BOOu COuluiOH oCHoC3
she had her full share. 1t did not
argue want of it that she strove to
work for eternity as well as for
here"
"Have you got cool hand?" re.
Joined Miss West. because if you
have not you won't be of any use at
making up the butter"
Maria was installed in her various
occupations the day following her
arrival. Mrs. West gave her keys
to her, and fairly constituted her
housekeeper, telling her to use her
own judgement in providing and
ordering, and not to trouble her; that
if there was anything she really re-
quired advice upon, she was to ask
her Aunt Hester.
But if her aunt West gave up her
keys to the custody of Maria, her
Aunt Hester did not. She had been