The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1901-02-21

Win the new scenes ABOUT her, gave
little room for backward thoughts. At
the end of the route she wassmet by
Florence, and she felt sense of COM
fort to be again with friends, with the
prospect of quiet rest before assum-
ing new responsibilities. Florence was
accompanied by tall gentleman whom
she introduced as her brother, lately re-
! turned from Australia In their school
life Florence had often spoken of her
only brother, John. She had occasion
, ally read portions of his letters to her
friend, for she had girlish pride in his
smoothly written sentences, his pleas
ant descriptions of persons and scenery;
and more than all she felt glad salts
faction in the tone of affectionate So
licitude which his letters revealed, and
with her generous nature she wished
Patience to share with her, to some ex-
tent, in herfamily feelings and interests.
Patience had in this way learned some
thing OF his cast of mind, and with her
WOmanly frankneSS could not meet him
as stranger
John Reed possessed scholarly tastes,
refined mind and tender heart. Like
his sister, he had something of Deepen
dence in his nature. When he had
spent two years in college his father,
owing to some pecuniary losses, was un-
able to aid him further. Many young
men would have nobly pushed forward
and have proved that the lack of money
is not an insurmountable obstacle to a
determined will. But Johns ambition
was hardly strong enough to encounter
difficulties unaided and after a short
struggle he relinquished his college
course. He engaged for some years in
surveying, not because of any special
adaptability, but he was led to it partly
by his rowing disposition and partly by
wish to do something at literary work.
But while he possessed talents which
might, under favorable circumstances,
have gained him eminence, the required
| perSiStency of effort was lacking. His
health had not been firm and at the age
of thirty he had met with little tinan-
cial success With view to recuperat-
ing he is now at the home of his parents
and is rendering some assistance in his
| fathers business. The experience
gained in years of wandering has added
stores to his scholarly, receptive mind.
He is brilliant conversatlonaliSt, and
his genial nature renders him an at
tractive member of the family circle
and he is greatly loved by his parents
and only sister.
Patience spent one month in the fam
| lily OF MIR. Reed; then au opening was
made for her in one of the village
schools. She was to remain in the hap
Ply home and with a grateful heart she
felt surely the lines have fallen to me
in pleasant places" The interval of
rest had been fraught with enjoyment,
and when she began her school duties
her old enthusiasm returned. Her pu-
pills seemed to gain fresh impulse from
their new teacher, and her room soon
became known to the school authorities
as a place where faithful work was done,
and Patience was regarded by them as
true teacher
The evenings, when not employed in
school work, formed bright spots in the
daily life of Patience The versatile
mind of John Reed was continually
bringing to light some new topic, which,
while it had interest for all, received
from no one more enthusiastic atten-
ton than from Patience IT he read
aloud, his musical voice brought melody
to her soul and led her to forget all the
disturbing cares of the day. She had
an inherent love for literature, but in
her busy life hitherto no decided liter
airy tastes had been formed.
| Thus, hardly realized by herself, John
| Reed was forming those tastes, and from
his mind her own was daily receiving
color. Her respect for one ten years
her senior led her to regard his favorite
authors, and the thoughts of the writer
never came home so distinctly to her
mind and heart as when reproduced In
Johns own language. While each even
| ing brought enjoyment to the inmates
of this quiet home, Sunday evening
| formed a sweet and beautiful link unit
! ing the weeks and shedding its tender
influence upon all the days. Sunday
hymns were sung, sometimes every
voice joining. None of the modern, IN
sipid, irreverent devotional songs were
used but the grand old tunes of which
one never tires, such as Crock of Ages,
: Cleft for Me-" in its calm and beautiful
strength; Jesus, lover of my soul, y
that hymn which can never grow old so
long as there are burdened hearts to
find in it refuge; "Eventide." whose
soft, sweet strains bring out so admir-
ably the soothing comfort of the words:
''The twilight falls and night is near. I fold
my work away
! And kneel to one who bends to hear the story
OF the day"
| We have fancy that voices form an
/ llluSA W dldCuol. lOlollCc
occupied the seat at the piano, and her
tender pleading treble seemed in full
harmony with her nature. With Pa
thence, all the depth and earnest wealth
of her being seemed poured out in her
rich, firm alto. John displayed in music
that rare adaptation that characterized
him in all his other gifts. His voice
was fine and flexible and he sang one
part as effectively as another The older
members often joined, though in tones
which their added years had somewhat
softened and subdued. AS the weeks
passed on Patience met with the trials
incident to her work, but her buoyant
nature rose above Them and in the gen.
ial influences of the home of her friends
she found much of real living.
Among the acquaintance of John
who became frequent visitor at Mr..
Reeds was Carol Stanley, young law
yer of promise. He was left at an early
age an orphan, Injured from childhood
to hardships, yet his inherent ambition
could not be stifled and under the most
adverse circumstances he obtained his
education and at the age of 25 was ad-
mitted to the bar If he had not that
diversity of gifts which we have seen
in John, the want was more than made
up by his indomitable energy and