Year: 1867

Is the soul confused? Why not
when the divine spirit, rolling clear
across the aerial ocean, breaks upon
the hearts shore with all the mystery
of heaven? Is it strange that uncer
tain lights dim the eye, if above the
head of him that truly loves hover
clouds of sanity spirits? Why should
not the tongue stammer and refuse it's
accustomed offices, when all the world
Skies, trees, plants, hill, atmosphere,
and the solid earth-sprng forth in
new colors, with strange meanings.
and seem to chant for the soul the glory
of that mystic Law with which God
has bound to himself his infinite realm
the law of love! Then, for the first
time, when one so loves that love is
sacrifice, death to self, resurrection
and glory, is man brought into har-
mony with the whole universe; and,
like him who beheld the seventh heav.
en-, hears things unlawful to be ut
tered.


The great elm trees sighed as the
fittul breeze swept their tops. The
soft shadows fitted back and forth
beneath the walkers feet, fell upon
them in light and dark, ran over the
ground, quivered and shook, until sober
Cathcart thought his heart was throw
ing its shifting network of hope and
fear along the ground before him


How strangely his voice sounded to
him as, at length, all his emotions
could only say, 'Rachel-how did YOU
like the sermonY


Quietly she answered.


4 like the text


"a new commandment [ write un
to you, that you love one another Ra
chcIr


At first she looked down and lost a
little color; then, raising her face, she
turned upon him her large eyes, with
a look both clear and tender. 1t was
as If some painful restraint had given
way, and her eyes blossomed into full
beauty.


Not another word was spoken. They
walked home hand in hand He Meth
er smiled nor exulted. He saw neither
the trees, nor the long level rays of
sunlight that were slanting across the
fields. His soul was overshadowed
with cloud as if God were drawing
near. He had never felt so solemn
This woman's life had been entrusted
to him.


Long years-tho whole length of
lite-the eternal years beyond, seemed
in an indistinct way to rise up in his
imagination. All that he could say as
he left her at the door was:


'Rachel, this is forever-forever.'


She again said nothing, but turned
to him with a clear and open face. in
which JOY and trust wrought beauty.
1t seemed to him as if a light fell upon
him from her eyes. There was a look
that descended and covered him as
with an atmosphere; and all the way
home he was as one walking in q lu-
minous cloud. He had never felt such
personal dignity as now Hethat wins
such love is crowned, and may call him
self king. He did not feel the earth
under his feet. AS he drew near his
lodgings, the sun went down The chill
dren began to pour forth, no longer re-
strained. Abiah turned to his evening
chores. No animal that night but had
reason to bless him. The children
found him unusually good and tender.
And Aunt Keziah said to her sister:


'Abiah's been going to m etin' very
regular for some weeks, and | should
not wonder by the way he looks, if he
had got hope; | trust he amt deceiv-
ing himself


He had hope, and he was not de.
ceived; for in few months, at the close
or the service one Sunday morning,
the minister read from the pulpit:


Marriage is intended between Abiab
Cathcart and Rachel Lascomb, both off
this town, and this is the first publish
ing of the bans