Year: 1862

" It's come too late, o, Uncle Dennis.
by the buried faces tha, io under this
springing grass, by the broken heart that
beats above tits come too iate -


These we're very sad words, and yet 1t
seemed to mc that the voice that spoke
them was saddcr still, and the face that
looked out of the chamber window Of the
soltid old stone mansion was saddest OF
ALL Ii was face that still might
be called young, or it dill not look its
ycars--and they were ouly twcnty-uiuc-
u sweet delicate, most womanly face,
with soft, shining brown hair, aul eyes
little darker than the hair. There was
no coIoring, no glow or warmth in the
face IT was a still. white, mourntul one
and looking at it YOU felt that the heart
beneath had surgcl and struggled under
great frcshets Of sorrow, and II the tide
had not cbhel from their hish.watcr mark
they lay still now, very deep anl broad,
perhaps, but the storm, dIi not lash them,
the torrents had ceased 10 flow


Aud vet as she stood at the window
that morning, many would have thought
Gertrude Wooster woman to be cnyicd-
Throughout the town Of Maiden people
were talking of the strange good fortune
that had fallen to her, AMI the new heir
css of the old Wooster domains was pre-
sumed to be almost intoxicated with sud-
den delight, at finding herself the sole
posscssor Of all which had 80 lately been
the strength and pride OF It's stern and
pompous owner, Dennis Wooster.


But people were mistaken here, as they
are SO very likely to be when promounclns
Judgment ON the head and life Of others.


The eyes OF Gertrude Wooster the
large, sweet, sad eyes, wandered over the
fair and goody acres Of which her uncle
death made her the sole posscssor, aud
they did not kindle with pride or joy
The shadow deepened in them as they
went from the orchards on the rising lands
10 the low south meadows from the green
pastures slopiug off to the west to the
broad wheat fields with the low stone
walls, making in the distance only gray
seams through the green.


1t Was u beautiful morning in the early
May. The SKY above and the earth be.
meath was full of the JOY and cxultatlon
of the Spring, and the day was like
golden goblet filled with the glowing wine
of the new year.


The birds were in the full tide of morn.
ing song, the buds were swelling on the
boughs, and the heart of the day echoed
the words of the poet of Israel" Thou
crowncst the year with thy goodness.


The memory of Gertrude Wooster
wandered over the years of her life as
she stood by the window. And the faces
of her mother and of her brother and
sisters came and stood by her. Those
young years of hope, and love, and brave
struggling with poverty looked tairer than
the present to the heiress OF nearly
quarter OF a million.


Her father had failed in his business.
and died Of fever brought on by har-
assing anxieties. leaving his widow With
four children and only small annuity
for their support. Mrs. Wooster sum
moned all her energies to meet the new
responsibilities deyolving upon her. She
established an infant school, and kept her
family together in humble but comfortable
fashion. Algcrnon. her only sou, the
pride and hope of his mother and sisters,
whose youth was Sc full of all the prom
ises of brave and noble manhood, had
graduated at college with high honors.-
And then a slight cough set in, brought
on, the doctor said, by too constant apph--
cation to his studies. They recommended
change of air and year of perfect quiet
but it cost money to procure that. one
of those acres lying before her freckled
with sunshine would have saved that
young, brave life. thought Gertrude with
a smile bitter and stern enough. But
they we're not hers then, and so Algernon
sank with ftful revi,als like the fading
and rising hectic in his cheek, and at last
he lay by the side Of his father.


Her mothers heart broke then; her
smile always showed it afterward. Ger
trude was old enough then to take her
mothers place in the school, and she did,
and it expanded from an infant school
into young ladies' seminary.


But there was competition on all sides,
and her duties were very arduous, and 1t