Year: 1859

a welcome guest r said to myself, as


crossed the threshold. Shall ] find he


en- deshobiUe likewise, and discover that fem


mime beauty and grace are incompatible


with rainy evening?' heard swee


voice reading aloud as / opened the door


and | knew it was the voice which wa


once music to my ears. Mary rose at M,


entrance, laying her book quietly on th'
table, and greeting me with modest grace
and seif-possession peculiar to herself. Sh'


looked surprised, little embarrassed, bu


very far from being displeased. She made


no alusion to my estrangement or neglect


expressed no astonishmeut at my untimely


visit, nor once limited that, being alone witt
her mother, and not anticipating visitors


she thought it unnecessary to wear the hab


iliments of lady. Never in my life hat


/ seen her look so lovely. Her dress wa


perfectly plain, but every fold was arranged
/ by the hand of the Graces. Her dark


brown hair, which had a natural wave in
| it, now uncurled by the dampness, was put
| back in smooth ringlets from her brow, re-


vealng face which did not consider its
beauty wasted because mothers eye alone
rested on its bloom. A beautiful cluster of


autumnal roses, pacedin glass vase on


the table, perfumed the apartment, and a
bright blaze on the hearth diffused spirit
of cheerfuness around, while 1t relieved
the atmosphere of its excessive moisture.


Mrs. Carlton was an invalid, and suffered
also from an inflammation of the eyes. Mary
had been reading aloud to her from her ia
vorite book. What do you think it was Z
1t was very old-fashioned one, indeed.
No other than the Bible. And Mary was
not ashamed to have such fashionable
young gentleman as ] then was, to see what
her occupation had been. What a contrast
TO the scene / had Just quilted How /
loathed myself for the infatuation which
had led me to prefer the artificial graces of
belle to this pure child of nature drew
my chair to the table, and entreated that
they would not look upon me as stranger
but as friend, anxious to be restored to the
forfeited privileges Of an old acquaintance.
was understood in a moment, and, with
out single reproach was admitted again
to confidence and familiarity. The hours
| had wasted with Theresa seemed kind
of mesmeric slumber, a blank in my exist
ence, or at least, feverish dream. What
do you think of rainy evening, Mary?
asked |, before / left her.


"'I ! love it of all things replied she,
with animation. There is something so
home-drawing and heart knitting, in its in
fuence. The dependencies which bind us
to the world seem withdrawn, and, retiring
within ourselves, we learn more of the
deep mysteries of our own being


's.Mary's soul beamed from aer eyes, as
it turned with transient obliquity, towards
heaven. She paused, as if fearful of un-
sealing the fountains of her heart. i said
that Mrs. Carlton was an invalid, and con- I
retired early to her chamber, but
/ fingered till late hour | did not 90
till had made full confessian of my fol-
ly, repentance, and awakened love and, as
Mary did not shut the door in my face, you
may imagine she was not sorely displeased."


" All | know who Mary was. j knew
all the time /" exclaimed George looking
archly at Aunt Mary. A bright tear, which
at that moment fell into her lap, showed
that, though silent, she was no uninter-
ested auditor.


You heven't done, father? 2" said little
Ann, in disappointed tone. 81 thought /
you were going to tell a story. You have
been talking about yourself all the time.''


g i have been something Of an egotist, to
be sure, my little girl, but wanted to show
my dear young friend here how much
might depend on a rainy evening. Life is
not made all of sunshine. The happiest
and most prosperous must have their sea-
son of gloom and darkness, and woe be to
those from whose souls no rays of bright
ness emanate TO gild those darkened hours.
| bless the God of the rain as well as the
sunshine. l can read his mercy and his
love as well in the tempest, whose wings
obscure the visible glories of his creation,
as in the splendor of the rising sun, or the
soft dews that descend after his setting ra-
dance. began with metaphor. / said
a rainbow was drawn on the clouds that
lowered on that eventful day, and that it
still continued to shine with undiminished
beauty. Woman my children, was sent by
God TO be the rainbow of mans darker
destiny. From the glowing red, emblem
attic of that love which warns and glad
dens his existence, TO the violet, melting
into the blue of heaven, symbolical of the
faith which links him to purer world, her
blending virtues, mingiing with each other
in beautiful harmony, are token of God;
mercy here, and an earnest of future bless
ngs in those regions where no rainy eve-
lings viii ever come TO obscure the bright
ness of eternal day"


iIr. GiddingS on the trial of Adams