Year: 1859

! 'iihN VI AHltt htthst VI SOHlt mOit NNhi


plex and characteristic feeling, it would hay


been difficult to tell. Evidently her HUSBAND


received the look as boon and assurance o


affection, for he drew hercloser TO him, pressed


her hand silently, and raised it to his lips \
| kiss might have followed, but it was Sunday


morning, in the open air, the planting was no


thick, there might be persons on the other side


he had his ministerial bands on; and the kirk


bell was in his ear. They walked slowly OIL


therefore; he opened the little wicket thai


crossed the path where it reached its highest
| elevation and now the church was in view
with the people who had not yet entered gath.


cred about the doors.


As the pair were seen approaching, the boys


the sections willing deputies at the bell-rope


for the last sixteen minutes, ceased from their
| violent exertions, and placing their hands in


their pockets, lcant against the church gable


adding their leisurely and open stares to the


more discreet glances with which their seniors


were already regarding the bride faint


blush overspread the countenance of the object


of so much curiosityi her eyes sought the
ground; and her husband, feeling her arm


slightly tremble in his, hastened to lead her


into church. Passing along the narrow aisle,


with its smooth carthen floor, he reached one


of the long pews on the left of the pulpit dis


tinguished as the minister's pew, by the plain
cushion of green baize laid along the seat. The


boy and the maid servantfrom the manse, who,
with the greater part of the congregation had


taken their places before the minister's arrival,
came out of the pew to allow their mistress
entrance. After handing her in, the clergy
man passed on to the vestry at the farther end
of the aisle, from which, the whorshippers in
the meantime having all composed themselves
in their seats, he soon issued to ascend the
pupit-stair. The service passed much as usual
save that the hearers were perhaps less atten-
tive to what was spoken than was customary
with them, most eyes being directed at inter-
walls towards the upper corner of the minister's
pew, where, scarce moving, sat one, with whom
also as if he grudged being so near her and
yet not by her, the speakers thought were.-
What with the glimpses obtained by the more
rude and curious congregation who had waited
outside before service, what with the more
steady which others were able by their posi-
tion in church. TO obtain while the service
lasted, and what with the brief intrOductions
to the bride, with which considerable number
contrived to get themselves favored after the
service was over, the whole population of the
parish had that evening pretty correct por-
trait of their ministers young wife to comment
upon.


"And what think you of our minister's wiie?"
said the wife of the miller of the parish, on her
way home from church, to the wife of farmer,
who in respect of her husbands dignity as one
of the elders, had enjoyed the opportunity for
closer inspection of the bride, which a per-
sonal introduction afforded.


"weel,' was the reply, "there's no donyin'
that she's bonny for lovclier face never
clappt &c upon but TO me there's something
waefu about hcr-a want o lichtness like"


Nearly three months had passed since that
day The busy occupation of summer and
autumn had come both to fisher and husband
man, and the minister's marriage had become
topic of the past. Yet, as we have before
mentioned, it had not escaped the attention of
the parishoners that a great change had taken
place in the whole dcmeanor of their young
pastor since his marriage. Instead of that
overfowing joyousness which they had for
mcrly remarked in him, there was now grav-
ity which it was difficult to provoke to smile
Il certain expression Of care, of anxiety, somc-
times amounting even to pain and restlessness.
What was the cause of this ?? and was it in any
way connected with his marriage? The par
ishoners had no means of answering this ques-
tom they very rarely saw the young clergy
man and his wife when they we're in the COM
pany of each other indeed, they very rarely
saw the latter at all, and never in such way
as to become familiar with her-a circumstance
which by no Emeans disposed them to speak
favorably of her, it being the established mo-
rality of Il clergyman's wife in that part of the
country, that she should go about doing good,
and learning who were sick within the bounds
of her husbands parish


Nor even had the families who constituted
what might be called the society of the district
for some miles round, very ample opportuni-
ties for judging respecting the happiness CT
the young clergymans married life. Occasion
allv, indeed he and his wife paid visits to one
or other Of the families in question, when gem
orally tine same circle of persons would he in
yited to meet them; but of these occasions no
more fruitful subject of remark could be gather
ed than this, of which, however, the ladies
made the most, that the young minister exhib-
tied, by his looks even at table, by the care
with which he adjusted his wifes shawl ms he
led her out in the evening air, and by thou
sand little acts the publicity of which is tole-
rated only during the honeymoon, an excess
of matrimonial fondness perpetual yearning
towards his young wife in the presence of
other people, which it was really provoking
for other people to witness. On the other
hand when these acquaintance paid visits to
the manse of -, they usually found the
Young wife seated at her piano, near small
window in the drawng-roow, overlooking the
garden; and in the absence of any just cause
for depreciating her housewifely qualities, for
all about her had an air of neatness order, and
beautiful taste, they then would fastcn on the
character of the music that lay scattered about
as the most memorable thing, and would carry
away a snatch of sentimental English from one
seat, and the decisive fact that the words on
another were Italian as circumstances and
proofs to be afterwards produced in judgment