Year: 1877

clothes from her face, and raised herself cautiously. The heavy breathing of her husband was not disturbed. She sat up in bed he still slept on; she glided from beneath the covering, and groping in the darkness, found her husbands vest, from which she took key.

 Mother." The slight noise made opening the chamber door had disturbed ono of the children. Mrs. Rowland stood still holding her breath. The call was not repeated, and she went out. groping her way along the passage with hand on the wall. Entering the room she sought, she closed the door behind her and drew the belt, fastening herself in. Alter lighting the gas she went to her husbands secretary, and with the key in her possession unlocked one of the private drawers. Her hand shook as the key rattled on the scutcheon before a way WAS found into the wards. The first object that met her view as the drawer came open was morocco minia- ture case, which she seized upon with a clutch as eager as that of a bird of prey and bearing it to the gas-light, unloosed her clasp and exposed the free of her rival.

 It was 8 young and lovely face, and the eyes looked up into hers with ten der and sweet expression. Away from the pure forehead the hair of golden au- burn tell smooth back, and lay in curls about her neck, that was winter and purer than alabaster. The lips were full, soft, and arched as if for a flight of arrows. Loves witchery was in the picture countenance.

 Still, very still, did the wife sit and gaze down upon her rivals face-that face on which, scarcely an hour before, she had seen her husbands kisses laid. Still, very still, she sat, the teers creep ing out of her eyes, falling slowly over her cheeks and dropping upon the mini ature. Was she jealous of that rival ? Nol Her heart was too glad for ..jeal- ousy, too full of joy, too wild with new born happiness. The bride of ten years ago was the rival of today, and the heart of her husband was true to his marriage VOWS! It was no fault of his that he could not love what had become unlovely. Not unlovely in the poorer sisniication of that word, aA indicating changes wrought by the wearing hand of time, but unlovely through indulgence and impatience, and fret ulness, and in the neglect of self-discipline--unlovely, also, from carelessness of attire and per sonal neatness. rs

 With the image of herself as she was ten years before, and with the image of l.- ir.l~. ] l~,.j1,x ,nouss< .. . o1,, Ls.;,-. that image, dwelling in her imagination, Mrs. Rowland went back to her bed. She had suddenly awakened from a dream, and the language ot her heart was "Thank God, am awakep

 As they sat at breakfast on the next morning, Mrs. Rowland noticed change in the expression of her husbands face as he looked at her across the table, let. ting his eyes dwell upon her with un- usual interest. It was an almost admiring expression. She was in no doubt as to the cause, for she had attired herself with scrupulous care in clean, bright morning wrapper, and wore cap fas- tened at one tide with rubber hairpin and ornamented with two or three small pink bows and sprig of flowers. A plain linen collar pinned with cameo was around her neck. And, better than all, she had banished every sign of dis content and fretfulness from her face.

 1" How sweet mother looks this morn ing!" said Mir. Rowland, glancing at one ci the children who sat near her, and smiling one of his old, bright smiles.

 eDon't she !" answered the little one lifting her rosy mouth to mamma for a kiss.

 !" Me kiss too, mamma so beautiful v' and little Allie scrambled down from her chair in newborn admiration of her mother, and put up her mouth also.

 And me too," exclaimed Mir. How land passing around the table and laying his lips softly and lingeringly upon the lips ot his wife. He saw, as he looked across the table. resuming his seat, that her eyes were dim with tears. He knew they were tears of pleasure; but he dd not imagine how deeply her heart was stirred nor how full of precious memo ries and golden hopes the moment was crowned.

 Ten years after marriage. Loves lamp was burning low, the oil nearly ex- exhausted, the wife grown so unattrac- tive that the husbands heart was turn ing back in worship Of the bride. But the lamp was blazing up again; there is a supply of oil. A beauty beyond any bridal beauty invests the wife, and it shall grow more womanly, more luxuri- ant, more enchanting, as the days sue ceed each other and years progress, until the soul puts on her garments of eternal youth.