Year: 1867

As before stated, Matilda was for time
the object ol much prying curiosity, and to
this may be added good deal of ungener-
Gus criticism. But with the decay of curl
oslty interest died out. What was Matil
da Hastings that more fortunate people
should he mindful of her ! She went lit
tie abroad except to church, and was so
quiet and gentle and kindly in her life
that the little that was said gradually took
tone OF pity and commscratOp.


IL may be remarked by tlle-wav. that
she was thrown into the shade of obscur
ty. the first place, by the splcndors of the
beautiful bride. all of whose appoint
ments were discussed and exaggerated. as
though in some way their rich rofusion
took something from the poverty of those
who discussed them.


They are going to foreign parts for II
year or two, said Mrs Armstrong when
she came to visit Mrs. Hastings and Ma
tida, Though not all for pleasure. The
fact is. Mats spirits are dreadfully down,
and his leal;h is falling, and Brother Tom
thinks it the best thing for them-no
help being expected from Eunice. yoa
see - And then she says she siiall not be
surprised if Nat settles in New York for
good all on his return, if he lives to come
back adding, with II little sncer, that Gin
cinnati is getting to he rather TOO small! a
field for, the operations of Mats genius.
She didn't like Eunice (she would not call
her Lamsic. and nobody could make her)
any better since she became her daughter
IN l,w than before ; she was sure Nat was
welcome to all the joy he could get of the
beauty but as for giving her the fine ta
bic and bed linen she had locked away in
the press-thlngs designed for another,
and marked with an0thcr's namc--that
was out of the question they might stay
in press aud rot first, as she had said
before.


She didn't care how soon they went Off
to foreign parts, for when II man married
simple wife it was sure to turn him to
a simpleton first or last, and she had seen
quite eli 1ugh already. And then she
kissed Matilda, while the tears dropped
down her faded checks, and told her that
she had taken her To her heart as her own
daughter. and nobody could displacc her
50 long as she should live. "Conc what
will. she said, shall always feel toward
you like mother, and hope you will allow
me to do a mothers part by vou, and that
nothing NAV ever stand between ua, or be
dearcr to You, except your own mother.
Aud then she added, trying to smile. 'un
less it he that you get the best husband i'll
all the world and am sure You deserve
him.


Before a year was gone by there was no
mother to stand between Matilda and this
second mother, and they became knit to-
gether with bonds OF Il still stronger aifec
lion.


You must come and live with me now,
my dear Tily, says Mrs. Armstrong;
'thc old house is too lonesome, and, be
sides, require you Cor my own comfort
| avn lonesome too And she broke
quite down, and they wcpt in each others
arms.


But Matilda had proud spirit in her
quiet bosom, and thongh she accepted the
proil'ercd love, she would accept nothing
that she could not "eturn in kind. There
will be some way. she SAID, there All
ways is. for those who strive to help them
selves. She mast work and wait she
said her Heavenly Father had some use
for her, else he would take her and give
her green bed beside her good mothers
in the village graveyard.


And so she SET up decent head stone,
the best she could afford, and made it her
sadly pleasant pastime to tend the burial
place, aud plant flowers about it. Then
she gathered few of the poor children
about her and taught them and so eXcm-
plary was the life she led, and so sweet
and servlcabe was she in all her ways,
that she became in time the mistress of the
village school, and had more children of
the rich. as well as the poor. than she
could teach. Still the place she occupied
in society and in the neighhorllood was IA
subordinate one she was Aunt Matilda
aud looked upon with n sort of compas
sion at the best.


At twenty five she had come to be re
gardcd as an oil maid, past all hope,
and she accepted her fate with that tender
consciousness which we sometimes see in
women who accept their unhonored for
tunes and weary work-day lives as mat
tiers Of course.


.She is neither company for young nor
old, said the towns folks, never dream ,
ing that it might be because neither young
nor old sought to make her company. and
so thew had their fairs and frolics without
her. why didn't you come. Aunt Ma
tilda? the young children SAID to her
sometimes after IA merry @maklns. 'Oh.