Year: 1874

exchanged keepsakes, and promised
to remember the merry, brave
hearted boy, whose home would be
the wide, blue ocean.


Alice May seldom joined them
She was so delicate and timid. and
the thought Of Bens departure fill
ea her eyes with tears, so she would
steal away alone, fearful Of the ridi-
cule of her hardier companions.


But one night Ben came to Mrs.
Mays cottage, to bid them good
bye. Alice stood by the windows
watching the stars, wondering what
made them So dim-naver thinking
! of the tears that dimmed her eyes.
as Ben told over his hopes so joy
fully. She could not pat with him
! there, so she walked through the
little door-yard, and stood beside
the gate, looking like a golden
crowned angel in the yellow moon
light; and when he told ever again
how large she would be on his re-
turn, that he would not dare to call
her his little Alice then, as he look
ed back lingelingly. she laid q
soft brown curl in his hand, saying:
Il have kept it for you this long,
long time, Ben; ever since you
brought me home through the
snow, do you remember?


He did remember, and with one
passionate burst Of grief, he pressed
the little girl to his bosom. and the
brave hearted boy sobbed The fare-
we'll he could find no words for.


But five years ale not always 4
lifetime. True. it Was such to the
qliet. thoughtful Charlie Allen,
whose large, dark eyes hal stolen
brilliancy from his book, and tie
laughing, Belle Archer both were
laid to sleep in the old church yard,
when the night Stars shone on their
graves. Others went out to seek
y fortune i'll the gay world. and
some grew into miniature men
and women by their own sweet fire
sides: but Alice May seemed still
q child Yet she WAS taller, and
her slight form more gracefully de-
veloped: bnt there was the same
angel looking through her eyes as
had watched there in the olden
days. She stayed at home now. to
assist her mother in sewing, their
chief support; but she was the
same shy, sweet Alice that Ben
Bolt had carried through the snow.
Ben Bolt came back. How
strange that five years should have
passed so quickly and stranger still
that this tall, handsome sailor,
whose voice was so full and rich,
should be Ben Bolt Kate Ashley
was not thinking Of the sweet Sab
bath rest, as the chime of the church.
bell foated through the village;
there she stood before her mirror.
arranging her shining curls, and
fastening her dainty bonnet, with
its white ribbons dropping blue
bells, thinking if she could not fas-
cinate Ben with her sparkling eyes,
it would be delightful to have his
chief attention during his stay.


He thought she did look very
graceful as he sat before SERVICE
looking on olden faces-but there
was fairer one than hers he fan
eied, as he saw the sweet face of


Alice May, with the half-closed eyes,
and long, golden-edged lashes,
shadowing the pale cheek. He car
ried in his bosom a curl like the
one nesting so softly by her tenn
pie, and it a talisman: keeping him
from the enchantment Of other


eyes.


When the service was closed, Ben


Bolt was thronged about by old
fa ailiar faces-they had so much
to sav, 50 many things to speak Of,


50 much Joy to express at his safe
return, that it we'll nigh bewildered


him. It was very pleasant to be so


warmly welcomed by old friends,


delightful to chat Ct by-gones: and


Il was indeed Sabbath u joy to


Ben Bolt.


Sweet Alice All, how long and


weary the time had been to her
| Sometimes her heart died within her


as she thought ef the broad ocean:
but when she looked so shyiy 1T Ben
| that morn. and saw low handsome


he had grown.a heart sickness came
over her. and the sunshine fell bat
dimlv on the grass at her feet. She
knew she had hidden away to the
depths of her pure heart: Wild
earthly love: and she strovc to put
it from her, for would he think o?
, her uow? SO it was no wonder she
should slip her slender hand in her
mothers and steal quietly from the
: joyous throng.


! It was Sabbath evc-ono Of thoaa
'lstnfy: moonlight evenings Of the
/ >ug sasA,Rer: Mrs. May had