Year: 1866

too beautiful to live-this child of earth
All! if she had only died, ere grief for
her had borne the loving hearts of the old
folks to the gates of death, and brought
desolatlOn and care into one of the fairest
aud happiest homes upon earth There
had been the old story-a handsome and
most fascinating stranger had Won the
heart OF the innocent girl; aud then, tears,
expOstulations, threats, eommands-all Civ
en- with loving severity-yet all in vain
One bright winter morning the loved one
was gone-had fed from the old homestead,
leaving those who had given her life-and
who had thought nothing in life too beau
titul or too good for her-for the arms of
a stranger. They had heard nothing of
her for long time, and then came news
from foreign land, OF uncertain sort-a
few timid words begging for forgiveness,
asking to see the dear old home, with eve.
ry now and then sentiment of fear or ter
ror evident in the tremulous lines Then
after short period, more distressing news
"a wife illtreatcd, then deserted, and then
clait8ed again; only to be obliged to follow
the fortunes of dissipated and brutal hus-
band. But ere this last bitter news had
reached them the two loving old folks had
found their perfect rest Through long
and checkered years they had travelled life
together, and in death they would not be
divided


AS these thoughts crowded into the
mind of Aline, the Goals dropped from
their places in the CRATE, and the shadowy
phantoms that filed the room passed into
the empty space, as a sound from the street
reached her ears. 1t sounded so like hu
man cry. 1t must be fancy, she thought,
and tried to call back the lost shadows.
She could not compose herself again Her
thoughts chung with a strange tenacity to
the fate of her young sister. What would
she not give to see her now-to bear her
footsteps in the silent room, and listen to
her voice making music in the house that
she had alone been mistress of so long


Suddenly she started to her feet Surely
there lcGS a cry-a low, agonizing wall,
making itself heard in the pause of the
storm. The wide hall was reached at a
bonnd-a step and the door was opened
wide to the shrieking wind 4 human
torm-a wouan-lay upon the doorsill sp,
parently quite insensible. The sufferer
was speedily conveyed into the houSe--in
to the coy sitting room, which Was bow
lighted with brighter glow than from the
freight; and the oldiashioned sofa was
wheeled close to the fire, while willing and
busy hands essayed to bring back life to
The poor creatures frozen form.


Aine stopped to untasten the wanderers
tim trock. and as she did so small gold
lockct was exposed to view Why did she
start as she looked at the face mirrored
therein? She threw herself By the inseu-
slble form, and rained kisses upon her, as
she sobbed rather than said, %, Lord, |
thank Thee for this great blessing. My
sister, oh, my darling sister! the lamb
which was lost and is found again " And
SO she passed from prayers of thanksgiving
to expressions Of JOY, until the light of life
dawned in the eyes of the unfortunate
wanderer, and their lips met in mutual ca
ress.


A long story was that which Aline lis,
tened to the next day-gloomy and sad
but when it was ended, she brushed out
her sisters long golden curls, twining them
over her fingers as of old, and gazing down
in the liquid blue eyes, radiant with a new
light of hope and peace, said softly, There
is only us two, my sister, and though We
have both seen sorrow and waded through
grief, yet can we cow live new life in
each other


The old homestead grew more cheerful
than before, aud the two fair ladies who
owned it and made its adornments their
pleasure and pride, were beloved and hon.
ored by every one who came within the cir
Gle of their lives.


| might go farther, and tell of night
when the old house was brilliantly lighted,
and many guests assembled to see lovely
woman in the prime of life pledge her faith
to noble man-sud how through all the
changes of life that had yet come the sis
ters were never separated and though
thankful to God for all his mercies, yet
mourned together for those gone before,
signing 'for the touch of vanished hand
aud listening for the sound of voice that
is dead