Year: 1874

Marrying for home Gently, gently
if you please, you who curl the lip of
virtuOus scorn, and laugh derisively at
the thought; you who denounee it as
unwomanly, heartless, and even saere-
ligious, the woman who could demean
herself by marrying for so miserable
consideration. Gently, gently-remem-
Der how strong we all are, until tempted,
and then, alas how weak. We do not
care to drink until the fragrant cup is
pressed to the lip; then, too often, we
drain it to the very dregs.


Gently, gently-your feet are strong in
the ideal path now; every hope OF your
heart is fresh and sweet with vigorous
life, but the time may come when you
may totter and tremble in the way
Heaven help you that you may not fall !
Many hands will beckOn you forward
but few will hold you back.


Gently, gently-now while the woman
ly pride shines out from your eyes, and
| the crimson color leaps up to your cheeks,
let me ask you how strongly you have
been tempted from the true and beauti-
| full way? Let me ask if you have ever
grown weary with battling with the
| harsh, cruel world-weary with wait
/ ing for the tenderness and care for which
every wOmau's heart yearns If you
have seen your dreams die away before
your eyes-the roses Of your life crumble
/ into ashes in your hands, and darkness
settle down upon you while you prayed
/ forlight? If,while you have mcurned for
/ the love of mother lost TO you in your
ehildhood-fOr the home that has not
been yours for the many weary, weary
years-when your hands have fallen
| helplessly down mutely asking for re-
spite from the labor which you have
performed so long and so well-when
your feet staggered in the wearisome
way, and the noisome hum and hustle
of the great stifled city nearly mad
dened you-if, at such a time, there were
words of tenderness and love whispered
in your ears? III afar off in the cool
delicious country, when the birds and
the brooks, and the fragrant air sing
their anthems all through the day
where the trees fling their shadows, and
the blue sky presses its bosom lovingly
down upon the green brows of the hills,
and the blessed, free sunshine writes its
stories upon the emerald pages of the
meadows, you have been told there was
a home waiting for you? n home-a
home


Yours was brave, true heart, indeed,
il ii did not waver, yours strong SOUL
il you did not turn lOngingly TO the
promised "haven of rest"


Did you not say to yourself, that for
the home, the kindness aud tenderness
that was given you, yen might be at least


an obedient wife-perhaps in the years


to come, loving one? Did you not shut


your eyes again aud again in the face of


the dead love, lying away in the past,


with the weight of fyears-perchaneeo only


of mouths-upOn it, and say that you


could not love again as you had once


loved? that the first strength of your


heart had been wasted-the truest hope


blasted?


Praise God, my friend, if this cup has


"passed from your But bear gently


with those who falter when the tempta-
tion comes. The ways of life are hard to


know; the passion and the trials Of the
human heart are best seen by the dear
Father Of us all. You and have little


right TO Judge. To-day we are strong


tomorrow we stagger forward, and care


but little what hand Is outstretched to
lead, SO that it shelters and protects US.