Year: 1877

spirits which Esther poured out for him, ito


keep out the cold," took leave as unceremo-


niously as he had entered, we'll satisfied with
the success of his mission.


The baby was kept Esther had known


we'll enough from the first that she would not


be thwarted in her wish, and Roger Laselle


was the last man in the world to do an un-


kind deed. The little creature grew and
throve under her motherly care. "Theodora,"
she named it, "a gift of God" and no more
acceptable gift, except a babe of their very
own, could have been sent to brighten the
loneliness of their happy but too quiet home.
Mr.. Laselle came, in time, to regard the walf
with almost as much tenderness as did his
wife, though he was slow in showing it. Little
Theo. had made for herself warm corner in
his heart long before even Esther suspected
such to be the case She was child Of rare
beauty and promise, and as the feeting
months developed her intelligence, and
brought, each day, some new and attractive
quality to light, it was no wonder that to her
adopted parents she became an object OF the
tenderest interest, and, by degrees, of the
most unbounded love. And the hands that
guided her were not only loving, but wise.
No pains were spared to train and cultivate
each budding virtue into fairest growth; to
bring each precious germ of her nature into
perfection of promise; and we'll did she re-
pay their care, and reciprocate, with all the
warmth of most ardent temperament, the
devotion so freely lavished upon her.


So the years went by, and the orphan girl,
who never suspected that she came of other
than that which alone she knew,
passed from infancy into childhood, and from
childhood into a maidenhood of rare and
winning loveliness; throwing around the home
which had sheltered her from the desolate
charity of the outer world, a halo Of sunshine
and happiness which, without her presence, it
would never have known.


But clouds were darkening the horizon of
this peaceful home, though for season the
eyes of its inmates were wilfully blind to
their approach. Disease laid its hand on
Roger Laselle's sturdy frame, which for so
many years had endured the hardships of toll
and braved the inclemency of the roughest
weather, shrinking from no effort in the ac-
of the grand object which had
brought him to this western region-the
building up of fortune which would repay
him for all the sacrifices he had made. The
fortune was already won, but he was not des'
tined to reap the enjoyment of it, or to fulfill
his dream of returning, in triumph, to the
home he had left in his youth, penniless but
hopeful, against the wishes and advice OF
prudent relatives and friends, who had pre-
dicted only disappointment and failure in his
rash enterprise. 1t was a comfort to him to
know that those 80 dear to him were guarded
against want, that the wealth he had amassed
was an amply sufficient provision for their
future; but this was small compensation to
Hon. so. II tho grief
but surely stealing over them. Life without
her husband was possibility which Esther
had never even dared to contemplate She
had so leaned upon him, so trusted in his
strength, so wrapped herself in his sheltering
care, from the hour he had taken her from
her lonely post of under-teacher in a rude
Western school, and brought her to be the
mistress of his log cottage and the darling of
his affections, that it seemed to her as if,
with this support withdrawn, she must perish
too. And now Theodore came to her aid, up
lifting her sinking spirit with the tender cour-
age and warm love of her own brave young
heart, unsel6shly quelling her own deep sor-
row that she might minister comfort where
comfort was so sorely needed. Upon her, the
pair, so closely linked together by eighteen
years of mingled adversely and sweetness,
both unconsciously leaned. Roger Laselle
felt that when he was gone, Esther would not
be wholly desolate, having with her compan-
ion so tender and true; and when the dread
hour of parting came, it was Theodora's arm
that sustained Esthers dropping form; Theo-
dora's breast upon which she wept out the
bitter tears wrung from her anguisbed heart.


Three years later, and we find Mr.. Laselle's
widow and adopted daughter established in
handsome residence in his native city, whith-
er in accordance with his urgently expressed
wish, they had removed shortly after his
death, bearing with them his remains to be
deposited in the family burial.place, where his
kindred lay inferred. None of his near rela-
tives were now living, and the lonely pair
would have found few in this strange city to
take an interest in them, but for two strong
points of attraction which they possessed
Mrs. Laselles large fortune, and Theodora's
rare gifts of person and disposition, which
won for her, as soon as she became known,
admiration.


Esther, though still crushed by the sorrow
whose weight could never be quite lifted from
her heart, had, in due time, unselfshly urged
the young girls entrance into the world and
participation in its amusements ; and Theodo-
ra already found herself reigning belle on
the stage of society, though never suffering its
pleasures to interfere with her devotion to her
or her attention to any of her care
fully.fulfilled home duties and interests.


1t was brilliant night of May, and Theo-
dora stood on the moonlit balcony of an ele-
CANT mansion, within the spacious walls of
which was assembled gay company, moving
to and fro amid the perfumes of exotics and
the soft strains of ravishing music. Weary