Year: 1878

time, and I'll try to appease your 'hun-
ger when next we meet. Don't come
tonight, please. am too tired to
talk-but any other time I'll give you
smiling welcome. Goodbye.


Goodbye, Chirpy, Ill come to-
morrow for my welcome.


With steps heavy and heart heavier
Tom Sheldon turned away from his
cold little love, praying that q good
nights rest. and memory combined
might weave little warmth in the
morrow's greeting. Wondering, too,
why this change? Could 1t bs posi-
BILE that Ef1ie had studied her great big
Toms image out of its resting place
in her heart, aud studied some other
mans face in?


The thought wounded him like
poisoned arrow, so resolutely he drew
the arrow out, but it left the poison TO
rankle there, and his face grew dark
and darker, stern and sterner, with
tho pain that held high revel within
him.


He walked out among the trees,try-
ing to gain strength from them. to
bear and brave all that was to come,
as the trees bear the tempests that
bend them, aud bow them down to
earth, before great hurricane uproots
them, as death uproots man, bringing
quiet and rest at last.


This is a moment when Tom Shell
don appears beautiful and grand. AL
though his head is bowed, his arms in
terlocked, his steps heavy with the
weight of psin, he is as strong as the
knotted oak battling with the storm.


Gradually his tread softens. his arm
relax, his face loses its intense bitter
aess, and o swee+nees = I'd b11uey
gather in it that 60 hand in hand with
Hope and Courage. He has buckled
on the armor and is ready for the
strife.


Efiie turned and watched her lover
for moment after he left her, and
then like q sigh came out the words


sPoor, dear, awkward Toni What
do miss about him that isn't there
or was there when let him put this
ring ON (twirling it wistfully), or that
l thought was there? wish I could
find it. Heigh-hol Love is begin
ming to ruffle his feathers even before
1 have seen the dear mother-love that
stills the troubled waters of all my
griefs.


Opening the door very softly, and
stepping into the hall, she glides like
a sunbeam through the sitting room
door, and cries out with q glad cry :
Mother, dear mother.


The mo,her-arms opened aud closed
around her quickly, in tight embrace
and then came kisses out to meet each
other, and from trembling lips came
only such welcome as can come from
mother to child, after an absence laden
with the days of year.


The voices Of each, as they blended
together In sweet harmony sounded
like the Ginning of bells.


And how has my precious child
been feeling-as bright and happy as
her letters portrayed her p inquired
the fond mother.


'Oh, yes, dear mother; only some
times l would feel as il were station
ed ON an inclined plane, just ready to
slide down into the Land of the Blues
but somehow my course would change
and never quite got all the way
there. How has my. little mother
been? She looks ds sweet and con.
tented, as if trouble had never found
his way into her world. Oh, why
doesn't father come home? 1t seems
as if his train never would be due
Aud where's Harry?


tHe's on the train with your father.
He is getting to be quite little engin-
eer. Your father says if anything
should happen to him. he believes
Harry could step right into his boots
aud follow the same track, although
the boy ia so young-not quite
eighteen.


Harry be an engineerl Idon't be-
lieye could bear it. He has always
seemed to me like an eminent lawyer
in embryo. Father has to associate
with such rough men that it seems as
if their roughness would file all the
refinement out of his nature lit would
too, am sure, if you were not such q
smoothing plane, dear mother, smooth
ing off the roughness just as fast as Il
shows itself.


Hush, my darling! things are al
they are, and we are happy in love
and in bread and butter. But shad-
ow has lately been clouding your
fathers brow. AS sunlight will breaI
through a cloud, so hope, will your
bright presence break through hi:
gloom, and touch your fathers face
with it's old brightness.


1T there is any brightness in my
face, it will do its very best to bring
out rainbow beauty instead Of thu
gloom. Have you no idea, mother
what the trouble is?


Il think it bears some connection
with his line of road, as Stringer
Hawks and Crasher come here fire
quently in the evenings, and hold Ions
conversations with your father, aud
notice that after each of these meet
ings the trouble in his face seem
more deeply seated. Why does HI
keep it from me2 Perhaps he thinks
it will pass away without my bein;
. Overshad0Wed'


Il hope and pray that it is only


ghost that can not be materialized
sweet mother. Hark hear foot
! steps,