Year: 1879

1 1aSn1Oned V1Slt.

 "I'll come into the kitchen and we can talk and you can woIk at the same time" said John and without waiting for any reply he proceeded to do so, and put himself chair close tosthe table, where he could watch her to the best advantage. For there seemed to be something wonderfully attractive to him in her face.

 How the morning fewa

 It was noon before Miss Payne knew it. But then they had talked so busily that they could keep no note of time.

 Susan from the kitchen door, far enough back to he out of sight of John, aroused her by making all sorts of mys- terious signals, pointing first at the minister and then towards the road, to which she added series of appalling performances by opening and shutting her mouth, which was afterwards ascer- tained to be representation in panto- mime of the way that young woman SUD- posed horses ate.

 Unable to understand what she wanted to communicate, Miss Payne went to find out about it.

 "There's his poor old horse a-standin' at the gate the whole mornin'," asserted Susan, with indignation, "an' he a-set- tin here an laughing. If he was horse nov"

 But Miss Payne didn't stop to hear the metaphysical argument Susan was about to announce.

 "Why, John P she said, coming back into the kitchen <; "don't you know you've got horse out there? I'd for gotten all about it till Susan spoke of 1t. Just you take it round and turn it out in the pasture, and I'll have dinner ready by the time you're back

 She watched him as he went down the path, with g soft light in her eyes and strange happiness at her heart.

 She didn't know why.

 She couldn't have told if she had tried to analyze 1t.

 1t must be that she felt the gladness near at hand as the trees know when spring is coming.

 "I'd like to know if that mans goin' to stay here forevera" said Susan to the old brindle COW that night, as she drove her up from the pasture. "I should s'pose he'd feel it his duty to visit other folks. 'Stid a that he's a-settin' round here, an Aunt Hester an he's a-talkin' the whole endurin' time, an he aint said word about any of them things all the other ministers used to, as I've heard"

 But old brindle didn't seem to be able to enlighten Susan on any point. and that young person went to bed feeling that ministers weren't what they used to be.

 The minister and Miss, Payne sat and talked quietl y in the still twilight.

 He told her all about his life since she had known him fifteen years ago, and how the change had come into it which had transformed him into minister.

 And then there fell a little silence about them which neither broke for long time.

 By and by he spoke.

 Q "I don't know why came here first, Hester. I suppose ought to have gone to Sawyer's, but couldn't get by here From the time knew I was going to be stationed over this part I've been think ing of you and longing to talk over old times with you as have done to-day. And some way it seemed to me as if God had plan to carry out in stationing me over here. I don't know what you'll think about it, Hester, but I believe I could do better work in the world if you would help me. We've been parted for good mary years, but I've never loved any one else and I never shall; and it seemed to me to-day that I took up life just where we left it fifteen years ago. in this old kitchen. I've always blamed myself for what happened afterwards, and l want to confess it to you now whether you think as do about what I have told you or whether you don't" "No, John, was tho one to blame" 7" she said. "I was telling myself that this morning, not half an hour before you came. l saw it all afterwards"

 Is it yes or no, Hester ?" he asked, tenderly. "We're old enough to know ourselves better than we did then. Gan you help me in my life-work without re- gret for what you must give up?"

 "I will help you P she cried, her whole face aglow. ''I shall give up nothing but loneliness, and shall gain you P

 What speech to make to minister l If Susan could have heard it she would have become an immediate con- vert to the theory of total depravity. And to come from Miss Payne, tool

 "God bless you, Hester, and may you never be sorry for this," he said, and kissed her with a long, lingering kiss, while the moonlight fell about them like benediction from heaven.