Year: 1876

and hunt up place. You see it will be
some weeks, probably, before you are able to
leave the city, and meantime there is no use
in submitting to greater discomfort than one
can help"


After prolonged discussion Of the subject
so full of interest to Graham, they returned
to Mary, who was now playing with Leila,
the child having awakened from her nap.


"Give me the little one," said Mr. Sand
ford, land I'll take her down to the bank aad
let her watch the boats, while you two have
talk together. hope you won't blame
me, Mrs. Graham, for putting a wild-goose
scheme in your husbands head; but he has
promised not to carry it out without your ap.
proval."


Mary had already perceived, by her hus-
bands beaming face and elastic step as he
approached her, that he had good tidings to
impart to her; and she now eagerly listened
while he unfolded his plans As he had fore
seen, she offered no opposition to them, but
joined in his gratitude for the Providential
succor; yet secretly it was not without fore
boding that she looked to the untried perils
of the toilsome journey they contemplated.
Putting such thoughts aside, however, she
cordially entered into his views, and shared
the enthusiasm with which he depicted the
future in store 49, them when they had reach
ed their far-of goal. Sadly enough, she felt
that she would, in making this move, be put
ting no wider barrier between herself and her
old home than already existed. She had long
ceased to hope for anything like reconcilia-
tion between her parents and herself, and,
such being the case, believed that it would be
almost less painful to live at distance from
them than within their reach.


On the following day Mr.. Graham, accom-
panied by his kind friend in need, visited the
office of the agent who had issued the pros
pectus of the plan, and there learned more
fully all the particulars connected with it.
He was also introduced to one Of the men
who were to conduct the expedition, a sturdy
farmer, Scott by name, who, with his wife
and ten children, the youngest but six weeks
old, intended to seek a wider scope for his
energies than was open to him at home. He
spoke with such enthusiasm of his prospects,
that Graham's own ardor was increased ten.
fold, and his last vestige of doubt and uncer-
tainty vanished and before he left the office
he had enrolled himself among those whose
names we're on the list for departure, and
pledged himself to share their fate.


Some weeks of busy and active preparation
followed. during which Mary and little Leila,
removed to comfortable rooms in an airy locs-
ton, rapidly improved in health and strength.
Some Of the money advanced by Mr.. Sand
ford had to be spent in getting up necessary
outfit for them all, and Mary's needle flew
faster than ever, as she manufactured stout,
serviceable garments for herself and the child,
but now her heart was in the work, and en-
couraged her willing hands. Always readily
influenced by her husbands judgment, she
had soon succeeded in conquering, or at least
putting aside, the natural fears she had at
first felt, and now looked only at the bright
side of the future. She pictured to herself
happy home in the vast blooming regions of
the fertile West, reared by industry and en-
riched by taste, where the little Leila might
grow up IN ehewi4d graee-aad freedom Of the
bounding antelope, softened and beauti6ed by
her own motherly care where Edward,
throwing himself with ardor into the duties
of bis new life, might conquer adversely, and
secure for them the ease and comfort which
he had here toiled for in vain. She saw him,
freed from the cares which had so cruelty
trammeled him, re.invested with the hopeful
and buoyant spirit of former years, and her
heart bounded to think that release, even in
this shape should come to him at last. Some
times her thoughts turned, with pang, to the
familiar scenes of her childhood and youth,
which she was about to leave, perhaps forever;
but, alas the associations connected with
these we're no longer bright, and had in them
more of sadness than Of pleasure Notwith.
standing the unkindness of her parents, her
gentle heart still yearned toward them. How
thankfully would she have received their bles'
sing ere she turned her face away from home.
Since she dared not plead for this, however,
she was obliged to content herself with writing
o short farewell letter, which ran as follows


"MY EVER DEAR PARENTS: must, for the
first and only time, transgress your command to
seek no communication with you. Since do
not look forward to seeing your faces again in
this world, cannot forbear sending you few
parting words. In few days time I leave with
my husband and child for the far West, where
we hope to establish ourselves comfortably, and
make better support than we can here. We 90
with an emigrant train, and are, therefore, pre-
pared to encounter hardships and fatigue, but I
trust God will bring US safely to our journeys
end. It would comfort me to think that had
your prayers though it may be that do not de-
serve them. Dear father and mother, will you
forgive the past, and send me at least your bles-
sing? would that might have seen my little
child once in your arms think you would love
her, for she is innocent and has done you no
wrong. She bears mothers name. I hoped you
would not be angry at my giving her that. For
give me for disobeying you, in writing this; in
deed, indeed, could not help doing it. Good
bye to you both, and may we meet, If not here,
in better world, where the sins and offenses of
this shall be wiped out, and hearts estranged
from each other be reunited never to be divided
again Yours, in unchanged affection,


"MARY E. GRAHAM"


A sufficient time elapsed, between the send
ing of this letter and the departure of this
expedition, for an answer to reach the writer
of it, but none came. She had hoped family
for one; still the lingering hope was there,
and suffered fresh wound in the .disappoint-
ment. It was no time now, however, to cher
ish such feelings. She felt that all her hope
fulness and energy must come into play, to
carry her throug gh the difficulties before her,
and resolutely putting aside the past, she ad-
dressed herself to the duty of sustaining her
husbands courage by her own cheerful spir-
it, and thus assisting him to bear the great
responsibility of this weighty undertaking.


ITO be Continued


HEALTHAND LoNGEvITY.-It would seem
from statistics gathered by medical men, that
invalids are more likely to attain great age
Ill, o,o &bo boo1fhu ond rohuot ond tho