Year: 1872

porch, where the sea.breeze lifted his
long, white hair, and looked wistfully out
across the mighty sea,


One day as he was sitting, his head
resting on his hand, and lost in thought,
he was conscious once more of the mys-
terious whisper in his heart; but now in
stead of bidding him wait and be patient,
it repeated softly, over and over again,
THE time has come, Lionell the time
has comei' And he knew that now at
last 1t was permitted him to put on the
enchanted mantle. He felt too, that
never in all his life had he needed it so
much as now. Faithfully had he full
filled the task which had been given him
to do. He had resisted to the end the
selfish fascination of the spell; he had
grown weak and weary with the lapse of
years; and what now remained but to
wrap the dark, inscrutable mantle around
him and satisfy the lifelong yearning of
bis soul? The long g-delayed promise of
his mother would be at last fulfilled; he
would see her bright and smiling, in the
place whittier she had gone; and surely
Rose, his sweet and gentle sister, would
be with her there.


So he went to the long closed door and
threw it open. Involuntarily he shaded
his eyes with his hand, so penetrating
was the soft radiance that filled the cham
ber There lay the magic mantle, but
dusky and sad no longer. 1t was all one
glory of rainbow tinted stars, that shone
and twinkled with tender lustre. AS
LionePs eyes became accustomed to their
light he saw that every star contained a
picture in its heart and that it was the
picture which gave the brightness to the
star. And every picture represented
some occasion in his life when he had
conquered his desire of wearing the man
tie that he might give some help or en-
couragement to his little sister. 1t was
his own life, weary and cold though he
had sometimes thought it, which had so
transiigured and Illuminated the enchant.
ed mantle as to dazzle even Lionel him
self.


He approached, lifted it from the chair,
and drew it around his majestic figure.
As he did so a peace and happiness of
purity and depth unspeakaLle seemed to
well up from within and reinvigorate his
soul. A joyful light was in his eyes as he
stepped forth for the last time on to the
cottage porch. He beheld the sun once
again stopping to the sea, which lay
breathlessly awaiting him; and across its
bosom he saw the golden path
which seemed to invite him
onward And onward he went
with a great hope increasing in his heart
And now he deserted two shining figures
advancing down the dazzling way to meet
him. Nearer and nearer they came, grow
ing more marvelously beautiful at every
step; but, in spite of the brightness,
Lionel needed not to shade his eyes, for
he himself was well-nigh as resplendent
as they. AS they approached they held
out to him their beautiful white hands,
and each took one of his, and kissed him
on the forehead and the eyes. So they
all three went up the golden road to-
gether-his mother and his sister on
either side, and Lionel between them; and
as they drew near the end of the pathway
Lionel heard grand and mighty sound
of music and singing, which seemed to
come from afar beyond the sea. Then he
stood upon the uttermost brink and look
ed forwards and the glory of the vision
was unutterable; but what the vision was
no living man can tell