Year: 1876




among the pleasant woodlands an
the smiling plains. SO into an un
shadowed life great sorrow Otter
falls as startlingly, with scathing
blighting effect; often followed by {
succession of trials and storms of ad
versity which seem to blot out al
hope of happiness or peace for thu
future, as well as all pleasant enjoy
mcnt.


Ada Leslie's life was an example
of this kind. Among all my friend,
l can remember none who enjoyed ;
more unvaryingly happy childhood
She was the idol of her parents, who
having lost their elder children sue
cessively, clung with watchful fond
ness to the little treasure which re
mained. She was not weakly idoliz
ed. Their kindness and affection
were wise and clear-seeng.


All through her girlhood, and un
til she reached womanhood, the same
influences surrounded her. OF hel
parents, her mother possessed tho
stronger mind.


Mr.. Leslie was devoted to business
and seldom lnterfered with domestic
arrangements. Tacitly he acknowl
edged his wife's superiority. lie
knew that she had clearer judg-
ment than himself, and he felt that
she was a far better guide for his
child than he could ever be. lie
might have spoiled her by njudi.
cious indulgence, but he checked
the temptation whenever it arose, in
Difference to his wife's opinion, as
much as because he knee, though he
could not quite bring himself to feel,
that by present qualification he must
produce unhappy results. If Mr..
Leslie, at this period Of life, proved
himself eminently respectable in his
relation of father, it was almost en-
tirely owing to his Difference to Mrs.
Leslle's opinion and wishes.


1t is sometimes considered 4 mis-
fortune to be an only child. That
Ada Leslie did not become one of
those selfish and extremely disagree
able characters which generally re-
suit from a pampered childhood, was
also owing to her mother. She grew
up not only endowed with the
charms of beauty and grace, but with
4 character as lovely as her face, and
as harmoniously developed as her
form. At twenty she was sought in
marriage by one who appeared en-
tirely worthy of the affection she
gave, and was approved by her par
ents. The community also where she
lived found itself without ground for
cavil, and pronounced the match a
fitting one-a fact that added great
ly to Ada's happiness since,s say what
we may, one cannot be quite comfor-
table if subjected to the ill-natured
comments and the bitter sarcasms
with which such events are some
times discussed in village life.


SO far the life of Ada Leslie had
been one of undlmmed brightness.
No cloud had ever arisen in her sky
that a passing shower, mild as the
tears Of April, had not DISPERSED
She had never known a grief that a
few soothing words from her moth
er's lips could not assuage. Blessed
with youth, health, unbroken hopes,
prosperous love, happy home in
possession, and happy home in
prospect, her welfare the object of
deepest interest to three persons
dearest to her Oh earth, with sunny
temper and a well-cultured mind, she
possessed all the elements of happi-
ness. She could hardly appreciate
this at the time, but often in the
years that followed has she looked
back upon her happy lot almost with
the feeling that it was one of the
bright dreams to which we so often
waken to misery, and far too beauti-
full to be true.


Mrs. Leslie. long in delicate hcalt,
became suddenly ill. Her sickness
was violent from the first, and soon
developed fatal symptoms. In few
days those who loved her best were
gathered around her bed to witness
the closing scene of her life.


1t was at this hour when the least,
most unimportant request of the dy-
ing seems magnified by the awful
ness of the situation, into a command,
that Mrs. Leslie was enabled broken
ly to hold the last conversation she
was ever to have with her husband
and child. In feeble, often interrupt
ed words, she commended these dear
ones to each other and to God. She
seemed to realize in that hourof part
ing how greatly dependant her hus-
band had been upon her, how terri
BILE would be the blank left in his
life by her death. 1t was perhaps q
sudden impulse of affection for him,
scarcely a deliberate thought, that
made her turn to her daughter and
solemnly enjoin upon her that she
should not leave her father,and final
ly, with growing excitement, awful
to contemplate rs the shadows of ap-
proaching dissolution gathered over
her face, to exact from Ada a prom
Use that she would never voluntarily
separate herself from him and leave
him alone.


With trembling voice Ada gave
the required promise. No thought
of all the possibilities it involved
crossed her mind at that moment
She only knew that her mother, who
was just leaving her forever, asked
1t; that her love and her compassion
for her father rendered it impossible
to think then of leaving him. If she
thought of her lover it was but as of
one who would join her in the task
of iilial duty she had underiaken.-
Possibly in the awful solemnty and
profound grief of that hour her rela-
ions to him, and the duties growing
out of them, hardly made themselves
apparanL


BE that as it may, the promise was
given, and not till all was over, and
the stiffness of the house where death
had been was all around her, did she
consider what it involved.


Her marriage had been postponed
on account of her mothers illness,
and for a time her recent death made