Year: 1872

his reason had given way under the


shock, and he had come to that retired


spot to regain, if possible, strength o.


body and mind. He plead his case


and his heart was gladdened by the


promise that in one month from thai


day she would become his wife


The wedding day dawned as bright


and glorious as. every wedding day
| should be. All the lovely Landscape


was bathed in golden sunshine, and


every leaf and flower was tremulous


with Joy, and every bird and bee and


butterfly that futtered in and out of the
vines on the porch, seemed to know,
| that the cloud that had so long over.
shadowed the clone House." had
passed under forever


Under the floral bell composed OF
orange blossoms and roses, in the draw
ing room of the clone House." stood
the wedding group. The bride, attired
in a pearl satin robe, adorned with rich
lace, with her beautiful golden hair
shining through the veil that fell in
light folds to her very feet, was the
centre Of attraction for all eyes, but
strange to say, she wore silken mask.
which almost entirely hid her features.
The bridegroom awaited with tremb-
ling impatience the moment when the
hateful mask should be removed, and
he should see his darling face to face,
and find his dreams of her beauty sur
passed by the reality. The good clergy
man, in bands and surplice, began the
ceremony, and with joined hands and
loving hearts the shappy pair took to
solemnvow to Glove and cherishn each
other till death did them part. And not
till they were pronounced "man and
wife, did the bride undo the silken
string, throw off the mask, and stand
revealed in all her blushing loveliness
to the endearing eyes of her husband.


"Ethei"


Maxi" We're all the words they
uttered, but Max Warner took her in
IN his arms and held her as if afraid
she wonld again escape him.


Yes, as you have known all along, it
was Ethel Warner, lovelier than ever,
and the mother of the beautiful boy,
born some time after her fight.


Each had little story to tell. Eth
ell, how her heart had yearned to her
old home, and how after almost mira
culously escapinga shipwreck. of which
she and her babe were the sole survi-
vors, she had returned to wander like a
poor ghost amid the scenes Of her form
er happiness. Too proud to make any
concessions, she had not communica-
ted with her friends-only the agent of
whom she bought the property knew of
her return, and him she bound to Sc
crecy.


Max told how he had sought her far
and near, how anxiously LIE had fol-
lowed every clue till he had traced her
to the ill-fated ship How he had
counted every hour till she should az
rive, impatient to meet her with heart
overfowing with love and penitence.
How rudely he was awakened from his
dream of happiness She already knew.
Ethel had OF course recognized him
when she met him after the rescue of
her boy, but would not make herself
known till she thought fitting time
had come. Max knew now what made
that voice so familiar to him, ahd that
his heart had recognized her though
his eyes did not.


Far into the night the little company
assembled to witness the ceremony
made merry over the the happy reunion,
and toward the wee sma' hours left the
twice welded husband with his wife
and children in the home which had
been the scene of so much misery, but
which henceforth was to be the abode
cf.peace and happiness, where, if clouds
ever came, the sunshine of love soon
cleared it away, and the remembrance
of all they had suffered taught both to
bear and forbear, andito be lenient to
ward each others faults. Learning,
too, the great truth that only the weak
and erring need charity, not they who
stand alone. And SO, exercising this
patience and rearing their children in
all goodness, they still walk hand in
hand up the hill of life-and when they
reach the path leading down to the val
ley may good angels guard and guide
their foorsteps till the "sleep together
at the foot never to know sorrow or
parting more a.. ra