Year: 1872

in youth that had brought them together.


In those days Maggie was the BONNER
of the two, but Mary had her full share
of good looks, and light, merry nature
which perhaps drew her more admirers
than fell to Maggie's share, and Mary
divided her smiles pretty equally amongst
them all but after time she became
engaged to certain Alistsr hcPhail, and
for a time lie was somewhat the most
favored of the train. But only for time,
for Mary was somewhat ohangeable in
her affections, and although she had
promised her hand to Alister hcPhail,
she still encouraged the rest to follow
her about and pay her attentions.


But there came a day when Alister
wearied altogether of this treatment, and
then he fell in love with Maggie.


One night Mary dreamed a dream that
Alister was lying dead amongst the birch
trees, and that she plainly saw his body
lying stiff by the light of the aurora bore
ais. So strong was the impression that
she rose, dressed herself, and went away
out into the night.


There, as in her dream, the aurora was
flashing and flaming across the sky from
the north, and at short distance the
copse of birch trees. Into this she went
rs fast as possible; as if led on by magic
hand, along the little footpath by the
burnside. In the silence of the night she
plainly heard voices talking, and by the
light of the aurora she perceived two
figures leaning against the trees. 1t was
Alister and Maggie talking of the love
they bore one another, and Mary over
heard the words,


Under those broken boughs there was q
terrible scene that night; hard words
spoken and sore hearts LETT; and for many
\ day there we're black clouds between
the two girls.


But it was not very long before Mary's
liehtsome nature again changed, and she
found out that she liked Peter Black
better than any one. This was partner
in q fishing smack with Alister McPhail,
and she became engaged to him, and
laughed at herself tor the anger she had
felt with Maggie and Alister. So the
clouds cleared off, and there was every
prospect of peace and happiness, for
Alister and Maggie loved one another
truly and we'll. But when things looked
brightest and happiest; when the two
girls were looking forEard to the day
that was to see them both married 10
those that they loved a great black
cloud arose without warning or notice !;
and burst upon their heads. A few days
before that fixed for their marriage,
Peter and Alister were both drowned in
the smack in terrible storm at sea. The
two girls thus drawn together, clunq to
one another from that day. They made
n, VOWS never to part, only they felt that
their lives were to be passed together.


They lived with Msggie's aunt, until she
died at the age of q hundred and three.
Neighbors about then died the houses
about them fell into decay and ruin {;
gradually the places where they had stood
knew them no more; only the ivy and
birch trees kept standing few walls of
the house where Allster and Peter had
lived. The cluster of houses were all
swept away the dwellers in them dead
and forgotten only these two lived on,
drawn together by the strange bond made
in youth, keeping the old house above
their heads by the labor of their own
hands the hard working hands which
had toiled side by side through life to-
wards death.


What a strange thing is life that TWO
blooming lasses, hope, and vigor, youth
and love, should come to be these two old
women with every feeling numb or dead,
struggling and working for no end but to
carry their existence through another
day. Did second thought ever cross
them as they walked through the copse of
birch trees, or did they ever watch the
flashing, flaming aurora borealis.


Does Maggie, the old woman Of nearly
ninety, ever think of youth and love, and
Alister Does Mary ever think at all OF
those old days?