Year: 1875

flSSa. w nat are you crying bout.
Did you break dishgn


mo, Johnnie" she answered.


"Did you burn your finger, tben!'
be asked anxiously, with his fat little
face upturned to hers. "If you did
I'll wish the dishes, every one
of 'em and you can wipe 'em Me.
lissa."


She declined his offer of help, but
he staid with her until the minister
went away, and by steady coaxing
found out the reason why abe wept.


Mr.. Ridgely walked slowly home
from the Deacon's. He boarded
with an aged widow, and be knew
BY the dim light burning in the par
ior when be reached there, that she
had retired. He Nas too restless to
study or to sleep, SO be walked up
and down the little garden in the
starlight, with bis hands clasped be-
hind him in the style peculiar to min
listers in thought. There were q
great many roses blooming in the
widows garden. The soft night air
was laden with their perfume, and
they made him think of Melissa. OF
course there was no resemblance be-
tween the flowers and Deacon Os-
goods 'help," for she was white and
dropping like lily, and they were
in full rich bloom; but she was pure,
like them, and sweet, like their
breath, and they made him think Of
her. With the thought Of her came
memory of what his old aunt said
to him the night before he came to
LYnton.


"Judson, F" she said in her broad
English, "yUu are going away with
the grace of God in your heart;
you've got the old Ridgely muscle,
and the marrow of their spirit is in
your bones, and your feet are well
shod, but you lack one thipg-you
need a helpmate. Aye, my boy,
you're not complete. You'll find it
out some day, and when you do,
follow the leadings of your heart.
You have got an honest Ridgely
heart, my boy, and it will not lead
you amiss.'


Why did the roses make him
think of Melissa? Why did the
thought of her bring his aunt's
words to his mind? He certainly
could not have loved her when he
had only spoken to her once, did
you say? No, suppose not. / be.
lieve it isn't called love in the be-
ginning,


Johnnie and the minister became
very intimate after that night.
Johnnie liked him because be had
once been little boy, and he often
went to the widows to visit him.
He told him about Melissa's crying
the night he was at their house to
tea, aud be also told him that she
had o lot of books in her bedroom
that used to belong to her father
be guessed there were as many as FIVE
hundred, altogether.


One day the minister plneked two
or three posies, rose and few ger
anium leaves from the widows
flower bed, and sent the wee bou-
quet to Melissa by Johnnie. John
ME told him the next day that she
kissed it after she thought he was
out of the room, but be peeped
through crack in the door and saw
her do it. He went to the Deacon's
often after that, but be never could
get chance to talk to her alone


One night, when none Of the fami-
ly were to prayer meeting but her
and the Deacon, ne undertook to go
home with her alone, but before they
had gone two squares the Deacon
came putting up to them, aud talked
new pulpit" until they reached the
gate,


By the last of September the min
lister, like everything else, had ceased
to be new. Martha Jamison had
tried to get him, but failed; Fannie
Guss had tried, and failed; Amar-
antba Peabody had tried, and failed,
and be was looked upon as belong
ing TO "the church"


But he was not the church's. He
was not his own. Next to the Mas
ter be loved and served, he belonged
to Melissa Perry. But he did not
know it then,


One bright October day the
knowledge came to him with a bur
den Of sweet hopes and trembling
fears. Would Melissa take what
belongs to her, he wondered. How
could be ever find out? The Lord
through the mouth of Johnnie Os.
good told him how,


One morning be went TO the wild
owls and stayed with the minister
until the clock struck twelve, when
be caught up his hat and started for
home


Stay and eat dinner with me,
Johnnie" said the minister


II can't said Johnnie; = have to
get, have to wipe the dinner dish
es for Melissa, she's gone to the
butter-woman this afternoon. Why
don't you 60 and see herr"


al will,n said the minister


Johnnie meant the butter-womsn,
but the minister meant Melissa.


He went to the butter-woman's s
(she was member of his church. !
and had been there an hour when
Melissa came. She wore dark cal
leo dress and carried a bright tin
pail on her arm. On her way out
to the house Gt was more than mile
from the town. she saw q little
bunch of scarlet berries lying in the
road. There was no bush near them;
they were alone in their warm, bright
beauty, and she picked taem up and
fastened tbem in her dress at the
neck, wondering where they came
from Just as the minister had often
wondered where she came from.
The minister saw the nice berries,
and be forgot whether her dress was
calico one or not.


After she pucbased the butter she
took the tin pail on her arm again
and went out at the kitchen door.
The minister saw her go and be
went out the front door and soon
overlook her and insisted on carry