ty much like a bottle of wine, which will keep clear and beautiful to the eye for years and years if you let it stand undisturbed, but a rude shake or two will so completely change its aspect, you would hardly believe it was the same wine; nor will it soon clear again. And, in the same way, let an elderly person, who has long led a quiet uniform life, meet with any untoward accident that shakes the frame and changes the course of habit, ten to one some latent mischief will develop itself, so that the original accident becomes a secondary thing, and not unfrequently results in death. The widow had hoped to be up and about in the course of the next week, but she was sadly mistaken; she had to put off her hope from week to week, and meekly, though with many a sigh, had to resign it as each week came round. The injuries would not heal properly; the limbs seemed to lose their power, and by degrees a general debility set in. The doctor did what he could, but gradually took to an ominous shake of the head. The nurse was very kind; I had been fortunate in my choice; not only was she skilful in her office, but she got fond of the invalid, who suffered so patiently, never ordered her about, but humbly asked for what she absolutely required, and as much as possible.respected her sleep. The nurse, however, could not give up her whole time to one patient; she had several valuable clients whom she could not afford to loose, and therefore arrangements had to be made to prevent the invalid being left alone. The sheriff's lady and myself, between us, contrived that the solitary intervals should be very short indeed, and I must say that it was this lady who took the greater part of the responsibility, and that not by sending Lisette or any other deputy, but in her own person. Nay, even when she knew that I was there, she would come down with her work; and help to while the time away. What struck us most of all about our widOW was her entire and singular isolation. She asked for no one, sent to summon no one, nor were any inquiries made for her. Her bird seemed her only friend, and he would go on ruthlessly chirping till he got to her; and no lettuce leaves seemed thoroughly to please him but those he pecked from her hand. I must also except the market women, who were greatly surprised at her absence, and expressed much concern when they heard of her accident, and sometimes sent her presents; and here and there one gave me a flower, another an apple, to take to her, saying they had put them aside expressly for her, knowing them to be favourites. The example being once set, so many came to offer me similar tokens of remembrance, that I should have wanted a maid to carry them; but I begged that they would not all give at once, but from time to time send a little present to the poor lady, who would not be among them again, I feared, for a long time, if ever. But, to be sure, the ecstacy of delight to the good soul was to think of being remembered; and then the beauty of the apples!-in short, every time I took her anything she used to cry with sheer happiness. So childish a spirit I never had met with in all my life. And what a precious treasure this childlike spirit is, the world little understands; 'tis one that passes understanding, like the peace of God. The so-called happiness that most of us are chasing, strays beyond the confines of both these, and is nothing but a will-o'the-wisp or a haunting spectre. It will be easily understood that we wished to know whether she had any rela tions or friends whom she would like to ap prise of her condition; but we were afraid of asking her abruptly, for fear she might fancy we wanted to get rid of our services to her. To our individual inquiries on this head she replied, that there was no one but the guardian of the Orphans' Institute who knew her at all, and she would gladly let him rest as long as ever she could. Not that he was ill-intentioned, but he was a rough over-bearing man who could not tolerate the least opposition to his will; and would, if put out, run on as though life and death were in his hands. She actually trembled in speaking of him. But what was her consternation and alarm when she found out that this said despotic guardian was my cousin? I had all the work in the world to compose her, and convince her that I was in no way offended. I was fond of my cousin, indeed, but far too well accustomed to his infirmity to mind it being commented on or laughed at. He was a man of the old-fashioned stamp, honourable and upright at heart, and in private matters gentle and pleasant enough; but once let him get on official ground, and clouds of majesty encompassed him about; contradiction was high treason; he became harsh, haughty, magisterial; in short, I could well understand the impression he had made on the quiet widow, though I wondered how the two had chanced to come in contact. Everything combined to make me anxious to raise the curtain of her past, and to learn how she could possibly be the lonely creature she was. But it was not I alone who | herself launched upon her history: and once felt this curiosity; the sheriff's lady shared fairly off, she forgot her scruples. it to the full. One day I met her outside the room, and she began: "Do tell me whether you really know as little as I do about the history of our good widow; I would give anything to have some insight into it. She never makes the least allusion to it, which increases my wonder." "Just so with me,” replied I. "Now look here," she went on; "you are a person of courage and resolution; do devote this afternoon to finding out. It is such thoroughly bad weather, that we are sure that no one will disturb us, and 'tis just the time for listening to a story, and she is so kind I don't think she will refuse; and whatever she tells us, she can trust us to keep to ourselves." So I consented; and as soon as we were both comfortably seated and the knitting going on, I began: "What would you have said, Mrs. if I had brought my cousin in here to see you? I stumbled upon him almost at your door, and had half a mind to tell him he was but a sorry guardian after all, and looked very ill after his ward. What a face to be sure he would have pulled!" "When I was young," she began, "I little thought of ever becoming a citizen of B. I belonged to one of the small towns in which, as the proverb says, you may pour out a quart of cream at the higher gate and gather it again at the lower without losing a drop. My father was the gate-keeper, and had besides to look after the town clock, and to see that it kept good time. It was an important post, but a difficult one too, for the clock was old and had a trick of standing; and if my father did not find this out at once, the mayor, or the lawyer's lady, or some other of the first quality in the little town, were sure to be down upon him, and send him flying off with a threat that if the time were not better looked after, a change would have to be made. Just under the gate my father had set up a little shop, both as a source of profit and amusement. There the very best matches were to be had, as well as other things, tobacco, for instance, and coffee; and in winter, walnuts and chestnuts too. My father was a widower, and had no child but me, nor could he afford to keep a maid. He was not one of those who fuss themselves about time. He ate his dinner when it was ready, and did not expect it to be always to a minute, like the lawyer's lady, with her pointed nose. I often was rather perplexed what to do to make the two ends meet, but I was contented. It never occurred to me that we were badly off, and the Sundays were always beautiful days. There was church in the morning, and time for the most delightful meditations; and when Monday came, I began to look forAfter we had quieted and comforted her ward to the next Sunday. And so I lived as well as we could, I went on to beg that on, quite happy, though quietly so. I had, she would tell us why she had such a dread indeed, very few playfellows, and was genof the worthy guardian, and also to give erally at home, where there was more than us some insight into her past life; we knew enough to do; but my father was very kind nothing about her but her name, and in our to me, and what better did I want? To be town the custom was to get full possession sure, I had my troubles every now and then, of a person's family history as far back as--if a flower I was fond of died, or my father their grandparents before we could feel acquainted with them. At first she excused herself on the score of having really no history to tell. But I soon repented of my mischievous speech, it threw the poor soul into such a state of alarm. "Oh!" she cried, "if only I may be spared that! I do believe if I were to see him suddenly look in, the shock would kill me. What things he would say to me for not having announced my illness to him, and for refusing to go to the hospital; he would have me carried off there upon the spot." gave me a slight reproof. One day - but really I do not know how to tell you this part; I must skip this," said the old lady, positively blushing. But we were well aware that this would turn out the most interesting part of her story, and therefore we never ceased begging and coaxing till she began again. "One day - one day" but she stammered over it a good deal, and it was some time before we could get her fairly started. "One day, then-it was on a Thursday, and getting on to evening- a short gentle man made his appearance in my little shop, and inquired for tinder. I served him as I should any one else. He was a long time in choosing; I gave him my advice, and at length he went off without my thinking more about him than that he was a kindmannered gentleman, had a lovely voice, and no doubt sang well. I wished I could hear him. the door, so that I could do nothing but shut it too and ask him to step into our room, for, with the door shut, we could hardly have turned round in the little shop. As it was, he was covered with snow, and I should have liked to have shaken it off, but did not, out of respect. "From that time we got on more friendly terms, and he used to come, not only into the shop, but the room, to have a look at the rose-tree. My father thought a great deal of him, both because it was an honour to be on familiar terms with the clergy, and because he listened so patiently to my father's droll stories, and would laugh at them heartily, which was a new thing to my dear father, who hardly ever met with anyone who had not heard them before. "The next Monday he again appeared suddenly before me, and quite startled me, for I had entirely forgotten him. He was full of praises of the tinder, and inquired whether we had tobacoo as well, his being nearly done. I said we had; and he said as he had been so much pleased with the tinder, he might trust us as to tobacco, and I had to put him up a small parcel, which I did in fear and trembling, lest he should "Now people even began to tease me not approve it. At last Monday came about a love affair. I looked upon it mere again, and he too, saying he had never ly as one of their customary jokes, and bought any tobacoo so good as ours, strange to say; but it was not always the largest shops that had the best things, and in future he should get everything he could from us. I did not know what to say in reply; and but that he spoke so kindly, I should have thought he was surely laughing at us. "In the evening I told my father that a gentleman had been to the shop, who meant always to buy his tobacco from us, and I should like to know his name. When my father had asked what he was like, and heard that he always appeared on a Monday, he pronounced that it must be the Helmsvale curate, who was in the habit of coming to town on that day, and got laughed at because he always bought a small bottle of some stomachic elixir at the apothecary's. It made me very angry, to think that people should laugh at so kind a gentleman; and next time he came I was the more attentive, because I felt sorry for him. He chatted, too, longer than usual, and when I called him Reverend Sir, seemed pleased at my knowing who he was. He told me that Monday afternoon was the only time he had for recreation; early on Tuesday he had to set to work again studying for the following Sunday. "Now then I became fonder than ever of the Sunday, because Monday came next. All the week through I used to think, Oh, if Monday was but here!' and I was always in great alarm lest my father should send me out on a Monday afternoon, and the curate find no one in the shop, and so buy his tobacco elsewhere. "On one occasion, just as he had pocketed his purchases, a sudden snow-storm came on. It got quite dark, and the snow blew in at laughed with them. All I feared was, that the curate might come to hear of it, and get his tobacco elsewhere, which would have [been a loss any way, particularly to my father, who so enjoyed a talk with him." At that we both smiled, and the sheriff's lady said, "But you; my dear madam, 'would you not have been grieved, too, if the curate had left off his visits?" "No doubt I should, afterwards," she replied, "but I was not conscious then of my own real feelings. To be sure, I used to think what a fine position a pastor's wife had: how she could have her own way in house and garden, and go about her parish like a queen amongst the other women, particularly if she had such a good, learned gentleman for her husband as the curate was. But that such good fortune could ever fall to me didn't enter my head, nor did he give me any room for thinking of it. He was not one of the young gentry, who pay compliments to every girl they meet. Nothing of the kind ever passed his lips; he was kind, but grave; always called me Miss Susan; never shook hands with me; never spoke of settling, or of future prospects, or bragged about his sermons; only sighed sometimes over his difficulty in composing them." "Those men are the most dangerous of all, my dear lady," I broke in; "they only humble themselves that they may be praised by others." "No, indeed no; that he never did; he I was far too sincere for that; he was not like folks now-a-days. And it would have done him no good either. I could not have praised him, nor should I like to have told him what people said; that they were | fusion, murmured something about not getting rather tired of him at Helmsvale: leaving my father, for how could the shop he had been there so long-not that there be carried on without me? was much to find fault with, either, except that he was so short in stature. "But one Monday came and did not bring him, and waiting and watching were all in vain; the whole week through not a creature came from Helmsvale of whom I might inquire whether the curate was sick. To be sure, he had missed one Monday before, but then he had told me of it beforehand, and taken two packets of tobacco. Ah! it was a long week, indeed, and my father and I did nothing but wonder what had happened to him. The following Monday the weather was so dreadful that we decided he never could come. However, on the mere chance, I thought I would make it twelve o'clock a little earlier than usual, so as to get our dinner well over and things all out of the way, and have time to-well, I will not say dress myself a little, my father would have given me a proper leeture for that but at all events it could do no harm if I gave my face an extra wash, and chanced to put on the kerchief I wore on Sunday. "As we were in the middle of our dinner, a knock came to the door, which indeed often happened, for people had a way of leaving things under our care, and my father called out, Come in.' And in came his reverence the curate. Perhaps we had heard that he had been appointed to the living of Garnethill? 6 "No, indeed; and very kind we took it of the reverend gentleman that he should take the trouble of announcing this to us himself. But there was more to come, which quite overwhelmed both my father and me. He went on to ask me in marriage, and dwelt so beautifully on his being an orphan, and alone in the world, and that he wanted a wife to be father, mother, and all in all to him, that I can't help crying to this very day when I think it over. Then he told how that he thought he had found all he wanted in me, in such a way that my father wept out loud like a child, so did not know whether he was pleased or When he ceased speaking, neither of us could answer him a word. And thus I, a poor gate-keeper's daughter, was to become a pastor's wife, and a citizen of B-! It was too much for my head to take in it did not seem real. I felt as if in a dream. not. "My father was the first to get the use of his tongue, and he went on about the honour, and our poverty, and I, in my con "Then came the best of all. If that was all the objection Miss Susan had to make, he said, he had anticipated it, and could, he thought, overcome it. He was about to propose that my father should live with us; it would be a great benefit to him if he could make up his mind to do so. There was glebe land with the parsonage that he should not know what to do with; he did not understand country pursuits, and my father did most thoroughly, he knew, and could therefore be of the greatest assistance to him. "The next morning the news was all over the town, and before noon our own pastor came to tell my father that, having heard such a report, he felt it his duty to come and warn him of it, and he sincerely regretted that his daughter should have been so indiscreet as to carry on a flirtation with a curate. Then my father replied that I had done nothing of the kind, but that the curate had been appointed to a living, and that quite unexpectedly I had become engaged to him yesterday. Our minister would not believe it, and thought we had mistaken jest for earnest; but when he was really convinced, he wished me grace to profit by my good fortune. But I was still, he said, far from being qualified for such a position, and gladly would he lend me all the assistance he could, and I might come to his house whenever I liked. He added that he must say he never should have expected such a thing: but it was true enough that still waters run deep. "You can easily imagine the noise it made in our little town; but no one seemed to grudge me my happiness, not even those at the parsonage, where there were seven daughters. Everybody was kind to me, and seemed to think that my good fortune was an honour. I had to go over to B, where I had never been before. It was a grand day for me, and I enjoyed it much, only with fear and trembling. He led me everywhere by the hand, else I should never have had courage to walk about, and it was a great relief to me when we left the gates behind us. "The following day was the most important in my life; it was that on which our banns were given out, and we went to church together. After that we were busy, indeed. My father was resolved to leave none of our poor furniture behind. What we had, he said, we need not buy, and that was money saved at all events; added to which, under his auspices, the curate bought some very nice things; and as to presents, I had so many I was quite ashamed. I never could have believed people had been so fond of us. At first we thought we had better not have all our effects carried to the parsonage at once, but my father decided that the sight of such a load would inspire the parishioners with respect, and went with it a day before, to get all ready for us. The next morning we got quietly married, and that evening arrived at the parsonage. "Our new pastor's wife is still quite a child,' the villagers said; but she is one of the children who will turn out a good kind of woman; she has no pride.' Oh, on, indeed, I was not proud: I only felt that Heaven had opened and taken me in. 66 Many laughed at us, no doubt, but we were not aware of it. And then we, especially my husband, had such a genuine goodwill to all men, that the laughter soon died down, and it was allowed that he was one of the right sort, and would help every one if he could. But it was my father who was the most looked up to. He had just the proper self-respect; sat quite at his ease in our mayor's company, and had always plenty to talk of, as well as plenty to do, for our glebe, and especially our orchard, kept his hands full. We lived very much to ourselves. The village was remote: nor had we much intercourse with the other pastors round; my husband was shy, and I still more so. I can quite understand that we were of little value in society; for, if not stupid, we could not prove ourselves the reBut we were none the less happy for that. My husband with his flock, my father with his fields, and I with my garden - the narrower our interests, the more engrossing they seemed, and the joy of one was shared by the other two. And our joys were new, day by day; each season brought baskets full, and we were like children in our delight over our crops. My husband often declared that he had never believed any human being could be so blest, and least of all himself. verse. viction that it could never last. For small as our income really was, our wants being still less, we always felt ourselves to have all and abound, and I do not believe a happier household could have been found than ours for many, many a year. "The first blow was my father's sudden death. He had retained his energies so completely that we never thought of losing him. He made a sad gap in our life; we missed him in every way. And then we had no children, and began to feel a conscientious scruple in living so completely to ourselves, while others were oppressed by family cares. We thought God meant us to come to this conclusion, and had sent my father's death to point us to it. Then we were childishly delighted to find a little orphan, to whom we both took-a lovely boy, with light curling hair; and we rejoiced in the thought of bringing him up well the more so, that he came of a very wild stock. We got inexpressibly fond of the child; he was our little idol; never off the lap of one or the other, and allowed to have his own way in everything. Yes, indeed, we forgot our garden and our orchard in our new treasure; he might pull our best apples, or knock off the heads of our prettiest flowers: we could not make up our minds to thwart him, though we looked on in sorrow and dismay. We thought that he only behaved so ill because he knew no better, and would get more manageable byand-by. "But no; on the contrary, he grew worse and worse, ruder, and more defiant. Do what we would we could not elicit a spark of love or a trace of sorrow. He was a tyrant to all other children in the village, and brought down much censure upon us for our bad bringing up of him; in short, he was a heart-break to us every way. "God knows what would have become of us all at last if our dear Lord had not mercifully taken matters into his own hand. He removed the boy out of our keeping: sent his angel, Death, to bring him away to Himself. We understood at last how gracious God had been in freeing us from a self-imposed responsibility. He gave us no children. He knew our hands were too weak to rule them. Why should we have tried to be wiser than He, and to undertake duties He had not imposed? For all that He would not suffer a soul to be lost through our folly. The boy was not left to grow mature in sin or to die hardened. nor we to the agonizing conviction of his spiritual ruin lying at our door |
