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what very nearly concerns my whole future hap- pineas.’
“Now, if one is threatened with a whipping, it is not agreeable to be told of it continually, and have it put off indefinitely; and I sincerely wished for some means of bringing the doctor to the intended point, or of frightening him away from it altogether.
+ Well, sir?’ said I, a little impatiently.
s¢T beg your pardon,’ he replied, ‘but, yester- day, Miss Tibbits and myself were placed in a most embarrassing position. She has been very kind, very kind indeed; and I wish to know if you, a stranger, think her position in my family 8 singular, or questionable one? Not for worlds would I have had her feelings wounded by such a mistake!’
‘elt was s very natural mistake,’ said I, smothering a laugh, es I thought of cousin Bachel, ‘and I do not believe that her feelings were wounded.’
“+1 know that she is very much attached to the children,’ continued Dr. Slingworthy, ‘but you don’t think,’ ssid be, with a glow of delight, as the possibility of the thing flashed upon his mind, ‘you don’t really think that she could take up with an old fellow like me?’
«What I think is of no consequence,’ I re- plied, ‘but were I in an old fellow's place, I would take no opinion upon the subject but hers.’
“*T believe,’ said the doctor, looking su- premely happy, ‘that I have been a great fool; and, depend upon it, my dear, young lady, that I shall be eternally grateful to you.’
“Here the doctor wrung my hand, as though it had belonged to Miss Tibbits, and was gone, the next moment.
«Cousin Rachel made her appearance in time to catoh the last words.
“«¢Then, you have not refused Dr. Slingworthy, cousin?’ she exclaimed, with evident pleasure.
- No, ma’am,’ I replied, demurely.
«Qh, cousin!’ exclaimed cousin Etta, follow- ing her sister aa usual, ‘have you really accepted Dr. Slingworthy? Iam so glad!’
«Not for myself,’ said I, ‘he did not give me a chance to do that—but I have almost accepted him for Miss Tibbits.’
“When I had given the particulars of the in- terview, cousin Rachel said, ‘Well, now, who would have thought it?’ and cousin Etta declared that she never was so surprised in her life; and yet they, with all the rest of the village, had been wondering that the thing had not happened long ago!
“The wedding came off during my visit; and as my eye rested upon the bright face of the bride, I felt happy in the consciousness of having performed s good action, although it was done by mistake.”
NIL DESP
BY
ERANDUM.
ANNE
Couaaos; ohi fainting heart, be brave;
Drown not God‘s blessed sunshine in thy tears;
Swil'lly thy life is flowing, wave on wave,
Into the cold. dark bosom of the grave;
S'iftly and surely nears
The earthly end of all thy hopes and fears.
Duty implores theel Pause not now
To mourn o‘er broken dreams. Such grief is vain;
Gent off the gloom and shadow from thy brow,
And, in thel sight of Heaven, sternly vow,
Never, in woe or pain,
To doubt God‘s wisdom, or his truth, again.
L. HUZZBY.
_.
Up, ere the dew of youth be gone,
Work, ere the frost of death thy pulses chill;
Let the brave sword of truth be boldly drawn,
v,lMiW,/M¢I-M,¢/4MW”,~
And, in the name of right, walk firmly on,
So shall life's Very ill
Bow to the triumph of thy conquering will.
Over the cross shineth the crmvnl
Better than thou, for truth have fought and died;
Bravely bear up, though earthly hope go down;
Stand to thy faith, though the world scoii', and frown.
Angels are on thy side,
And Heaven about thee, let. what will betide.
Courage; God knows what is the best
For us. in this blind life of anxious care;
Courage; “whatever is, is right!"
Do what thou ctlu'st for goml, and leave the rest
Darkly comes down earth‘s dreer and solemn night,
Graudly in Heaven beamoth eternal light;
To Him whose name is ever to be hit-st;
Courage; oh! why despair!
Trust, and believe, and pray. Action is prayerl
a
Believe it, and fear not; God is our fate;
Peace, restless soul, and “hill
God's angels, once like then, were desolate!
