dollar and a half for their making.” The lady emiled snd bowed, but made no answer—the expression of her countenance was, “you have made a very good bargain with an unknown seamsiress, and Lhave & nice bit of scandal to retail about you.” One would scarcely think a countenance could express so much, and yet Mre. Pitwell’s did, I can assure you, as she bowed 10 Mrs. Hamilton's remark, “Was there ever avything so fortunate,” Mrs. Hamilton continued; “I mean to keep her entirely 10 myself, as I have discovered her.”
‘Again Mrs. Pitwell bowed, and this time her faco expressed “not altogether to yourself, I fancy.” Ia accordance with this last resolution, Mrs. Pitwell sommupicated to some half dozen of her acquaint- ances, jo lesa than © week, that morning's incident, but Mrs. Hamilton was one of ihe upper fen, aad all were too much afraid of offending her to interfere with hee new-found seamstress, At length the rumor reached the ears of one who feared nothing so much as sia, and receiving the direction from Mrs. Pit- well'e lips, Mrs. Devering went in search of her.
Meanwhile, day after day—evening after evenivg by the light of the dim candle, poor Elsie stitched und stitched the fine linen—drew tho thredds of the tiny plaits, und sewed and sewed until her blue veined brow seemed alvaost bursting, Hour after hour she dent above hor work, and etilt without murmuring, although she had never dreamed that the fine linen would prove so much more tedious than the coarse muslin to which she hed been accustomed. The shirts were Giished, In a little more than a week, ehe had earned, with the help of her mother, four dollars and a half, Happy Elsie—happy in earning by unwearied exertions the paltry sum whic! sands hourly squander—happier far than any amidst those thousands.
ft was now the Inst of August, and Elele, after laying aside her work, walked into the secluded grave-yard within sight of theft dwelling. A thou- sand memories stole through her heart a she wan- dered slong beside the grass green graves. She paused uear a tablet of stone, and leaning over the iron railing, she read upon ft that it was erected to faithful pastor by his affectionate congregation. Before her rose the mound of emerald turf where her father stept—no stone to mark the place, and drop- ping upon her knees, she sobbed wildly and passion- ately.
‘Time and place were forgotten, all save the memory of her great loss, and she started in surprise when ehe felt the delicate preseare of « hand upon her shoulder. ‘She looked up through her tears into eyes beautifully mild, but mournful. A bonnet of crape shaded the serene brow, and the long widow's veil drooped from the erown.
‘Why do you mourn so bitterly child?” said a ‘voice earnest, bat tenderly low.
Elnie’s heart was touched by the kind questioning, and she told the inquirer how early sbe had learned 2 most grievous sorrow, in tones 0 pathetic that more than one tear forced ite way through Mrs, Dever- fng's tids, She followed Elsie to their neat cottage, and there she told Mre. Gray that hearing of them through a lady of their acquaintance she had como in search of them, and stopped on her way in the grave-yard, where she had found Eisie. Sho inte- rested herself very much in their plans, and forbade Elsie to make any more shirts for the price which Mra, Hamilton hed offered.
“You shall have as many as you can do at a dollar and a balf,” she added, “and 1 will bring Laura azound, and if you St her well you shall have this plain sewing, for maatua-making is far less tedious.”
Elsie’s eyes gleamed with pleasure, and site could scarcely refrain from olasping her arms around tho neck of her new-found friend, who had mingled vo much sympathy with her proffered kindness.
The next day Laura Devering came with her mother, and, despite the wembiing of Elsie’s bands, the dress fitted admirably, And s0 dress followed dress, and customer customer, until Elsie was ob- liged 10 employ several young girls to assist her, and. all owing, as she said, to “dear, delightful Mrs. De- vering.” Mrs. Devering was indeed a real angel of goodness—never had a fairy a betier mode of making a mortal happy. Wherever she went prayers and blessings followed ber, and even the dust of the avenue whore her summer residence was situated, was almost sacred to Elsie Gray's enthusiastic tem- perament. Well might she, and well might many another say, “dear, delighted Mrs. Devering,” for the riches with which she was bleat were dispensed ‘with a bountiful head to the deserving.
‘Years flew by, and in all this time had not Paiap and Elsio once met? Before sho left her home sho had felt neglected, end che was too proud to seelc him when he hed apparently avoided her, aud so all, this weary while had passed, and only once had Blsio gazed upon his face, and then when he bore proudly the honors of his class Little did he dream that amidst that sea of upturned fuces was that of the drooping lily bud, whose form he sili yearned 10 clasp to his bosom. Ol, how eagerly did she drink in every undulation of thet deep-toned voice—how it thrilled the pulses of her heart, and made the blood leap madly from vein to vein. But even this was now amidat the memories of by-gone days, and sha pressed throngh her toilsome path, cheered by the approving smiles of her faithful friend, and the de~ voted fondness of her precious mother.
It was now five years since they had left their village home, and not once had Elsie heard from Philip since that commencement morn
Her face wes a little, a very little thinner, but the outlines of her form was atill as faultless as those of tome beautiful piece of statuary. She ati!l wore the simple mourning dresa, and still fresh in her heart lingered the memory of ber departed father.
One day Elsie was vainly striving to finish her work. She sat by the open window. Her two pet birds hung in a cage overhead, and now and then she looked up at them; they seemed 60 happy she almost envied them, ‘Then she would glence at a cluster of flowers growing in s pot, the only relic beside her father's cha?r and table, of their once happy bome. Her head throbbed heavily. A carriage whirled slong and stopped in front of the cottage, Mrs. Hamilton
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