ing health, and a gloriously developed physique, strong and untainted as her pure spirit. The more thoughtful gazer noted the softness of her deep blue eyes, the serene, yet earnest, expression of her mild countenance, the happy smile that ever lingered about her rosy mouth; and could not fail to remark that although she lacked the perfect grace of Cynthia's airy, undulating motions, all her movements were purposeful, as though some bright goal to be reached was ever within view. Her light, dancing step seemed the rebound of her leaping heart; her gushing laughter, the echo of her joyous soul; her melodious voice, the vibration of harmonious chords within. And though no one called little Viola "wonderfully gifted," as they did her brother, or "marvellously beautiful," as they did her sister, yet, little by little, all who knew her, received the impression that she was endowed with some nameless gift, that took the place of, or, rather, that surpassed talent,—some gift that conveyed a sense of superlative beauty.
Viola set about every undertaking with cheerful zeal, and pursued it with unwearied steadiness. When a difficulty arose, she paused good humoredly, carefully examined into the nature of the obstacle, threw all her might into the effort to overcome it, and, if no remedy could be found, half warbling her cheerful by-phrase, "make the best of it!" she sought out a way by which the evil might be endured. When she was deprived of an anticipa-
