COMMUTER'S WIFE 353 



"This is my gift to you, Barbara, the year's mind 

 of the home-coming. Open it, my daughter. It is 

 my treasure, and given for an heirloom." 



I lifted down what seemed to be a carved wooden 

 box with a metal fastening. On taking it to the 

 light, I saw that it was an outer case with a broad 

 silver clasp, and contained a book. 



The book was Dodoens's "Herball," the volume 

 of contention and introduction! The case of apple 

 wood was made from the broken limb of the Mother 

 Tree, a narrow border of violets was carved across 

 top and bottom, while inserted on each side were 

 two small ivory miniatures. On one cover, young 

 mother the miniature that father always kept in 

 his desk was beside that of himself ; the reverse 

 held those of Evan and myself, all three done with- 

 out my knowledge. The clasp was engraved with 

 this legend in Old English characters. 



"33le00rti is 0fje to fcrfjom it is giben to link t&e 

 twin lobe foitfj tfje olb." 



" But after all, is there such a thing as old love ? 

 Is it not always young ? Look ! " said father, and 

 following where his finger pointed through the 

 splashed pane and across the pathway, we saw Tim 

 going home with his milk pail in one hand and a 

 chubby bunch of chrysanthemums in the other 



