10, tflafl 
A FOSE OF JOY. 
communicative. She told you ever so much 
that I wouldn’t have breathed. 
“ I should like to try you with something 
you knew ! ” Matthias Pardon exclaimed, im- 
perturbably. “ This isn’t a fair trial, because 
you don’t know. Miss Chancellor came round 
— came round considerably, there’s no doubt 
of that ; because a year or two ago she was 
terribly unapproachable. If I have mollified 
her, madam, why shouldn’t I mollify you ? 
She realizes that I can help her now, and as 
I ain’t rancorous, I am willing to help her all 
she’ll let me. The trouble is, she won’t let me 
enough, yet; it seems as if she couldn’t be- 
lieve it of me. At any rate,” he pursued, ad- 
dressing himself more particularly to Ransom, 
“ half an hour ago, at the Hall, they knew 
nothing whatever about Miss Tarrant, beyond 
the fact that about a month ago she came 
there, with Miss Chancellor, to try her voice, 
which rang all over the place, like silver, and 
that Miss Chancellor guaranteed her absolute 
punctuality to-night.” 
“ Well, that’s all that is required,” said 
Ransom, at hazard ; and he put out his hand, 
in farewell, to Mrs. Luna. 
“ Do you desert me already ? ” she de- 
manded, giving him a glance which would 
have embarrassed any spectator but a reporter 
of the “ Vesper.” 
“ I have fifty things to do ; you must ex- 
cuse me.” He was nervous, restless, his heart 
was beating much faster than usual, he couldn’t 
stand still, and he had no compunction what- 
ever about leaving her to get rid, by herself, 
of Mr. Pardon. 
35i 
This gentleman continued to mix in the 
conversation, possibly from the hope that if 
he should linger either Miss Tarrant or Miss 
Chancellor would make her appearance. 
“ Every seat in the Hall is sold ; the crowd is 
expected to be immense. When our Boston 
public does take an idea ! ” Mr. Pardon ex- 
claimed. 
Ransom only wanted to get away, and in 
order to facilitate his release by implying that 
in such a case he should see her again, he said 
to Mrs. Luna, rather hypocritically, from the 
threshold : “You had really better come to- 
night.” 
“ I am not like the Boston public — I don’t 
take an idea ! ” she replied. 
“ Do you mean to say you are not going ? ” 
cried Mr. Pardon, with widely-open eyes, 
slapping his hand again to his pocket. “ Don’t 
you regard her as a wonderful genius ? ” 
Mrs. Luna was sorely tried, and the vexa- 
tion of seeing Ransom slip away from her 
with his thoughts visibly on Verena, leaving 
her face to face with the odious newspaper 
man, whose presence made passionate protest 
impossible — the annoyance of seeing every- 
thing and every one mock at her and fail to 
compensate her — was such that she lost her 
head, while rashness leaped to her lips and 
jerked out the answer — “No, indeed ; I think 
her a vulgar idiot ! ” 
“ Ah, madam, I should never permit my- 
self to print that ! ” Ransom heard Mr. Par- 
don rejoin, reproachfully, as he dropped the 
portiere of the drawing-room. 
Hen?y James. 
(To be continued.) 
A ROSE OF JOY. 
(for a betrothal.) 
A S when one wears a fragrant rose 
-A Close to the heart, a rose most fair, 
And as the day’s life onward flows, 
Forgets that it is fastened there, 
And wonders what delicious charm 
Dwells in the air about, and whence 
Come the rich wafts of perfume warm 
Subtly saluting soul and sense ; 
And then, remembering what it is, 
Bends smiling eyes the flower above, 
Adores its beauty and its bliss, 
And looks on it with grateful love, 
Even so I wear, O friend of mine, 
The sweet thought of your happiness, 
The knowledge of your joy divine 
Is fragrant with a power to bless. 
With the day’s work preoccupied, 
Vaguely, half conscious of delight, 
Upborne as on a buoyant tide, 
I wonder why life seems so bright. 
Then memory speaks, and winter gray, 
And age and cares that have no end 
Touch me no more. I am to-day 
Rich in the wealth that cheers my friend. 
Celia Thaxter. 
