MOORS’S RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
258 
“Now, mind mid bo up bright and early, for 
Miss Snxi'1'I-.m will be here, so that the cambrics 
may be roady for Fern Hill. Don't talk any 
inure, but read and go to sleep" which they 
obediently did. 
“Thissell," said Amok, the next day, as 
they sat sewing In her room, “ there was a fun¬ 
ny coincidence last night. Sherry Sher¬ 
burne told me that when you wore playing 
tiiat air, after tea, he l'mr,rp and Kent 
Breeze— were listening at the gate, and Kent 
exclaimed, right In the midst, “ IJtllotropc /" 
as if he had fotm -1 something. And then, you 
know, when you were looking at your dress, 
you were surprised Into saying “ Heliotrope!" 
too. Funny, wasn't It?" 
CHAPTER II. 
Thisskll’b f.ieo fairly beamed ;m her friend 
spoke. Her work dropped from her hands as she 
said, “So his Dai, .* Is Breeze Kent Breeze! 
Why, Ann k, I’ve known him tills long time. 
Last winter, when 1 was so dreary and lone¬ 
some, I went one bitter day to give Nina Fors¬ 
ter a inuslo lesson. 1 was thoroughly chilled 
and had cried so at noon that 1 had eaten no 
dinner, so I was faint also. I had had a most 
trying day, and it would have taken but a very 
slight tiling to have made me cry again. Nina 
was a good scholar and one whom l loved, so 
she was a real roller. We were in the back 
drawing-room; there were folding doors open¬ 
ing into tho front: room, which stood slightly 
ajar. Alter the lesson was over I played some¬ 
thing for Nina, as usual, and then went to the 
bo fa to get my hat and shawl, when, seeing a 
cluster of (lowers, 1 bent my lies 1 to smell and 
admire them. ‘ Oh, dear Miss Thissell, please 
take tills heliotrope,’ begged Nina ; ‘ It Is my 
own. Brother Archie’s friend gave It to in®.* 
As i thanked her I felt a tear roll down my 
cheek. ‘Why, Miss Thissell!’ she said,in a 
grieved tone, * X did not mean to make you cry, 
fori do truly, roaily love you dearly, and 1 am 
dreadfully sorry your mamma is dead. 1 pray 
every night that the good Lord will comfort 
you.' 
“ I burst Into tears. As soon as I could com¬ 
pose myself I tobl Nina, In tho confidence 
which her sympathy drew from me, that I had 
not had a flower for a whole year, and that 
heliotrope was my dear mother’s favorite. Just 
then I thought 1 heard a slight rustling in the 
adjoining room, bo I gathered my pose fissions 
and bade Nina good-by as quickly as possible.” 
“But where does Kent come In?” asked 
Ai.ick, who was listening with much interest. 
“Oh, I am Just coming to that part,” Tnis- 
8KE1, answered. Jlcr dark blue eyes grew so 
brilliant mid her cheeks flushed with such a 
poachy bloom that Alice thought her rarely 
lovely. “The next time 1 went to give Nina a 
lesson," she wont on, “she was waiting at the 
door for mo, and us soon as 1 had thrown off 
my things she led me In triumph to the piano; 
on it there stood tim mod, exquisite little bou¬ 
quet, ail heliotrope, save for one safrano rose¬ 
bud. Those are for you, dear Miss Thissell,' 
Nina said, her faee all roguish smiles and dim¬ 
ples, as she enjoyed my delight and thanks for 
them. 
“ For tlireo weeks each time that I went to 
Mrs. Forsters’ there stood a walling me a fresh 
cluster of heliotrope, always with some one 
perfect flower as a center to t he fragrant sur¬ 
rounding sprays. At the end of that time I 
rang the bell at the regular hour, und when 
James, the old servant, opened the door, he 
said that‘Miss NiNA hud gone out for a few 
moments and that Mrs. Forster would be 
happy to have me go Into tb® front drawing¬ 
room and see a now plot lire which Mr. Forster 
had just purchased-’ The painting was beauti¬ 
ful; it was of some mountain scenery which 
strongly recalled a delightful trip once taken 
with father, in what seemed to me‘the long 
ago.’ 1 must have boon quite absorbed in the 
picture, or the reminiscences that it awakened, 
for 1 did not hear the outer door open, but was 
aroused from my reverie by voices in the next 
room. ‘ Oh, cousin, do let me tell Miss How¬ 
ard, please ; it is so good of you to cut every 
one of your blossoms all the time for her. It 
seems as If my tongue would almost tell her 
Itself without me making it all.' ” 
“Such a pleasant: voice replied ‘no, little 
Nina, I cannot. I'm afraid Miss Tuissell 
wouldn’t guard them so carefully if she knew 
from whom they came. But I must run or she 
will be sure to catch me. Please get her to 
play when you have done your lesson. 1 am 
going up td Archie's room and shall leave the 
door open.'" 
"During the next hour, while we were at the 
piano, we heard from time to time a distant 
rumble of thunder. As 1 finished the lesson 
the storm burst upon us, the rain pourod in 
torrents, making me a prisoner. Nina duti¬ 
fully asked me to play ns she had promised, 
but I had no trouble in directing her mind to 
the sidewalk scenes caused by the drenching 
rain. We were watching a pompous individual 
over the way, who ordinarily looked us if lie 
were freshly starched from head to foot, but 
then so forlornly wilted that we were laughing 
merrily when Mrs. Forster, came in and talked 
In her bright, ebcory way, until the storm hud 
spent Its fury and settled into a quiet drizzle. 
I looked at my watch and found that I had just 
time to reach my next scholar. Mrs. F. found 
some rubbers and an umbrella." 
“I can’t bear umbrellas," interrupted Alice. 
“ Neither could I before, but I think that I 
shall have a grateful remembrance of them 
after this,” returned Thissell, “ But to go 
on; juat as I reached the hall door I heard a 
heavy step on the stairs, t felt confmied and 
uncomfortable as I had not played, and had 
left the flowers. I knew that, I should be sus¬ 
pected of being, what I was in truth, a listener, 
although an unintentional one. Mrs, Forster 
said, as 1 opened the door, * here is Archie 
just in time to be your escort,' but I also heard 
as 1 ran down the steps, * oh. Cousin, it is you, 
is it’/ Just please carry Mins Howard’s um¬ 
brella for her up to Dr. Ft, ado's ; and 1 lien she 
called. ‘ Tuishii.l, wait for Cousin.* I doubled 
my black veil just as he caught up with me. 
‘ Please, Miss Howard,’ bo bogged, as lie took 
my rain-shielder from me, and then ‘AkciiI ic’S 
friend,’ as I used to think of him, but Mr. 
Breeze, as I now know him to he, said dubi¬ 
ously, after a few remarks about tho storm, to 
Which I had replied almost in monosyllables, 
‘ I'm very much afraid, nay quite sure, that I’ve 
been found out ami am In disgrace, but really, 
Miss Howard, It was a most innocent decop. 
thin. Now, confess, honestly, don't you think 
so? There is my heliotrope standing in my 
Studio in a great tub; the plant Is four feet 
high, trained on a trellis, and it is literally 
loaded with blossoms, and then when 1 was 
waiting for Archie the other day I heard—I 
couldn't help that, you know-how fond you 
were of It, so It was tho most natural thing in 
the world to let Nina have the pieasuru of giv¬ 
ing it to you. Now, am 1. after my most elo¬ 
quent defense, forgiven ?' 
“We reached Dr. Flagg's house Just as he 
finished speaking. * I believe I shall be obliged 
to acquit you,’ I said, ‘on ilio condition usually 
mentioned in more juvenile cases, that Is, if 
you will never do so any more.’ Then I bade 
him good morning, and wont in to my most 
stylish scholar. 
“ Nina Forster went West on atrip with her 
father, so that I did not go there auy more, al¬ 
though I hail frequent occasion, surprisingly 
so, 1 often thought, lo bow to .Mi. Breeze as I 
wont to jny lessons. Then l.'apt. Baltmarbii 
came, uml said that I should not teach another 
hour, for I had not been strong fora long time. 
About a month ago an express wagon stopped 
under my window early In tho morning; two 
men lifted a superb heliotrope plant l'roui It, 
rung the bell, said I hat It was for Miss How¬ 
ard, nud milted where they should place it. 
Vou can Imagine my joyous astonishment, 
Alice. When l came Home at noon I found a 
note; I can repeat it, it was so brief. ‘As my 
Htndits uro finished, I inn about to leave for 
Belleport. Will Mis* Howard please accept 
all the forbidden bouquets In one, as a token 
of tier forgiveness to Xi n a’P friend.’ 1 suppose 
tiiat ho thought J knew hi., name, but 1 did not, 
and I am sure that your friend Kent ami mine 
of tho heliotrope arc one.” 
Tn isbell's confidence had blossomed under 
Alice’s friendly appreciation of her bit of ro¬ 
mance, and they had ninny a pleasant eluit con¬ 
cerning it. 
The morning of the picnic dawned at last, 
and the family at Glendith were assembled at 
breakfast. 
“ Hero is a little package and letter that came 
fer you lust night, Thissell," said Mrs. Ui.kn- 
DiTti, “ which 1 think the Captain know* some¬ 
thing about." 
“ Dear old Undo Salty, how good of him," 
murmured his niece as she glanced through 
the letter; then, looking up, “Alice, you arc 
equally Interested in this affair, so let us peep 
In tho box.” There on the bright rose cotton— 
which is always suggestive of pretty things—lay 
t wo sets of fine amethyst crystals In the rough 
state, set with exquislt® simplicity. The girls 
were delighted, as they made the loveliest ap¬ 
propriate addition to tlioir picnic toilets. Just 
before they start ed for the place of rendezvous, 
Mrs. Glendith pinned a little cluster of arti¬ 
ficial heliotrope upon Tmisseli.’s rather plain 
straw. Tho friends exchanged glances, but 
concluded it might as well remain, us Tms- 
SEt.t. seemed fated to be surrounded by it. 
“ A non," she said, ua they walked to the car¬ 
riage, “I am a walking emblem ; If one spray 
means constancy, 1 ought to be ns devoted us 
Clytib herself.’’ 
Kern Hill was such a delightful place for a 
picnic. At the top of a very long and gentle 
ascent, by a road bordered with the fern for 
which It was named, thwe lay a broad table¬ 
land, overlooking the surrounding country for 
many miles. An oak grove towered on the 
crest of tho hill like a crown; through it bub¬ 
bled a cool brook, which fell over the almost 
stair-like lodge at the side of the grove Into 
Fern Dell beJow. The young men had impro¬ 
vised « table of rough boards the evening be¬ 
fore for the bells, which were already set with 
them when our party reached Its destination. 
Kent had prevailed upon a member of the 
Swiss troupe to remain in Belleport until the 
amateurs should become somewhat initiated. 
They had a merry day of It. Thlsslll charmed 
them all. but Kent web so entirely fascinated 
that it was a subject oJ remark among the 
others. As the gentlemen were passing the 
lunch about, which was spread on a large flat 
part of the ledge. Sherry said to Kent, aside, 
“ Look here, my friend, ur'nt you rather mo¬ 
nopolizing that young lady in violet thore? 1 
declare, Kent,” he exclaimed, possessed with 
a sudden idea, “ methinks J smell a mice! She 
is Heliotrope herself!” 
“ Well then. Sherry, don’t chaff, or tell the 
fellows, and I'll contess that she is. I knew 
her last winter in New York and haven't 
thought of much else since I came home. 
There! Alice wants her glass set down; you 
do it, please, for I.started for some cold chicken 
five minutes ago.” 
Dr. Breeze nud Alice’s father had walked 
out to lunch, causing a little different disposi¬ 
tion to be mi do In seating the party In the car¬ 
riages as they rode home, Kent, by some dex¬ 
terous maneuvering securing Thissell for 
his. Sherry drove Winny, although Alice 
felt- sure Hint lie could have taken her, had tie 
ohosen, for she knew that Lieut. Hayward 
would much have preferred to have taken 
Winn v himself. What could it mean ? she 
wondered. He had lent her a tiny book of 
poetry to take borne and told her t hat there 
was a little note in it, as he was going away in 
the morning, to be gone three weeks. 
Amcii was but eighteen, and she scarcely 
knew when her hive lor Sherry began; but 
that she loved him now she was too sure for 
her ponce. When with him she was happy; 
there seemed an almost raumcrio influence 
surrounding her, making it impossible to real¬ 
ize that she had doubted hip sincerity since 
they last met; thus she would be all the 
kinder, folding that the doubt bad wronged 
him. This constant alternation of well-found¬ 
ed suspicion, overcome by loving belief, had 
already stolen the color from her check. Mrs. 
Glf.ndith hoped much from Thtssell’s com¬ 
panionship, and in time It was blessed to Alice. 
All t lie rest of the fall and so mmortho troupe 
met at Glendith or the Breeze's. Tho girls 
paw each other often, casually, bosloo the con¬ 
stant reunion at their Shakespeare Club, sow¬ 
ing circle, etc. So Tuissell became thorough¬ 
ly one of tho litMo clique that had grown to¬ 
gether as they sailed with time from childhood 
Into youth, andwer® drifting dally on Its broad 
stream Into more rapid currents, where there 
was need of careful navigation lest their Ilf® 
boat might be swamped, rather, as they hoped, 
carry each and all to tho haven where they 
would be. 
In October KENT finished a painting upon 
which he had been working for months, ne 
Invited the family at Glendith to Join his own 
lu a visit to his studio to see tho achievement 
before It should tie sent to New York on exhi¬ 
bition. Dr. Breeze looked at It silently for a 
few moments, and then walked straight up to 
Ids son, who stood apart from tho picture, 
grasped his band, and said In a voice lull of 
emotion“ My boy, I am proud of you l That 
Is the work of a true artist. 1 mu sorry that I 
have ever shown disappointment In your choice 
of a profession. I foci now that you have 
ohosen wisely, aud believe that you will prove 
a credit to us.” 
Kent was too much touched to say moro 
than, “Thank you, father. Your approbation 
will bo a great incentive.” Aa he turned to¬ 
ward the rest he was overwhelmed with con¬ 
gratulations and the delighted appreciation of 
tils friends. It came almost as a surprise, for 
be had worked upon tim picture an long, and 
under varying moods, that lie hardlv knew how 
it would appear to others. Just then lie caught 
sight of Til ISBELL'S face. Her cheeks were 
flushed, and her dark eyes soft and liquid. 
“Oh, how lovely alio Is!” ho was thinking, 
when she looked up ut him, their glances met, 
and Kent felt sure of the love for which he 
had so long hoped and feared. As her eyes 
drooped betiditth bis inquiring gaze, he deter¬ 
mined to declare his own love upon tho first 
opport unity, aud win a verbal confirmation of 
that which her manner had unconsciously ac¬ 
knowledged. lie knew that at home ids devo¬ 
tion to Thissell wua tacitly understood und 
encouraged. 
In the ovonlfig ho crossed over to Glendith, 
and found Mra.'G lknditu sitting on tho piazza 
listening to a duet which the glrle were playing. 
“This is toriunate,” he said, “i wanted to 
sec v ou alone." 
“Ppoalt quickly, then. Kent, for they will 
soon lie out, and your sisters nre corning over." 
" It will be no tiewB to you, I think, aunty, to 
tell you that, although my cup of happiness 
lias been nourly tilted lo-dnv, that it will not be 
roll until I can claim TtustELL for my own. 
Have t your permission for the asking?” 
“Indeed you have, dear boy, and 1 believe 
vou will win her. 1 have known vou since you 
drew your first breath, and I believe you to bo 
an unselfish, Christian gentleman, worthy to 
bo the husband even of our rare THISSELL—but 
hush, here they come." 
After a few moments .Mrs. Glenottii sent 
A lick over the hill on some slight pretext; 
her husband came out and began a conversa¬ 
tion with hia wife, and Kent, who well knew 
that— 
" The imisstvo gates of circumstance 
Arc turned upon tho slightest Linsre ; 
An,l thus some Booming pettiest chance 
Oft gives our life its after-tiuge.” 
begged Thissell t o take u walk. They strolled 
through the grounds and talked on indifferent 
topics for a few moments, whan he said, with 
her heart in her voice, “ t am so glad and proud 
for you that your picture Is grand. I wish that 
you would teach me a lit tie about, the merits 
and demerits of pictures. I can toil vvhiit- I 
like, and limn 1 have read many books on art, 
but I want to enjoy theta more intelligently." 
“It only rests with you, dear Thissell, ’’ lie 
answered, “ whether we study together all our 
lives long. Oh. my dm ling,” lie pleaded, “Can 
you hue me? Will you marry me,T hissell?” 
"Kent,” she said. "1 do iqve you, and J 
thank God that you Jove me, for you have long 
been the dearest object in life to me." 
He folded her In his strong arms and kissed 
her. ids lips whispering endearing epithets 
which were such a relief to him to utter and 
for her 1,w Hear. As they drew near the group 
at the door, after a rather long absence, Kent 
asked if they should anno unco their engage¬ 
ment before he left, 
"Oh, no, no," said Thissell, breathlessly; 
“l will tell Mrs. GLENDirn to-night if T can, 
and you may acquaint your own family with 
the momentous fact." 
“ Hero are the runaways!” cried JCNE as they 
came in sight: “ we were only waiting for you 
to bid our friends good night t.o carry you off, 
Kent.”—[C onclusion next week. 
Sabbath Reading. 
A TWILIGHT MEMORY. 
by eukn e. uExronn. 
"I AM tired,” my darliDg whispered, 
“ Slug to me, that I may sleep.’’ 
And I sang to hor, ns sitting 
In the shadows, dim and deep. 
In the mother-arms I held her 
Close against my aching breast, 
But the mother-arms about her 
Could not south© her Into rest. 
“ Mother, slug,—about tho angels,” 
And l sung the quaint old ntr, 
■While my tears worn tailing softly 
In my darling’s sunny hair. 
“ Huah, my child, lie still ard slumber; 
Holy angels guard thy bed; 
Heavenly blessings without number 
Gently fulling on thy head." 
Then a light shono oh, so softly ! 
From the shadows of the West, 
And It touched tny darling's eyelids 
With the blessed balm of rest. 
And she slept, the last sweet slumber 
That a weary mortal knows. 
As sho lay upon my bosom, - 
Oh, my beautiful dead rose ! 
-- 
A TEST OF FRIENDSHIP. 
It is one of the severest tests of friendship to 
tell a man of his faults. If you are angry with 
n man, It Is not hard to go to him and stub him 
with words, and looks, stinging him to mad¬ 
ness, or disgracing him in the presence of his 
foes. But so to love a man that you cannot 
bear to see the stain of sin upon him, and to go 
to him alone and speak painful trulhsin toilet¬ 
ing, tender words, that Is frlendshiji, and a 
friendship as rare as it is precious. Few, In¬ 
deed have such friends. Our friends are apt to 
pot us, and praise us, and flatter us, and justify 
us in all we do, and tell us that wo are right., 
when we arc wrong, und they know It, and 
might correct us, hut do not for fear they shall 
hurt our feelings. They allow our enemies to 
rip the coverings from our faults and show us 
what we are. If friends would reprove us more, 
enemies would wound us less. Do you wish to 
be my friend? Then toil me my faults to my 
face. Will you do so before you nre angry? 
Will you still tell them to me, though I am 
annoyed at your faithfulness? Will you refuse 
to be un enemy, aud not allow yourself to lie 
Counted as a stranger, but keep on in faithful 
dealing till you have wau me to the right ? 
If so, I greet you and welcome you, for “ Faith¬ 
ful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses 
of an enemy are deceitful." 
MORAL COURAGE. 
Have the courage to face a difficulty, lest It 
kick you harder than you bargained for. Diffi¬ 
culties, lilt®thieve*, often disappear at a glance. 
Have tiio courage to leave a convivial party at 
the proper hour for doing bo. however great the 
sacrifice; and to stay away from one upon tho 
all ,litest grounds for objection, however great 
l lie temptation to go. Have the courage to do 
without that which you do not need, however 
much you may admire It. Have the courage to 
-peak your mind when it is necessary that you 
should do so, and hold your tongue when It Is 
better you should be silent. Have the courage 
to speak to a poor friend in a seedy coat, even 
in Hie street, and when a rich one is nigh. The 
effort Is less than many people take it to he, 
and the act is worthy of u king. Have tho 
courage to admit that you have been In the 
wrong, and you will remove the fact in tho 
mind of others, putting n desirable Impression 
In the place of an unfavorable one. Have the 
courage to adhere to the first resolution when 
y ou cannot change it for a better, and to aban¬ 
don it at the eleventh hour upon conviction. 
-- 
Praise God Earnestly.—A ll other creatures 
praise God only passively ; like a lute, which, 
though never so harmonically eet and tuned, 
yields no music till its strings be artfully 
touched by a skilful hand. But man can freely 
command and strike the strings of his own 
heart and affections, and is the only creature 
•here below that can actively praise and honor 
his maker. Man, therefore, is concerned to 
honor and glorify' God botli for himself and all 
tlita creatures round about him; aud as the 
whole world is the temple of the great God, so 
man Is as it were the priest of this region of it. 
—Nv trfs. 
• - ♦♦♦ - 
Tin: Key-Note.— This is the key-note of cre¬ 
ation—that God is giving forth tiis own life to 
raise men from the lowest, form to the next 
higher, from this to the uoxt higher, and from 
this to the next higher. If wc are Christ's, it is 
because we Interpret and exemplify, as he did, 
the true love of God, All those men who,’have 
the spirit of Cnrist are giving themselves forth 
a ransom for tunny, not in the same sense that 
he did, but according itu the measure of their 
power and of their sphere. We are of Christ 
when we Imitate him by giving ourselves for 
others.— Bcccher. 
-- 
Religion and Temperance are almost syn¬ 
onymous, as wit ness the recent crusade in Ohio 
and elsewhere, inaugurated and continued by 
prayer. 
