AT TWILIGHT 
fectlon that never was shown her, and grew 
weary and disheartened over tasks that would 
have seemed light had they been performed 
with the consciousness of her husband’s love 
and appreciation. Mr. Thompson never gave 
I 1 I 3 wife any encouragement, but he reproached 
her frequently. He seemed to hold the Same 
opinion about, women that some possess about 
dogs. The more you kick them the better they 
will like you, and the more faithfully they will 
serve you. He did occasionally praise her, but 
It was much in the same manner that a man 
pats his faithful dog upon the head and calls 
him “Good fellow!" for doing his master's 
bidding. 
Mrs. Thompson loved her children dearly, 
but she possessed but little fnlhience over them. 
8he was not born to rule, save by love, and her 
affection manifested itself not in caresses, not 
in spoken words of endearment, hut In working 
for her loved ones -In doing what she thought 
would please them. The children were very 
anxious to imitate their father. They had 
caught Ids actions, his very feelings toward 
their mother, and thoughtlessly trampled upon 
the heart that seemed to beat but for them, 
Mrs. Thompson saw that her children were 
drift ing out of her reach, that they were grow¬ 
ing up without a. mother’s influence, yui she 
felt that site hud done all she could to make 
tilings different. And she had ; for it is just as 
Impossible for such timorous, dependent beings 
to assort their rights as it is Tor the timid hare 
to take upon itself at will the strength and 
ferocity of thoklugof beasts. Some unexpect¬ 
ed circumstance might t ffoct a change for Mrs. 
Thompson, but with her own unaided strength 
she could do nothing to get out of the rut In 
which she was toiling and suffering. 
When returning from his work, Mr. Thomp¬ 
son met a neighbor with whom lie stopped and 
had a long t.ilk, so that lie found bis supper 
awaiting him when lie reached the house. Hus¬ 
band and children were soon rapidly satisfying 
their hunger, but Mrs. Thompson could not 
eat. She was Bitting in her accustomed place, 
and they were eating in thoir usual manner, yet 
the clatter of the knives, thoir rapid motions, 
ail scorned so .strange and far away to her, 
Mr. Thompson did not notice that his wife 
was not eating. Ho did not notice how pale 
she looked, ortho trembling of her hand as she 
passed them food. His supper ilnished, he 
hastened out to do his chores. Mrs. Thompson 
did not get her work “ out of the way " as soon 
as usual that night, and when it wa* done she 
thought the extent of her strength was reached 
house, where she had never suffered from an 
unkind word, trusting him perfectly. Hut her 
mother had been right in her estimate of the 
man. How she yearned for her advice and 
sympathy now! Hut she must bear her burden 
silently, for her junthor had long boon beyond 
the reach of earthly care and Borrow. But oh, 
how could she go on In this way, without the 
love of her children, without any influence 
Over them. Nho thought, there was something 
about herself that, incurred their dislike, not 
thinking that their conduct was the result, of 
the training they had received, or their lack of 
training on her part. Of coin so the children 
eared for her, and would know it if she were to 
leave them forever. But Mrs, Thompson did 
not think of this. Hlie looked upon her life as 
u nless. She told herself that she could not 
help it if il were wrong; she longed f.ir t,hn 
BY EBEN E. HEX FORD 
At twilight, when the shadows gather round about 
me. 
And evening follows close the footsteps of the 
day, 
I let the tide of life drift slowly on without me, 
And put my cares away. 
And sitting in the darkness, while the night wind 
whispers 
On the high bills that lift their summits to the 
sky. 
To the pale stars of Heaven itB sweet and plaintive 
vespers, 
X feel my lost ones nigh. 
They gather close about mo, and I hear them calling 
In tender, loving accent, as of old, iny name— 
And tbougii in fairer lauds their lines of life are 
falling, 
They love me just the some. 
And so, while o’er the world the night’s gray shad¬ 
ows gather 
1 hold a tryst with those r used to love so well, 
■So you may have the day, and J, ah, 1 would rather 
Eve always round me fell! 
The wonry rtsy Is dying, and ray heart. In yearning 
For the dear voices that can thrill ray pulses so, 
Gives welcome to the night, tor with its shades re¬ 
turning, 
My loved will come, 1 know. 
ick 81 ruck cloven ere tiio last stitch 
“Hd Thompson crept wearily 
linking that she must go right to Bleep 
to become Buftloiontiy rested for the 
'* work. Mr. TitoMPSon spent the 
merrily at Henson's, playing cards 
HOW A CHANGE WAS EFFECTED 
BY IX)A ALBRO 
“ O, WHO would be a woman 7 who that fool, 
A weeping, pining, faithful, loving woman ? 
She lias hard measure still where she hopeB kindest, 
And all her bounties only make ingrates.” Scott. 
“ There, school is out,” aighecl weary Mrs. 
Thompson, as she hoard a distant clamoring of 
children’s voices. Soon three lusty boys came 
running into the house, making muddy tracks 
on the clean kitchen floor. 
“Mother, why lia'n’t you got. supper ready?” 
Arthur, the eldest, fretfully demanded. 
“It is too bad, boys,” but there has scorned 
to be no cud to the work to-day,” repliod Mrs. 
Thompson from the pantry, feeling genuine 
pity for her poor, hungry children, who had 
eaten nothing since the after¬ 
noon recess, when they ate the ■■■■■■ — 
remainder of their bountiful din- j| I | ill I 
per. “I ought to have quit off i 
and started supper before, but I ; 
had no idea that it was getting j j 1 ||i|j| 
to be so late.” 
“Yes, that’s the 
same old 
story," said A RTnun. “ I don’t 
care—it’s just, as father says. A 
woman an’t good for anything 
without an overseer to make her 
'tend to her business.” 
Just then Mrs. Thompson en¬ 
tered the kitchen and, dismayed 
at the appearance of the floor 
upon wlileh she had expended 
so much strength in cleaning, 
exclaimed—“Oh, boyql how 
could you? Go right out and 
clean your feet." 
“I shan't clean my feet,” said 
Arthur, defiantly, evidently 
meaning to retaliate because 
supper was not ready. 
“I shan't clean my feet,” echo¬ 
ed Lewis, who looked upon his 
elder brother as a model from 
which his own conduct should 
be fashioned. 
“I shan’t clean my feet, re¬ 
echoed little Fred, balancing 
himseif on his head, and all at 
once his head went against, the 
plate of biscuit in his mother’s 
hand, sending It into a pail of 
sour milk that stood near the 
door. 
Mrs. Thompson did not at¬ 
tempt the remonstrance that 
duty usually Impelled her to 
make at the misconduct of her 
children, but her head grew diz¬ 
zy, and her heart was burdened 
with another pain as she thought 
that now her husband would 
surely return from his work be¬ 
fore she could get supper ready. 
Mr. Thompson was a man who 
looked upon his wife as upon 
his other possessions. If prop¬ 
erly managed, she might prove 
an advantage to him. She must 
one cared for her - that she 
could not go on in this way. 
She would pray wildly to Gou 
to do something to make things 
different. She would call her 
children by name and entreat 
them to tell her why they did 
not love her. 
One pleasant day the children 
were all out on the sunny side 
of an old building used for vari¬ 
ous purposes. They were not 
at play. They found no enjoy¬ 
ment In their usual sports. 
The father said nothing about 
their going to school, and they 
went or stayed at home, just as 
they pleased. They missed the 
nice dinners that their mother 
prepared for them, for Mrs. 
Blond did not get time to at¬ 
tend to all their want s. Arthur 
stood with hi* hands In his 
pockets, leaning against the 
building. Lewis sat looking 
thoughtfully down upon the 
ground ; presently he looked up 
into hla brother’s face and said, 
in a hushed and wistful voice : 
* Arthur, did you hear what 
mother said?" 
Yes, ho replied, and turned 
about and leaned his side against 
tlie wall, us though the subject 
wore an unwelcome one. 
“ Slie thinks wo don’t care 
anything for her,” persisted 
Lewis. 
“ I know one tiling,” said Ar¬ 
thur, speaking with an effort, 
“ if mother ever does get well l 
shall use her better whether 
father does or not,” and lie 
walked away, ashamed of the 
tears that, would come. 
The other children soon fol¬ 
lowed, but Mr, Thompson ro ~ 
