A SPRING RAMBLE 
lady, and treatoaPby Edith, tho niece, with the 
kindest courted?. Only Middy's hands could 
proparo the tempting dishes to coax back the 
Invalid's falling appetite. Only Middy's hands 
could arrange and rearrange the tumbled pil¬ 
lows beneath that tired head. Only Middy's 
voice could soothe tho listener with sweet 
slumber, ns each day she read some fa¬ 
vorite book aloud. Edith was but a month 
younger than MlHf.v, and a gay, m»d-eap girl 
loving her aunt and loved by her most fondly, 
but with little of that skill and patience which 
wo must possess In attending upon the sick. 
Hlie, too, was an orphan; but, blessed with the 
love of her aunt and uncle, In whose happy 
and wealthy home she reigned ub queen, her 
heart had never dreamed of sorrow such as 
had shadowed Middy's young life. So stie 
contented herself by kissing and loving aunty, 
and left tho Unties which required care and 
patience to Middy, who soon forgot she was 
paid for her services in tho affection which 
gradually grew In her heart for her patient, 
gentle employer. 
And now a year has passed. Middy has 
visited her grandmother, and I lie aged lady, by 
express persuasion from Mr. Wood, has passed, 
at times, a few days with her grandchild, re¬ 
turning to her quiet home grateful that tho 
child had found true friends. Mrs. WOOD 
knew by this Lime something of Middy’s happy 
childhood and happy days of dawning maiden¬ 
hood. She knew of the trouble which sudden¬ 
ly deprived the young girl of her proper posi¬ 
tion, In the world's standard of “ position " at 
least; and she was quick to recognize the in¬ 
nate refinement ami Intelligence of her young 
companion. But though the tender gravity of 
Middy’s face troutded tho kind lady, she knew 
nothing of the real secret of tho sadness, and 
could only enfold closer and closer tho dear 
child within her loving heart. 
Ho the year passed quickly and pleasantly to 
its end. Middy's position as “companion” 
had not prevented her from meeting many who 
visited Edith, and that young girl had taken 
minded her of her errand. Well, she would go, 
thought Middy— she would go this once more, 
and if nothing awaited her why, something else 
must be tried. Tho little village post-office was 
half filled with letter seekers. There were 
farmers and farm hoys, also the usual number 
of country maidens twirling their hats and 
flirting, country-fashion, with the curly-haired 
country'-store clerks. There were several serv¬ 
ants of i he genteel darkey order, sent by their 
lage. A pale, sad, patient face looked from the 
window of the carriage, and Middy looking up 
encountered a pair of dark oyes, which remind¬ 
ed her all too vividly of another pair of darker 
eyes which she expected uever again to see. 
But these eyes hail nothing to do with those 
they chanced to regamble. Their owner was a 
sick lady and evidently fast nearing the silent 
river which all musl sooner or later cross. The 
flush upon her checks was too deep a flush to 
deceive with an a; pearance of health, and 
Middy heard a constant cough which betrayed 
the presence of that dread disease, consump- 
tion, even after she had left the carriage some 
distance behind her. “Poor lady !'' she thought. 
“ how glad I am that dear grandmamma Is yet 
well and likely to be spared io me these many 
years.” And as Middy drew near Imr cottage 
home, there was the old lady waiting at the 
gale and trusting “For the child’s sake that 
slu might have good news.” 
But the young girl shook her head sadly, 
“Just, as ( know it would he, grandmamma! 
Nothing for me -nothing, nothing!" 
“ Well, then, dearie.” came the cheering re¬ 
ply, “ never mind ; we can, perhaps, And some¬ 
thing over so much better, and after all it would 
just about kill my pet to stoop all day copying 
other people’s ideas, which never enuld he half 
as good as her own, I’m sure.” According to 
Mrs, F HAM k FI HIT'S ideas. Middy possessed the 
monopoly of all accomplishments belonging to 
the race of mankind, and If the girl had not 
been blessed with excellent sense and over¬ 
abundant modesty, she would certainly have 
been spoiled boyotu! redemption. 
They entered the house, those two who wore 
everything to each other, and thesol't May twi¬ 
light gathered around them and kindly hid 
from grandmamma tho tears which sprang to 
MiDDY’sgrey eyes. Presently Mrs. Frankfort 
spoke. “Are you not sorry, dear child, that 
you did not wait a little longer before dismiss¬ 
ing him who has yot so slronga hold upon your 
life'/ Maybe he would have mended his ways 
and your hand could have restrained him. per¬ 
haps, from temptation.” 
“ No, grandma, dear, I could not marry Frank 
under nny circumstances.. Please do not, speak 
of that time of suffering, grandma,; It seems 
almost more than I can bear. God knows 1 
meant to do right, and believe that l ilbl An 
BY DIANTIIA DIMM1CK REYNOLDS 
Allured by skies of charming blue. 
And breath of morning fresh with dew 
Heart light, and free from care, 
We clamber up the. rocky hill, 
Beside a rushing woodland rill. 
Which, tortured by a whirling mill, 
Foams in a wild despair. 
Among tali stems, whose arras entwine 
The flowing drapery of the pine, 
We reach the breezy hight; 
The jay screams from the building thorn, 
The startled squirrel drops his coin, 
And climbs aloft in nimble scorn, 
And chuckles with delight. 
Our steps crush down the autumn leaves 
Where tho brown spider sits unit weaves 
The morning hours away: 
The liverwort's pule buds expand, 
The brakes reach up a yellow hand. 
Tight rb.sed, as sifting golden sand 
Into I lie Jaii of Day. 
On mossy eoucll, within the shade. 
We trace the shy brook’s sinuous braid 
A-weaving light and gay; 
We watch the lingers of the breeze. 
Among the boughs ol' blossoming trees, 
Unfolding buds and spreading leaves 
Unto the welcoming Day, 
We know the rocky chambers where 
The arbutus blossoms, crimson fair, 
By the wild bees u-humming; 
We hear the robins high and clear, 
With songs which gush with ripply cheer 
And bluebirds whistling far and near, 
Timed by n part ridge drumming. 
We look far down the forest aialeS, 
Or up where cloud* tn fleecy piles 
Their banner* fling and furl: 
Anon n veil of mist Is swung 
Across the blue, and down among 
The tender budding green Is flung 
A thousand globes of pearl. 
We blfHs the mighty Power who moves 
Within the meadows, anil the groves— 
On every living thing ; 
And welcome, with the bird* and flowers. 
With whispering winds and dripping showers 
Which circle round the golden hours, 
The coming of the Spring. 
MILLY’S WAITING 
BY MRS. MARY D. BltlNE, 
“Isn’t it time you went to tire office, Mid¬ 
dy ? ” 
“Time, dear gr uidmamma, 1 know; but, oh! 
it will he a fruitless errand, a. usual.” 
Old Mrs. Frankfort sighed very softly aud 
looked up at the grave young face before her. 
Very proud was the old lady of her grand¬ 
child's sweet face and winning manner, and 
Hie grieved at the distress and poverty which 
had pressed them so closely of late -more on 
the girl's account than her own; for, she 
thought, Middy is a lady born, with all the 
natural longing for tlwil which should belong 
to her by right of birth and station ; and she is 
just at that age when life should be more of 
sunshine than shadow, poor child! In truth 
the grandmother not only thought often this 
fashion, but she did not hesitate to speak her 
thoughts t o the kind-hearted friends and neigh¬ 
bors, who had listened over and over again to 
the old lady’s recital of the wealth and com¬ 
fort of former days. It, gave Mrs. Frankfort 
a world of comfort to expatiate upon the days 
when she kept house for her son and his little 
daughter, whose pretty mamma had been laid 
under the daisies long ago. She would tell of 
the happy home which was theirs until some 
great business trouble brought anxiety of mind 
and illness of body upon the son and father, 
and caused ere long his death. She waxed in¬ 
dignant over tlio remembrance of unjust and 
cruel creditors who took all save her small 
property and cared nothing for the desolation 
of the mourners. She explained, with pathetic 
earnestness, how gradually things grow worse 
aud worse with Middy aud herself until she 
turned her small properly into ready funds and 
bade farewell to the city, which held uo rela¬ 
tives and only a few sincere friends for them, 
and came to the quiet village where we And 
tbura, hoping to coax back again something of 
rest and comfort as far a- would be possible 
with their very small means. And though, 
after the manner of old people generally, the 
story was repeated by Mrs. Frankfort time 
after time, yet never did her neighbors betray 
lack of interest or withhold the desired syma- 
thy so frequently expressed. 
Hut Middy had refused at last to burden her 
grandmother with tier support any longer. She 
would earn something for herself and grand¬ 
mamma, too, she urged, and surely there must 
bo Homcthinu for her to do if site would look for 
the work. And so there came a morning when, 
after all snrls of objections from the old lady— 
which Mii.lv, with tears, overruled—the orphan 
girl ventured to answer an advertisement for a 
copyist, and posted her timid letter with boat¬ 
ing heart and burning cheeks. Then followed 
days of suspense in which no answer came for 
tier; although hoping against reason, she trust¬ 
ed for one still. Axid now tho fifth day had 
nearly passed ; she mail was in by this time (it 
was nearly flye o’clock) and grandmamma re- 
“ A reformed, repentant man, who can honestly ask 
for my darling's heart and hand again I” 
it into her head—out of her love for Middy -to 
bring about a romantic termination to the 
whole affair. Willi generous disregard for the 
sneers of certain aristocrats who refused to re¬ 
ceive the “companion” as an equal In the con¬ 
versation and social habits of the day when 
vi. iting at Mrs. Woods, sho took special pains 
to introduce Middy (often quite against 
tho latter’s wishes) to a circle of true friends 
who could appreciate tLo lady without regard 
to unfortunate circumstances which deprived 
her of her proper rank in life and it was not 
long before tho young girl found herself almost 
happy again, as in days of old. 
But when young Manning sought to win her 
heart for his, she could only shake her head 
with a gentle but, Arm refusal, even though it 
made her heart ache to witness his pain. If she 
had dreamed of such a thing he should never 
have subjected himself to the pain of rejec¬ 
tion, she was sure. But it happened In this 
wise;—They wore alone in the conservatory. 
The topics of the day had been discussed, and 
suddenly silence fell upon them. Then Hugh 
Manning spoke, “f bought a new ring to¬ 
day; see, Mias Frankfort, is it not a beauty ? 
1 shall place it upon the linger of somebody 
very dear to ine, but cannot tell If it, may At. 
May I try it upon your Anger, please; her hand 
is about the size of yours.” Middy willingly 
assented, and congratulated him upon his hap¬ 
piness. Then suddenly ho slipped the ring 
upon her own linger, and clasping her hand in 
his own declared passionately that sho and she 
only should wear his ring, and for her only had 
he purchased It, 
But, oh l the Borrow which Ailed his heart 
when, half Indignant and wholly surprised, 
Middy told him that it could never be. In vain 
he Implored, even sending, later in ihc day, his 
friend Edith to plead for him. On the Invalid’s 
breast poor Middy wept, tears of sorrow and 
pity, but would not tell—nay, could not tell 
her kind friend why she must not listen to 
Hugh Manning's offer of love. “ I do not love 
him!" was all she said, and Mrs. Wood at last 
forbore to question her further. The rejected 
suitor went away, and tho next day Mrs. Wood 
received a letter which caused her to weep 
freely. This is what she read : 
“-, 1874. 
“ I am coming home, dear sister. Forgive 
me for the past, and welcome me again if you 
B tijl .loyeme. Brother Frank. 
“The same pale, patient face looked an from a 
couch to welcome the new-comer.” 
the new-comer, and such a slender, white hand 
was outstretched to meet hers that Middy was 
afraid lest her own strong, young palm might 
wound in its clasp. 
There is no need to enter into the particulars 
of the meeting which seemed so sudden and 
strange to Middy. But we llrtd her a week 
later comfortably settled in one of New York's 
handsome mansions, engaged at a liberal sal¬ 
ary as companion to Mrs. >Vood, the invalid 
