day on some law business," said Mary: he will 
come home by the six o’clock train. You will 
And mamma !n the morning-room,” and she 
threw open a door as she spoke. 
“Mamma, here Is uncle Edmund!” 
Mrs. Mortimer, a delicate, fragile-looking per- 
proud of their good looks, and anxious they 
should have everything for their advantage and 
pleasuro that Ills own labors could procure for 
them. 
Mrs. Mortimer’s ill health had in a way made 
her a cipher In her own house. Not that there 
THE BOBOLINK.* 
BY DF, FORREST P. GTTMMF.RSON 
Bobomnk ! bobolink! 
Light-hearted rover; 
Dancing all day 
On the tops of red clover, 
Wooing thy lady-love like any lover. 
Singing and dancing, 
Is Love’s advancing, 
Surely to thee! 
Bobolink 1 bobolink 1 
What means thy song? 
Thon so happy dost seem 
All the day long 
The clover nmong. 
What dost tbou say ? 
Tell me 1 pray! 
Is It “ Love thee ?” 
Bobolink! bobolink I 
Tell me, does sadness 
Crossing thy way. 
E’er mar the gladness 
That seems almost madness ? 
Or, do the years 
Bring thee no tears. 
Bird bright and free 
Bobolink! bobolink! 
High on your tree; 
Dearest of birds 
Thou thrlllest me 
With thy wild minstrelsy. 
Far ho the day 
That shall take thee away 
From this meadow of mine 
* During the three years that I have made my 
home in the country (on account of illness), there 
has come to my meadow a very king of bobolinks. 
Each summer my heart has been made glad by his 
song. To him in return do I dedicate mine. 
THE BLIND GOVERNESS 
BY MRS. C. E. BOWEN 
CHAPTER I. 
“ Here, Marv, hold the reins a hit, will you, 
whilst I jump down and toll Saunders to have 
his truck ready," and Harry Mortimer, a bright- 
looking lad of about fifteen, threw the said reins 
onto his sister's lap, and disappeared within the 
railway station of Eldertnore, where they had 
drivon to meet their uncle, who was expected 
by the mid-day train. 
In another instant the whistle was heard 
which announced the train to have entered the 
short tunnel at a little distance from the sta¬ 
tion. It puffed Into sight again, and as It drew 
up to the side of tho platform a long arm was 
extended from one of the windows, and a tall, 
gentlemanly man In a clerical dross opened the 
door and stepped out. The uncle and nephew 
had not met. since the latter was almost an In¬ 
fant, but an Instinctive feeling drew them one 
to the other In a moment. 
“How do you do, unole ? Wo have got the 
pony carriage waiting for you,” said Harry, as 
he relieved Mr. Littleton of his railway rug and 
umbrella. 
“ Ah, Harry, my boy, bore you are. I should 
have known you anywhere as your mother’s 
son, the likeness Is so strong. I have a port¬ 
manteau In the van; we must look after It.” 
“ The porter is gone for It; here It comes,” 
said Harry, as Saunders came up wheeling a 
truck with the luggage. 
“This way, please; there will be plenty of 
room for it under tho scat." 
While greetings are passing between Mr. Lit¬ 
tleton and the tall, graceful-looking girl In tho 
carriage, we will say a few words by way of In¬ 
troduction to the family whom we are about to 
bring before the reader’s notice. 
Mr. Mortimer was a lawyer with an extensive 
practice, a delicate wife, and a family of five 
children. H« lived in a good-sized villa about 
a mile and a-hall from FIdcrmore, an arrange¬ 
ment which enabled him to combine the daily 
discharge of his own office duties with the ad¬ 
vantages of country air and freedom for his 
family. 
Mary Mortimer, the eldest of the young family, 
was eighteen, and emancipated from the school¬ 
room. Reginald and Harry came next in age, 
and were being educated at the excellent gram¬ 
mar school at Elderraere. Phyllis and little 
Flora, the universal, yet strange to say unspoilt, 
pet of everybody, completed the group. 
Mr. Littleton was the only brother of Mrs. 
Mortimer. He was a clergyman, but had been 
obliged to live abroad for several years in con¬ 
sequence of lll-heulth. Hence It was that he 
had had so little Intercourse personally with his 
nephews and nieces. A bachelor himself, ho 
nevertheless dearly loved the society of young 
people, among whom be was a general favorite. 
It was with no little Interest that he looked 
on the really lovely girl sitting In the carriage 
holding the reins, whose face lighted up with 
pleased animation as he approached. 
“ Another mother’s likeness, I see," said ho, 
as they shook hands. “ You and Harry tell me 
how many years have passed since 1 was here 
hist. You have not been Idle In the growing 
part of your work, Mary." 
The drive home was quickly performed, for 
“ Tony,” though a lazy little horse by nature, 
could always trot fasi enough when his head 
was turned homewards. 
“ Papa was obliged to go a good way off to- 
OH, SHE IS ONLY ODR GtOVEUNESS, AND DOES NOT EXPECT TO BE TAKEN NOTICE OF.” 
son, who seemed scarcely old enough to ho tho 
mother of the tall girl before her, gave her 
brother such a greeting as those can under¬ 
stand who, though their husbands and children 
absorb the first place in their affections, retain 
a love which has a warmth all its own for tho 
was any want of love or affect ionate attention 
towards her; but her inability to walk about 
much, and perhaps a natural tendency to Indo¬ 
lence, had thrown more of tho management 
of the house and children on Mary, tho oldest 
girl, than would otherwise have boon the case 
said little Flora, 
You ARE NOT FIT TO BE TEACHING TO-DAY.” 
brothers and sisters who have spent childhood 
and early youth together. 
Then followed the introduction to Reginald, 
a well-grown lad of sixteen, and to Phyllis and 
Flora, the younger girls. Later in the day came 
Mr. Mortimer, a quick, bustling, active roan of 
business, always rather In a hurry, very fond of 
his wife and anxious she should not be worried, 
though unconsciously doing it himself when¬ 
ever he came home, by his restlessness. Very 
fond he was too of his children, one and all; 
at her age. The servants looked to her for 
their orders, and the younger ones were accus¬ 
tomed to goto her for direction and manage¬ 
ment of all that concerned them. Mary was 
possessed of much sound good sense and con¬ 
siderable Independence of character. Her tem¬ 
per was sweet, and her principles high ; but 
she was extremely proud and naturally reserved 
She did not easily make friends, though her 
feelings were deep for those whom she really 
cared for. The old nurse who had lived with 
