The Contrast

"Ah! Ned, Ned, you're a sad, wijd fellow." "So my mother snys, nnyhow, don't you think I d credit to her 1 rainitig?" "No, my bov ' id a nilve.r-haired oíd man; 'I retnember your moitiet whrii sho was a 'bon ti lassie.' Her eheeks were like twc red ip; les, on which the erimson wna daitr.ily spread so as not to shame the white. Her eye was lull ind brighí, not dini with porro w ís t is miw. Sotr.e gretit grief must have elianged htr so sadly. Her rounded limbo and daijity loot, her beautifu! throat and white, dimpled arms, I well remember. And she has been u kipd niother; lier comiséis, ]ke flñttrnmg dews ar.d evening blowers,' iiavi: f lien upon your wiiv! - and yet, Ned, yon cali her the 'oíd WOíBtU) ' - Ali, hoy, t never was so in my time." 'Oh,' well,'1 sajd Ned, lossing his hnnrisnme head, and hastily thtusting back ihe brOA'n and glossy cutis; [ tnn going to get rnarried ind be a dntil'ul son. No ore can say that I, ueglect my niotlier, at any rate; thuugh pe hups I am a little rude." "Did you pend that sugnr, to-day, and the other liitle anieles that I ordenad fur motliei?" asked Ned Ellit of his pretty yonng bride, as thry sat together iri their neat cottage home. "I declare, Ned, I lol get it." his wife replied, blushing; "I was fo busy my di ess ior the bal!, that it quite alipped my mérnory." ''Motíier wanted thern last week - silgar and salt, tea aud coflee, anii about everything else he was out oi'; what a stupid dog I am to forget so; here, Sara - Ned - Jiick, where are you? what, not one of them at home?1' "They have gone to the husking fpofio, 1 believc,'' said Mrs Ellis "I in'nnded to neiid those urtielos befare (hey went, but I havu such a Bhorl memory," "Dittf) to that," cliimed in Ned 'lbut I must go round aud ste the oíd lady. I haven't even caüed to kuow vvhether sho is well or siek." The widow aat over the scanty fire, watching the his.Miig-water, as it spouted and feil f rom the little tin tea ketlle. A loa! oí bread stood on the small table by her side. Her crournor was einpty; tlie bowl, minus tug:tr, no ,-ntrar, no butler, no little iuxury, nothing but the ernst, the wee ui.ite lo:tf', and thescrap oi' tea that dusled the bottom oí' tiie nncient íilver teal'ot, _ , The widow bent eloser over the fire and there were team iu her aged eyo-, "lie sliould tiave tliought of his o 1 mother," stie murniüied, fidgeltiny with uervous hands abo t. iier cap ribbon; but. them, beiug just iiüirned so, 1 suplióse I ought to . oiK-ider; le ulwuys was a little wíld - a litile wild; but he has got a g:oii heart, 1 knovv ho ha:-; still, he ühouldu't tiave íurgot his pooi oíd ini'ther " The gord old lady leaned back and crossed her hands upou her bosoiii. Her thoughts had that go.den head nestled against lier heurt! How lid those everlaughing eyes drawn miles from her owu, even vvhiie in lonely widowhood. How had she watobad him as he piattlmg toddled about her knee - ihe ireasure of her üfe - the blood oí her very heart - the apple of her eye. And ulter years had pussed she remembered the ofttn sell denialn, the patcbed garment, the old ehuw!, colored and recoh.red; the faded bonnet; dl beautiful as. jewels to her, be cause ln-;y purctiaseU the greai gift of education lor her boy. And alter all this he had neglected his oíd mother. ün, nhuine! imgratelul maiihood ihat can so repay luve tender as the love ol an angel. Look npon another ecene. A bright, noble tuce, was ihat oi young Ailhur McLane. liis oyes vere vividiy dark; hi luiir ïolleci back in glossy curis iroin a uianly brow. '1 he sea! of earuesi lilo enslamped lh:it iresh youug touitenuiice; the soft ligltt ui Ioye enkiiidied it a he spokc in ..ft, )ov tones to the genlltí buing by Lis ëide. ' Motliar will not liva wiih u.," he naid, l'rl;e lias too long itjigued over her ow u housbold to sit quieüy by thu side of luothor." "I ain sorry, Arthui-," replied :i eweet voije; "the picture I have frumed in iny heart 11 bo incomplete without mother. Her rneek face, hur Miowy cap, her bni-y fingere, her low voice and qniet influeiice would make our liltle home a paradisO. Will slie not bo very lonely'i" "I havo taken onre to encrage a cott; ge close to hers," answerod Arthnr. 'wilhin u toneá-thríjw. Aud vou know you can never gel ulong a itbout showing her your bright eyes at leawt a dozen times a dity, to consult ou litlle household matten - 6uch as what dainty dish will best please tho taste of your lord and raaster - Ahem." Alice shook her tinger at this piece of impudonce, and lo;)ked as tearfully threatcning as her pretty lace would allow. "And how do you get on noiv tbat' Arthur bas gone and ia rr.arried?'' ! "W'oll, thiink Gmi! iW sama is bfor," mswwetl the )d Udy, her perene i:ice lightiiip up with i btautiful inif. 'Do vou see th.Hi? and she pointed to a flour barrel undur civ r, 'anti llii-, iiiid ibis!' and j lif ed sik:cesivelv the S' owy pupkiun fioin a bps of sujf.ir, n largo ciin of' tu, a firkin of bnt er uiid a cask of irieül "Ai 'y don't foFot hH i!d motliei;"' sli üiiswered with a ainile, s-till v ipttiar i tt:ir froiri lierev ; "iio has stdcked uiy bouxu with vurvthjng I c:m pnstbly vnn; iini liis wiitf, jiretty Hult; crea ture, runs over hete wery day to see f my tnorn.nir ?nnii# noed w bo wd up; or to eed my üttlo hower putcli. ömne titne.s she sendw me over a hwif of hoi white bread; und never n nioe li:tlu daintv phu fiets, hut some of it find- its way ruto' rny cupboard. Oud ltefln them boJi; I wwh even body had sueh ohildren as 1 have go;." Children, h-inor the g:av head, od keep warm the hj-'1 hcart