A Mother's Sacrifice

The fírc burflt low in the rrato, lnt the little liyht (t gave revoaled all the grace of Mre. Winirlield's sliirht ibrni, in its close-fitting robos of black. To-night, lor tlie flrst timo in her (ivo years of widowhood, she laid oft the widow's cap, whicil had for 80 long served to conccal tbe l.hick anburn bralde, soartistically coiledabout tlie sniall heail. Pcihapa lor this same reason she had disiiiisscd the butler, when he eutered accoriling to custoni to light tho lanips, or, perhaps, because tho slow tickinz of the cloek upon the mantel revoalcil to her Büfflclently the lapso of time, without oompelling herto distinuish the lüinds upon the l'aco of the dial drawing nearer and nenrer the hour whose close approach dissipated the calmucas shc vainly strovo to gain. Eightcen yeara had passed since she and Arthur Mainwarning liad met. They had been lovers in that iar-off time; but lie was poor tlien, with 110 whispw in ihe air of the rich infaeritance to which he alterwanls feil hoir, just too lalo for it to brhlg happincss to ei t her. Not that they caredfor wcalth, eithct of thein, bot then there were oidor, wiucr miiiJs tuvjudge for boih, and so, cacli vowing etcrnul vows, they were torn apart. SLx short nionths later, sho marricd Edward VViiigflelJ. Ho was, fortunately, not a man to look lor lovo and sentiment in hls ycmug wife - only wii'eiy duty and obedience. In these sho never lailed him, and after his deatli the 'orld ibuiid proof of Jiis csteem in the iaet th.it t li ■widow reverted all his fortune, untrainiiicllcd bv a síhhíc reservation. DUO JKILL BimWll Vl'i; VUMII-. VIU■was but thirty-livc now. W'ould he lind lier ehaned she wondcred - he, lor ïvhosc connng she waited bera toïiisiht? BPhnnltaneously Avith the thoughi came tl)o sound of oarrïogc whecls and liorses' hoofs on the graveled walk. She skirtcd to herleef, pressing both hands upon her last-beating lieart. Ouly that ïnorning slio had receiwed tho telegram announcing Artliur Mainwailu's coming, and already üe vras here. öhe was glail, oli, eo gladl tliat the room vas dark, wluju she heard the quick, finn tread she had Bometime lieard in her dreams duriug these long yearg oí'dutiíul living; so glad that he could not6ee the quick blush, whicli put her matronhood to slnune, wheo the was throwü hastily opeu,aud three ov fonr swift strides brought him to lier side. "P.arbara!" Oh, how his voioe still thnlled lier -half vith pleasure, half with painl His tall form towered far aboje her as in the oklen time; buthe held close in his own finn, tender grasp hertwo littlo treinblinar hands. 'Are you glad to see me?" he questioned. She strove to ansvrer, but her Ups quivered, and no words carne. "Barbara," he said then again, and he bowed his handsome head lower, "is it too soon to speak?" "Oh, Arthur," she answereu, "can 1 yet átono?" a ,.,i .k„ +Un iM.;ir- nf vpürs "Was ■wept away, and she sobbed out her happinesa upon his heart. "Let me see you," he said, at last. "I have not vet seen the face lor which I havo hungerod all these years." lie struck a light, thou turned and looked at lier. "My diiVling!" he said. -It is still my beautiful Barbara. What have I done to deserve this hour?" "Alamina where are you?" called ont a fresli girlisli roice at this instant. The ne.-a ïnomeiit a youns girl of scaroe seveuteen suinniers sprang into the room. "Tliis is my daughter, Arthur- my onlv child. Dora, let ino present to you ono oí your luolher's oldest friends." ïlie gentleman indioated looknd from one to theolher - froiil thc mother to tbe dauguter - then back again. Now he oould icalize the lapse of timo- "how he could appreciate the chances time had wrougut. lt was as thuugh he had uroulit the past and the ureient lace to lace, íoroiug hiin to ackuowleilge the impossibinty oí nature's stanaiog Btill. Tke daughter was a fair counterpart of ln:r motnw's boiuiiy, As slie luoked now, shyly extéudiug to him her hand, as if'in ücprecation of her nncereuiouious entrance, so had Barbara looked, when extenaiiig her hand in laiewell, as though he would have said, "I am furceil ülto it by astronger wil l thau mine." An uncomiortable gonsation rose up in his breast - a duinü vrarriig agVinst tha inevitable- au uuackuowJedgcd desire to retraöe liie's patnway aud conquer time. Meanume, the young girl pouted hor full. red Ups, as she thouiiht hei mol hur's írienü trangely absent : aut whuu lie at last torced himself iiito i lew words ot' greeting, they lell uion dull, uulieeding eai-s. Then Bbe hadgoue. ïhe lovers ■wcro alone agiiin, bnt lie no louger opened wide his anus, but instead drevr a cbaic to her side, tliat tüey niiglit discusís more ratlotínliy. 'Yon mtist teach Doi-a to lovoyou," she said to liini uext moraing. '! want flrst to reconcile her to my ond mamare ueore slamn_j uur wuli iis probabihly. Toll inc - do yoii tliink her like me?" Your second seif." "Ali, I uní so gladl You will love lier, tlieu, ior Biy sake?" 'L'o leve, and to be lovod I OVr easy task set. by Jïail woman in her blin iness. lt was Mr. Mainwaring wlio must be Dora's coiiipaniou in lier dail v riilo - Mr. Maiuwaring wlio must teacíi her to inanagc tlie cocklc-boat - for wliioli lio had sent to tovvn - in these early spring days. ïiie lovers Were seldom alone now. Dora lookeduyon thuir gacst as thcir property. öhe had longago laugbisgly told hiin how uneerenioiiious had been his welconie to her, and ko -liad wooed and won his absolution. Bometiiue Barbara sigliod as she watohed theni togelher, while she sat alon ', but she gave to the sigh no name, and thouglit it a tribute lo the vanished years. One day eaine her awakening. Dora and Mr. Mainwaring liad gono for their ufteruoou ride, but H had es.tended bcyon.L ils wout, and i-he had grovvn aniioUS and gone out to meet tliom, sirikimr into tlio forest path ■wliich was their favorito w iy. Half a ralle IVom her home sho met Dora's horso riderless. Palé with terror she hattcned on, when suddenly she stoppcd, rootcd to the spot. Altnost at lier fcot knelt ('ne imn her heart had lored ahvays. an l in his nrins he held Dora's uuoonscioas fonn. "MyloTc!my life!"' lie sak!, encli word befng borne distinctly to her car, "ípeak to me once- just once! Oh, Dora, are yon lmrl? My ilarlinii, my darling, won ld that I migbt Uave jivcn niy lite lor yours!'' Then he stopped and presasd lus lips to hers. A long, fluticring sigh cscuucd tliem. "Arthur!" slie whispercd; "Artliurl" "1 um here, dear," he said. And then ho laid her d own out of his arins, and thoiigh, with retiinnna; lile, he remeinbured the duty it brought vrith it. ïhu inother sprang forward. '■lo not be alarnicd,"' Mr. Mninwaring said, gently on geeiug lier. "Her iiorse threw her. I tkink thcre is 110 sorious injury." No scriou injury ! None to Dora, but Barbara knevr that her wouud was past healing. When, a lew hours later they know that tlierc was bo jieed l'uranxiety on hor own account, Barbara shut herself up within lier own room to iight her battle. -I cannot give him up," she moaned. "He does not know his own heart. He will forget this child and she- she cannot lovc him." Bat even as she rcasoned came the remémbranos oí' the one word "Arthurl" and the tone in whioh she had spoken it. "1 will try her," she said, and for tbc first time in her life carne a fecling of bitter resentment even ayainst '"Tlíoy'wcrc sitting togotfeer in Uic library as she entered. time that we told Dora the truth." The roan's face paled. She could almost see him gird his soul for the coniliet and crash out his heart behind bis honor. Even Dora looked up with suspiciou of coming trouble. "It is only this dcar," Barbara saul, ttti-ning to her ilatighter; "has not Mr. Maiuwaring tokl you that he was an eii"i"i!(i man?" Then she savr tliat the steel had Btruok home. The child answered nothing as she turncd two wet, reproachlul eycs to hiin who dared not meet their gaae. Until this instant she had not known tliflt she possessed a heart. bhe learned it ïwwto her cruel eost. "I nnist congratúlate Mr. Main-waring," she said, calling up all helwoinan's prido'to lier ala, theu hasteiied irom the rooiu to hide tiie buist of tcars. . "Uoes she suspect, do you thinki" she askod, gloaling over liis torture. "She must know," he answered. "I am ready, Barbara, to ful Uil my bond. Let there be no fui'tlier delay." "VVill you not tlien, plead that I asked only a pound oí' llesh vrithout a drop of biood, and that your lile must pay the lorfeit 1 deniand." "Wuat can you meaaV" lie asked in a bcwiklered way. "Only," she said, "that I plead my cause l'ör yours. lielease uie, Arthur. I cannot marry you." F ive minutes ayo she would have thoughi herself iucapable of the sacriñce; yct here she stuod, quiet and canil, giviug no outward sign oí uie invvard vfnirpool, uor the torture that ■wruiig lier as ue watcUed tiic vreiglit lift trom liis soul at lier vroirds. 'Y ou no louor love uic'í" ha questioned. '1 ain growing oíd," wvth a niockIng laugn ; and in liis Minduess he accepteil licr vvords as Uenial, and wout fortb coutuut, liitle dreamiug the sacrifloe üie mother had made for her dausíhter's happiness. Álittlc late'r lie carne to her Dora, blussing, radiaut with bappineas, by his side. "Will yon give hor to rae? lie asked. "I lóvod hev, Barbara, because she was your seeond selt. The cry comes l'roin Florida, that the census enunicrators have been guilty ofialsecniimeraüonaiid oLher fiaring frauda. The charge is ïiot uunlined to either party. Tl ie newpostofficc" notes tobe shortly iutroduced in Euyland are rcally bank notes lor BUiiM trom halla croyrn up to L1. The reasou tbr thoir ïs.sue is the improductivo eauraoter ot'tlie ordiuary postuffice order. I ue heve the notes wil 1 be litad, but is therc uo tlan"cr in this step tovrard sub-stitutinjf "paper foï the smaller moUlic curreucy ? The consuniption of malt in the United Ivingdo.u cliiriug tlic year enil 3Uth of September last was Do, U7y 78li busheli, as against 58,Ubb,iy bushels in the 18T4-5, sliowing a de crease in the lbnner year ol 5.1 pe cent. In En-laud an I W ales the de crease was 4.4 per cent., and in ÖQOt land no less than 28 per eeut., while a re"ards lreland there was a sli-ht in crease. Senator Gordon, when givin? his ad dress of explnntioa,saia ainong otlie thiaSM tliai. lie had teen oharged wit resigjiiug the senatorship to booomo caudíOate for vice president, and h ■idded tliat he was a candulate tor vio preident on Mrs. Gordon's ticket an Uoiied hereafter to preside over a sel ate composed oí' litüe Gordous m a Uome at Kifkwood. t " - -