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GRUMBLERS.-If you find a man disposed to complain of the coldness of the world, be sure you will find that he has never brought anything into the world to warm it, but is a personal lump of ice set in the midst of it. If you find a man who complains that the world is all base and hollow, tap him and he will probably sound base and hollow. And so, in the other way, a kind man will probably find kindness all about him. The merciful man, as a general thing, will obtain

mercy.

THE ALIENATED BROTHERS.

BY MINNIE 8. DAVIS.

Two boys sat in a darkened room by the couch of their dying mother. Tearfully and in silent awe they gazed upon her pale, wan features, whose spiritual beauty exceeded the faded loveliness of health. For many months the mother's strength had been decaying; slowly but surely, her life-barque had been drifting towards the unseen ocean of eternity, and now she was about to launch away from earth. She had suffered much, and it seemed a blessed thing to lay aside her weariness and pain for the rest of heaven. And yet her departing spirit, while longing for release from mortal thrall, turned back to earth with unutterable yearnings over her weeping children, and for their sake she would willingly have taken up the burden of life again.

Jo

"My children, Ö, my children," she murmured, and her soul went up in thrilling, though voiceless petition for them. Then with the heaven-given strength of prayer she calmly bade them farewell. Good bye, my dear, dear children, we shall meet in heaven. seph, Charlie, love each other always; without father, or mother, or sister, you have only each other, and remember a brother's love is a very precious thing. Let nothing ever come between your hearts, but love each other always!"

"O, mother, we will, we will!" they cried, and in the utter abandonment of grief they clasped each other's hands, and knelt by the bedside.

The mother smiled, O, so sweetly! and in that moment the spirit parted from the worn body, and the smile still lingered upon her gentle features, as it were to comfort the hearts of her children.

The orphan boys were not friendless; a wealthy uncle, who had no children, took them home and educated them as his own. They were noble looking, intelligent youths, and they fulfilled the last injunction of their mother, for never were two fonder, kinder brothers.

Mr. Raymond, the uncle, was an ambitious, scheming, worldly man, and all his influence over the brothers, who were naturally aspiring in disposition, was to

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create in them an ardent desire for wealth, Joseph rose to his feet with a haughty supremacy, and fame. But their sympa- gesture. Charles, it is all settled now; thies and interests were united, and the property is entirely yours; I claim through the years of study preparatory to nothing, and I will accept nothing! And entering active life, no word or act chilled O, Charles, the loss of the money is, after the warm current of brotherly love. all, a little thing; I have tried my brothMr. Raymond often declared his inten-er's heart, and found it wanting!" Tears tion of making one of the brothers his stood in his eyes, and his lips trembled heir. The one that pleased him most and with emotion. obeyed him in all things, should receive his entire property.

The brothers did not wish him to choose one in preference to the other, and entreated him to divide equally what he had to give them. But Mr. Raymond was obstinate on that point; he was unwilling to divide his beautiful estate. In talking this matter over, Joseph and Charles always agreed that the heir should divide with his brother; and both were sincere in the determination, but when the dazzling temptation came it was too great to be resisted.

Mr. Raymond died suddenly. Joseph was absent at the time, and Charles received his last words. When the will was opened, Charles was discovered to be the heir, and was recommended by his uncle to give five or six thousand dollars to Joseph.

Charles was really surprised, and sat silent with astonishment and delight, while Joseph waited with a palpitating heart, expecting to hear his brother generously declare that he should share it all

with him.

At length Charles found words. "This is very unexpected, for I thought you were the favorite. Uncle suggests that I give you five thousand dollars-it is too small a sum, I shall make it ten thousand."

Joseph's eyes flashed proudly. "No, Charles Raymond," he cried, "I will not accept as a donation from you what is justly my right! I am the oldest; I was always the favorite; I fully expected to be the heir, and if it had been so, O, how willingly would I have shared everything with you!"

"I know we both promised to do so, and perhaps I ought, but should we not consult our uncle's wishes? let me have time to consider upon it."

"Joseph, you are very hard upon me!" exclaimed Charles, pale with agitation.

"I do not mean to be hard upon you, and I hope, I pray, that the suspicion which rises in my mind is false."

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Suspicion! what do you mean?" and Charles stood erect and stern by his brother's side.

"Uncle Raymond told me more than once that he intended to make his will in my favor, and I believe he would have done so had I been at home during his sickness. You were with him then; what influence you may have used to my prejudice and your favor, I cannot say.

"I understand you!" cried Charles, hoarse with passion," say no more, else I forget you are my brother!"

You will need to forget that to be happy! Good-bye, sir, I leave you to your possessions."

Charles would have called him back; he would have denied his cruel insinuation; he would have insisted upon giving him a share of the property; but before he could control his anger sufficiently to do so, Joseph was beyond hearing.

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Then the young man wept. He walked the floor wringing his hands, for a fierce contest raged within his bosom. His heart cried out for his brother, his dear and only brother, and love and duty said, divide with him, as you would have had him done with you.' But on the other hand, the glittering, golden tempter charmed him. How insignificant the half of his fortune seemed; when entire it just filled the measure of his ambition! and it was his own, legally his own! Many and plausible arguments were arrayed on this side, and, rising up to strengthen them, were the bitter feelings awakened by Joseph's unjust suspicion.

All day and night the conflict continued. He could not sleep, for in feverish

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GRUMBLERS.-If you find a man posed to complain of the coldness of the world, be sure you will find that he has never brought anything into the world to warm it, but is a personal lump of ice set in the midst of it. If you find a man who complains that the world is all base and hollow, tap him and he will probably sound base and hollow. And so, in the other way, a kind man will probably find kindness all about him. The merciful a general thing, will obtain

man, as mercy.

THE ALIENATED BROTHERS.

BY MINNIE 8. DAVIS.

Two boys sat in a darkened room by the couch of their dying mother. Tearfully and in silent awe they gazed upon her pale, wan features, whose spiritual beauty exceeded the faded loveliness of health. For many months the mother's strength had been decaying; slowly but surely, her life-barque had been drifting towards the unseen ocean of eternity, and now she was about to launch away from earth. She had suffered much, and it seemed a blessed thing to lay aside her weariness and pain for the rest of heaven. And yet her departing spirit, while longing for release from mortal thrall, turned back to earth with unutterable yearnings over her weeping children, and for their sake she would willingly have taken up the burden of life again.

Jo

"My children, Ö, my children," she murmured, and her soul went up in thrilling, though voiceless petition for them. Then with the heaven-given strength of prayer she calmly bade them farewell. "Good bye, my dear, dear children, we shall meet in heaven. seph, Charlie, love each other always; without father, or mother, or sister, you have only each other, and remember a brother's love is a very precious thing. Let nothing ever come between your hearts, but love each other always!"

"O, mother, we will, we will!" they cried, and in the utter abandonment of grief they clasped each other's hands, and knelt by the bedside.

The mother smiled, O, so sweetly! and in that moment the spirit parted from the worn body, and the smile still lingered upon her gentle features, as it were to comfort the hearts of her children.

The orphan boys were not friendless; a wealthy uncle, who had no children, took them home and educated them as his own. They were noble looking, intelligent youths, and they fulfilled the last injunction of their mother, for never were two fonder, kinder brothers.

Mr. Raymond, the uncle, was an ambitious, scheming, worldly man, and all his influence over the brothers, who were naturally aspiring in disposition, was to

create in them an ardent desire for wealth, supremacy, and fame. But their sympathies and interests were united, and through the years of study preparatory to entering active life, no word or act chilled the warm current of brotherly love.

Mr. Raymond often declared his intention of making one of the brothers his heir. The one that pleased him most and obeyed him in all things, should receive his entire property.

The brothers did not wish him to choose one in preference to the other, and entreated him to divide equally what he had to give them. But Mr. Raymond was obstinate on that point; he was unwilling to divide his beautiful estate. In talking this matter over, Joseph and Charles always agreed that the heir should divide with his brother; and both were sincere in the determination, but when the dazzling temptation came it was too great to be resisted.

Mr. Raymond died suddenly. Joseph was absent at the time, and Charles received his last words. When the will was opened, Charles was discovered to be the heir, and was recommended by his uncle to give five or six thousand dollars to Joseph.

Charles was really surprised, and sat silent with astonishment and delight, while Joseph waited with a palpitating heart, expecting to hear his brother generously declare that he should share it all

with him.

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Joseph's eyes flashed proudly. "No, Charles Raymond," he cried, "I will not accept as a donation from you what is justly my right! I am the oldest; I was always the favorite; I fully expected to be the heir, and if it had been so, O, how willingly would I have shared everything with you!"

"I know we both promised to do so, and perhaps I ought, but should we not consult our uncle's wishes? let me have time to consider upon it."

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Joseph rose to his feet with a haughty gesture. Charles, it is all settled now; the property is entirely yours; I claim nothing, and I will accept nothing! And O, Charles, the loss of the money is, after all, a little thing; I have tried my brother's heart, and found it wanting!" Tears stood in his eyes, and his lips trembled with emotion.

"Joseph, you are very hard upon me!" exclaimed Charles, pale with agitation.

"I do not mean to be hard upon you, and I hope, I pray, that the suspicion which rises in my mind is false."

"Suspicion! what do you mean ?" and Charles stood erect and stern by his brother's side.

"Uncle Raymond told me more than once that he intended to make his will in my favor, and I believe he would have done so had I been at home during his sickness. You were with him then; what influence you may have used to my prejudice and your favor, I cannot say.

"I understand you!" cried Charles, hoarse with passion," say no more, else I forget you are my brother!"'

"You will need to forget that to be happy! Good-bye, sir, I leave you to your possessions."

Charles would have called him back; he would have denied his cruel insinuation; he would have insisted upon giving him a share of the property; but before he could control his anger sufficiently to do so, Joseph was beyond hearing.

Then the young man wept. He walked the floor wringing his hands, for a fierce contest raged within his bosom. His heart cried out for his brother, his dear and only brother, and love and duty said, 'divide with him, as you would have had him done with you.' But on the other hand, the glittering, golden tempter charmed him. How insignificant the half of his fortune seemed; when entire it just filled the measure of his ambition! and it was his own, legally his own! Many and plausible arguments were arrayed on this side, and, rising up to strengthen them, were the bitter feelings awakened by Joseph's unjust suspicion.

All day and night the conflict continued. He could not sleep, for in feverish

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