glory or who can joy in such bloody doings !—They seem not much in the spirit of "Love your enemies."

'Mustn't love your enemies so well as to let 'em eat you Mrs. Raynor,' said the doctorup, no kindness in that,and for the rest Decatur's as kind hearted a man as ever lived. Now here for instance-when Capt. Carden came on board the United States to give up his sword, Decatur told him he could not take the sword of a man who had defended his ship so well, but he would receive his hand. Isn't that a christian spirit?'

'It seemeth like it-though truly forgiveness should be easy to the conqueror. But the War Hawk claimeth not to be one of these fighting vessels ?'

'I

guess she carries Letters of Marque,' said the doctor with a satisfied air.

'And may she then even capture other ships on her passage?'

Capture them? of course she may

-if they don't capture her, that's the trade our captains are driving just now. Better come into port with a prize or two than be carried off by an H. M. cruiser.'

'Danger either way! I would I had forborne the joy of his presence and bade him stay there!'

She rested her head on her hands, but the heaving of her breast alone told of the struggle within.

'Come, come,' said Dr. Buffem, in some doubt how to treat a case so far beyond the range of his professional skill, 'he wouldn't have staid there if you had bade him. And what then?-many a pretty man has smelt powder without getting singed. The chances are twenty to one of his getting home in most inglorious safety.'

The quakeress looked up, and her face was very calm— not even her lip trembled.

Nay, friend Buffem,' she said, 'not so! There is

neither chance for nor chance against; but the will of God. And truly I know that he ruleth the winds and the waves; and holdeth the hearts of kings and doubtless the hearts of seamen too-howbeit the flesh is weak, and faith sometimes faileth. My all is in his hands,—I will not fear to leave it there.'

'That's right, that's right,' said the doctor, assenting to her means of comfort as probably the best that could be had for her under the circumstances; keep your spirits up always, and I'll look out for the War Hawk and bring you the first news of her. But I want you to get stronger before she comes—there'll be one pair of good keen eyes on board.' The mother's own filled at his words, but she made no

answer.

6

I guess they'll be the best cure, after all,' the doctor added. Nevertheless I think I shall send you away for a month, not for your sake at all, you know—for his. What do you say?'

'I will go whither thou wilt send me for that cause. But he is so well, they say, and so joyful with the thought of returning.'

'Hasn't heard enough from home to content him, I doubt,' said the doctor.

'I have written even more than seemed needful,' she answered smiling, but he hath strangely missed of some of my letters.'

'Well then it's all settled,' said the doctor.

'You're to

go South, and I'm to look out for the War Hawk, and she's to come just when she likes. Friend Raynor I wish thee good morning.'

CHAPTER V.

The yule-clog sparkled keen with frost,
No wing of wind the region swept,

But over all things brooding slept

The quiet sense of something lost.-TENNYSON.

THE setting sun shone fairly upon the last day of December; and as his disk sank lower and lower behind the city, chimneys and dormant windows and now and then a towering story, glowed in the clear red light with singular brightness. The sadder for that. So very fair, and yet the end!-the end of the day, the end of the year. The last time the sun might shine upon 1812!-Cold and still the night set in; and the quiet stars in whose watch the new year should begin its reign, looked down with bright eyes upon the subsiding city and its kindling lights.

Rosalie stood watching it all,-watching the people as they hurried home, the parlour windows lit up, the bright doorways that appeared and vanished, the happy groups gathering at tea. She could see them across the way,those fair shadows, young and old, moving about in the bright glow. And in the next house-and the next,―up and down, as far as she could see; -it was one line of telegraphing. Nor did the few windows where only firelight shone, flickering like the joy of human life, look less cheerful. She remembered the long talks, the sweet counsel given in that dusky light,—the eyes that had looked down

SORROW AND SIGHING SHALL FLEE AWAY.

29

upon her like heaven's own stars; but now the room was not darker than her heart.

It was not the first time she had stood there watching for her brother, she had looked till each frequenter of that street was perfectly well known. It was not the first time she had watched in sadness. But she remembered that there had been a time when she was never suffered to watch there long-when a gentle hand would be passed round her waist, and she be drawn away from the window, with,

'We may not overrule these things, daughter-we must not be children in whom is no faith. Come and let us talk of the time when God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes.'

Pressing her hand upon her heart, Rosalie turned hastily from the window.

The fire gleamed faintly upon Hulda's little face and figure, stretched upon the sofa in the perfect rest of childhood; and above that one bright spot in the room, hung a picture that gave depth to all the shadows. Rosalie ventured but one glance at it, and kneeling down at her mother's chair, she laid her face on the cushion with a bitter weariness of heart that found poor relief in tears. Yet they were a relief; and after a while her mind lay quiet upon those words, "God is our refuge and strength: a very present help in trouble."

A soft touch on her neck aroused her, and with an almost bewildered start Rosalie looked up; but it was neither angel nor spirit'-it was only little Hulda.

6 Are you sick, Alie?' asked the child.

'No love. Are you awake?'

·

'O yes,' said Hulda laughing and wrapping her arms round Rosalie's neck,- don't that feel awake? Aren't we going to have tea, Alie?'

'I shall wait for Thornton, but you shall have yours, dear;' and getting up with the child in her arms, Rosalie carried her into the tea-room, and fell back into her own quiet performance of duties.

Hulda was in quite high spirits for her, and ate her supper on Rosalie's lap with great relish,—a relish partly derived from returning health, and partly from this first coming down stairs.

'I wonder if Thornton hasn't gone to buy me a present!' she said. 'You know it's Newyear's eve, Rosalie, and you must hang up my stocking.'

'There is no fear of my forgetting that,' said her sister. 'No, for you never forget anything. But I wonder what'll be in it! Well, we'll see.'

'Yes, we shall see. So put your arms round my neck, Hulda, and I will carry you up stairs. It is pleasanter there than here to-night."

But the musing fit was strong upon her; and later in the evening, when her little charge was asleep, Rosalie's mind could do nothing but wander in a wilderness of recollections. Not a wilderness in one sense,-how fresh, how dear they were!—and yet too much like a sweet land breeze from the coast that one has left.

Rosalie took out the stocking as Hulda had desired, and put together on a chair at the head of the bed all the various trifles that were to fill it; but when she had placed herself on a low seat before them, the stocking hung unregarded from her hand, and her thoughts flew away. There seemed a long vista opened before her; and furthest of all its objects—yet clear, distinct, even more so than those near by-she saw herself as a little child; before her eye had learned to know the evil that is in the world, or her heart had grown up to feel it. What a stream of sunshine lay there!