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"Man is unjust, but God is just; and finally justice Triumphs; and well I remember a story, that often consoled me,

When as a captive I lay in the old French fort at Port

Royal."

This was the old man's favorite tale, and he loved to repeat it

When his neighbors complained that any injustice was done them.

"Once in an ancient city, whose name I no longer remember,

Raised aloft on a column, a brazen statue of Justice

Stood in the public square, upholding the scales in its left

hand,

And in its right a sword, as an emblem that justice pre

sided

Over the laws of the land, and the hearts and homes of the

people.

Even the birds had built their nests in the scales of the

balance,

Having no fear of the sword that flashed in the sunshine above them.

But in the course of time the laws of the land were cor

rupted;

Might took the place of right, and the weak were oppressed, and the mighty

Ruled with an iron rod. Then it chanced in a nobleman's

palace

That a necklace of pearls was lost, and ere long a sus

picion

Fell on an orphan girl who lived as maid in the household.
She, after form of trial condemned to die on the scaffold,
Patiently met her doom at the foot of the statue of Justice.
As to her Father in heaven her innocent spirit ascended,
Lo! o'er the city a tempest rose; and the bolts of the
thunder

Smote the statue of bronze, and hurled in wrath from its left hand

Down on the pavement below the clattering scales of the balance,

And in the hollow thereof was found the nest of a magpie, Into whose clay-built walls the necklace of pearls was inwoven."

Silenced, but not convinced, when the story was ended, the blacksmith

Stood like a man who fain would speak, but findeth no language;

All his thoughts were congealed into lines on his face, as

the vapors

Freeze in fantastic shapes on the window-panes in the

winter.

Then Evangeline lighted the brazen lamp on the table, Filled, till it overflowed, the pewter tankard with homebrewed

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"In friendly contention the old men

Laughed at each lucky hit, or unsuccessful manoeuvre."

Nut-brown ale, that was famed for its strength in the village of Grand-Pré;

While from his pocket the notary drew his papers and ink

horn,

Wrote with a steady hand the date and the age of the

parties,

Naming the dower of the bride in flocks of sheep and in

cattle.

Orderly all things proceeded, and duly and well were com.

pleted,

And the great seal of the law was set like a sun on the

margin.

Then from his leathern pouch the farmer threw on the

table

Three times the old man's fee in solid pieces of silver;

And the notary rising, and blessing the bride and the bride

groom,

Lifted aloft the tankard of ale and drank to their welfare. Wiping the foam from his lip, he solemnly bowed and

departed,

While in silence the others sat and mused by the fireside, Till Evangeline brought the draught-board out of its

corner.

Soon was the game begun. In friendly contention the old

men

Laughed at each lucky hit, or unsuccessful manœuvre, Laughed when a man was crowned, or a breach was made in the king-row.

Meanwhile apart, in the twilight gloom of a window's embrasure,

Sat the lovers, and whispered together, beholding the moon

rise

Over the pallid sea and the silvery mist of the meadows. Silently one by one, in the infinite meadows of heaven, Blossomed the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels.

Thus passed the evening away.

belfry

Anon the bell from the

Rang out the hour of nine, the village curfew, and straight

way

Rose the guests and departed; and silence reigned in the

household.

Many a farewell word and sweet good-night on the door

step

Lingered long in Evangeline's heart, and filled it with gladness.

Carefully then were covered the embers that glowed on the heath-stone,

And on the oaken stairs resounded the tread of the farmer. Soon with a soundless step the foot of Evangeline followed. Up the staircase moved a luminous space in the darkness, Lighted less by the lamp than the shining face of the maiden.

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Silent she passed through the hall, and entered the door of her chamber.

Simple that chamber was, with its curtains of white, and its clothes-press

Ample and high, on whose spacious shelves were carefully folded

Linen and woolen stuffs, by the hand of Evangeline woven

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"Many a farewell word and sweet good night on the door-step Lingered long in Evangeline's heart, and filled it with gladness."

This was the precious dower she would bring to her husband in marriage,

Better than flocks and herds, being proofs of her skill as a

housewife.

Soon she extinguished her lamp, for the mellow and radiant moonlight

Streamed through the windows, and lighted the room,

the heart of the maiden

till

Swelled and obeyed its power, like the tremulous tides of

the ocean.

Ah! she was fair, exceeding fair to behold, as she stood

with

Naked snow-white feet on the gleaming floor of her chamber! Little she dreamed that below, among the trees of the

orchard,

Waited her lover and watched for the gleam of her lamp and her shadow.

Yet were her thoughts of him, and at times a feeling of

sadness

Passed o'er her soul, as the sailing shade of clouds in the moonlight

Flitted across the floor and darkened the room for a

moment.

And as she gazed from the window she saw serenely the

moon pass,

Forth from the folds of a cloud, and one star follow her

footsteps,

As out of Abraham's tent young Ishmael wandered with

Hagar i

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