for a brief night and day, about the middle of it.

Then came the south wind, kissing back to laughter the long mute mountain rills, and calling, whisperingly, the dead to rise. Soon the keen eyes of country folks began to notice the swelling of the buds, and up the southward slopes Spring came apace, heralded by first the robin, then the bluebird, and then other songsters of her merry train.

Days passed-pensive, yet glad some; quickening, yet languorous with blue skies just dimly veiled along the far horizon by fleecy mists and sunshine unalloyed from sun to sun.

Sheep-bells started forth again their tinkling sounds from slanting fields. where the heavy coverlets of winter were already gone, leaving the wellprotected verdure succulent and green.

Crows, black pirates of the air, came from the sheltering pinewoods and settled on field and fence posts, gossiping shrilly that seed-time was near at hand. Like ancient signal columns from mount to mount, the smoke coiled upward in the still air from heaps of rubbish burned by forehanded farmers clearing the land of useless stubble, or from a smouldering stump; and afar, at intervals, deep detonations rumbled from where new land was being cleared with explosives for the coming of the plow.

Spring comes apace up here amid the northern hills and at her advent the quest of the farmer is a busy one. The little legs of the little souls who prate of the life monotonous would have felt a tired ache had they followed Glen about his duties these golden days, and that, too, alack, without the splendid recompense of conscious glory in such tire.

About the time the jaded woman of the town, after her winter's round of artificial gaieties, puts off her sables, the pussy pillow in the country dons. its little furs and thereby strikes the hour for action.

One day, it was along in April, Mrs. Marsh had been up to the Grey place all the afternoon. Work on the farm

had been imperative and Glen had not found opportunity for his usual visits, but Mrs. Marsh had been to see Aunt Kate quite frequently. She remarked at the tea table that she had a delightful visit, for a dressmaker had come up from the village and was engaged in making a dress, "an elegant creation," for Constance; and the three women had, in consequence, been in their glory.

It was to be a blue silk, Mrs. Marsh said, but the four men about the table, Glen, Mr. Marsh, and the two farm "boys," were enthused to no comment. Glen was cogitating the suggested picture of a brown-haired, bright-eyed girl in a blue gown contemplatively, and thought that the presentiment was good, but the other three men again took up the discussion of the respective merits of centrifugal vs. gravity cream separators, which had been under discussion before Mrs. Marsh spoke.

In the next pause the good housekeeper ventured the surmise, come at after a lengthy comparing of views by herself, the dressmaker, and Aunt Kate during the afternoon, that it was going to be some kind of a wedding gown, and Glen dropped his fork and the girl in blue seemed to fade away into the distance, smiling sadly as she went.

"Why?" Glen asked, somewhat explosively, and was glad the next instant that there was such a thing as cream separators to absorb other men's minds.

Well, Mrs. Marsh had no real foundation for her belief, but when the dressmaker had been over to Westborough to consult Constance it had been. plates of wedding gowns that had been called for, and then, too, the dress now under construction was to have a train, something that no ordinary dress had. Then there were other circumstances, most of them inexplicable to the male mind. The dress was not for the school wear, that was certain, for it was to be done only the second week in June, after commencement, and at the time when Constance herself was expected home after graduating.

Glen not only lost interest in the

wonderful dress, after a while, but in his supper also, and excused himself and got up and went out on to the veranda.

The early twilight had come and above the last crimson streak across the western sky the quiet heavens were purple, set here and there with palpitating stars, like headland lights on a darkened sea.

Glen thrust his clenched hands in the sagged pockets of his rough tweed jacket and went and leaned against the trellis of the porch, looking off southward over the dimming valley. A bell, for Thursday evening prayer service, sounded faint from the village, coming teeteringly on the gentle breeze: here and there the lights of homes flashed forth, gleaming yellow, like a constellation fallen down from the serene sky above, and then the late moon poked her prow above the distant blackshaped mountains and launched herself on the placid sea of night.

But of these scenes and sounds the tall silhouetted figure on the veranda took no evident note, and the call of the men to the cattle for the night, the flashing of a lantern down the lane, and the clamor of Lad, the pup, wheedling the sheep from the nearby pasture into the fold, all of which should have called him from his reverie passed unnoticed.

The cool of the spring night strengthened, but Glen did not feel it. Only shifting his weight now and again. from one rough-shod foot to the other, he continued leaning against the vineclad support, his unheeding eyes roving from light to light and down the long, pensive shadows of the woods.

Perplexed by his peculiar position, beset and handicapped by untoward circumstances, he had got himself into that frame of mind where the unintended shaft of doubt, let loose by Mrs. Marsh's chance remark, penetrated his armor of patient faith, touching him to the quick with its sting of poignant dread.

ing lamp. Her husband, his toilroughened hands in contrast with the smooth vellum of the volume, was reading a copy of Glen's well-worn set of DeQuincey essays. Alan MacLaren sat droning by the open fireside. his pale blue eyes fixed vacantly on the leaping flames.

The old Scotchman sat thus much of late evenings, thinking, thinking, seeing faces in the fire of those he loved. The bonny tresses of the wife he had lost and of the daughter lost to him also were in the yellow of the flame and their bright eyes in the glow of the lambent embers.

At times he would start forward in his old rush-bottomed chair, gripping his great, age-weakened fists together until the kuckles knotted like rope ends, murmuring impotent curses on all who had any hand in luring Flora from him.

Once, a year before, he disappeared for several weeks and then came back haggard and spent after a vain search. out in the cruel world, of which he guessed so little, for his "wee bonny lass," as he never ceased to call her.

Since then he passed but little time in his cheerless cottage, but haunted the house, keeping close to Mrs. Marsh or to Glen, saying little, but following them for evident companionship in his travial of heart like a dumb creature. For many things which he did he was not responsible, and no duties were put upon him. But he pottered about, doing this thing and that unconscious that the responsibilities of old had slipped from him.

Glen sighed as he passed the bent. figure by the hearth, and touched the old man's head gently as he went on through the living apartment and up to his room in the old wing of the building.

In this older part of the dwelling Glen maintained his dominion-one room his chamber, the other, full of books, boyish gimcracks, old furniture, fishing rods, and, as Mrs. Marsh was wont to exclaim on cleaning day, "gen

THE GREAT "DISCOVERY"

The New England press for the past month has been lining up with the Peary or Cook camps.

We are not aware that any individual has an inalienable right to be first at the North Pole. The principal asset which the world has derived from the adventurous spirit has been the stirring of red blood and the access of manhood incident to the struggle with the brute forces of nature. It is more than likely that it will judge the relative merits of competing candidates for the honor of "discovery" by the manliness of their respective attitudes, and it is quite possible for any and all to so conduct themselves that the world will shrug its shoulders, and say, "who cares whether you were there or not?"

At the same time this would be unfortunate. Let us be patient and not belittle the greatness of a great achievement.

STREET RAILWAYS AND SCENERY PROTECTION

Street railway companies in Massachusetts have offered to aid the state in its battle against forest fires. The state has accepted the offer, and general orders have gone forth to many of the railway superintendents to begin the work of co-operation at once, on a well-planned system. This move on the part of the railway companies places a commercial value on rural scenes. It is to protect scenery, because its attracts the people and creates traffic for the companies.

THE PRENDERGAST CAMP, BOSTON Through the generous gift of twenty acres of land in Mattapan, by Mr.

James M. Prendergast, the Boston Association for the Relief and Control of Tuberculosis has been enabled to undertake a new experiment in the after care of discharged sanatorium patients.

The return to live in congested quarters of the city often negatives the good results of Sanatorium treatment, so Prendergast Camp has been developed to offer a continuation of the Sanatorium life so far as is consistent with a return to work.

In a beautifully wooded tract within. the city limits, and only fifteen minutes by trolley beyond the Forest Hills extension of the elevated railroad, men who have had the tubercular process arrested may find ideal outdoor conditions under which to clinch the cure. An administration building, with kitchen, dining-room, shower baths, and toilets, and a long "lean-to," accommodating twelve men, comprises the present equipment. In the sleeping shack the ward effect has been avoided by a division into "cubicles," with walls of canvas reaching part way to the ceiling. In each cubicle there is a bed, chair, closet, and chiffonier. Each cubicle is open to the front and has a window in the rear high over the bed, offering ideal conditions for outdoor sleeping.

It is expected that patients from the different sanatoria who are ready to return to work, but who dread a return to unfavorable living conditions in the city, will be glad to avail themselves of this opportunity to continue the treatment. The price for board has been fixed at $4 per week. It is aimed to serve well-cooked and appetizing food, with free use of milk and eggs.

A small garden was cleared last spring. This will be extended so as to

furnish a supply of fresh vegetables for the table.

Mr. Henry E. Paulson and wife are respectively superintendent and matron at the camp. Mr. Paulson left Rutland three months ago, and has undertaken this position in preference to returning to his former work in one of the shoe factories at Campello.

The Prendergast Camp-a night camp, it might be called-is a new departure in caring for tuberculosis. Its progress will be watched with great interest, and if successful it will surely lead to the development of suburban homes specially adapted to rental charges and in construction for the housing of the entire families of patients, both men and women, who seriously need something better than is offered in the congested districts of the city, at a rental within the means of the workingman.

BROCKTON FAIR ATHLETIC MEET

The Brockton Fair is planning this year to hold the greatest outdoor athletic meet ever held in New England. They have gone to a great expense to build a quarter-mile cinder track within the oval of the Fair Grounds, with a good building for training quarters. supplied with shower baths and other accommodations. Having this quarter of a mile track they are enable to have a more complete meet than in former years, when they were dependent on the horse track for their use. There will be another departure this year, the athletic games taking place on Thursday, October 7, one of the big days.

On Tuesday, the first day, there will be the usual children's sports of all kinds, with basket-ball and football games; on Thursday, the seventh annual athletic meet of the Brockton

The standard of the prizes, established years ago by the Brockton Fair, has always been maintained, and when an athlete says he has won a prize at the Brockton Fair, his friends know that it is of the value claimed.

Among the events that are to take place on Thursday are the 100-yard dash, 220-yard run, 440-yard run, 880yard run, one mile, three mile, running high jump, running broad jump, pole vault, shotput, 120-yard high hurdle, 220-yard low hurdle, and a one-mile relay race, open to all colleges, athletic

A correction. The illustration on page 718 of the September number represented the timely arrival of Captain Bailey and E Company of the 9th Infantry. We regret that the title printed was erroneous.-Editor.

ART

The typical Monks picture repro