The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

'vmt-' "Ji 1 7 Â¥ A A'rl«nd in Ne«d. 'â- Â» liotrt <litt H wtary, ^ <v ti iTiBer 4 ban', turn frHDi& il(«ri«, ill lii'lpthyniiiv-quii. iil<t4ri>«*r|tclit' St H I; all L tn all liiurt^ ki-^ I It] Uiiiii-<>|>'ii K'SCa cnke Ji (I'lH torftlier ^cu. X OiAv fuu .\fcatr al Tlnni. too, tUf rtd fi And been ^ Tlk/u li.M Oiu thern'B nne'Rauist whom unkindly Kc<»rii h&ii beut her biti<;r bluws, DiuuA ihou ioiu iu au' blmdly * I*end thy donhf* to swell his woet. Thou luavBt frel tht< liuih o" Hlaudt-r, Know the stints o falsehood too, Dinua stop t<> wait and wonder If tho thin^ bo fa'bt: or true, (live thv liaud whlo haod<f ant needed, Oivo thy trust while trust Ir scant, Th« hiaa nilin aro doubly heeded Whuu tlicy coiuu In timoo want. Pilv's bliud and faith \h bllodfr. Hand in handthu hntliMn uu , l!o|>u ifl kind, but l-ivo in kinder, iK'anc, tbou wilt Hud it M. Thou will find humet-rrorn ovtr. 'HU'iwl a t;ird ii^yrap but 111 , Wiiul'^ui ei m, hut pity never, TruKt iiiuplactid is trtiHing NtUl. Though thy faith be torn io nuuder, WiKtloni pity'n power divide. Hraven will Kure f<>r(;iTo thy blunder, Hince u loans tu virtue s bide. Id this worl' o' seesaw, dearie. <iriff iiovt up and joy coiues down, Brows that eatch the sunshine chcerie May to-iuurrow wear a fr<twn. lllt^ak Uocuniber. dull and dreary, Fullows un the heels o' May, Give thy trust unblinted. dearie. Thou iiiaysl need a friend Hume day. â€" Will Allen Dromgoole. SHIRLEY ROSS : A Story of Woman's FaithfulDess. " How provoking yoa are, Guy I" " Bo you have already told me." " It will not lose by repetition. Do yoa know, or do you not know, Gay?" " Know what?" " Whoâ€" who the lady is whom Mr. Rora like*. " I know several ladies he likcB." Madtje stamped hir little foot angrily, and Biiatche<l away hvr band from Gay's clasp. "Yoa are unbearable !" ahesaidpetalant- ly;and Major Btuart hid a smile ander his heavy mastache, bat said nothing. There was a minntc's silence; then Mad^e came slowly back to Gay's side, and slipped her hand through bis arm, looking op with a coaxing air of entreaty into hii face. *' Forgive me, Gay, I am a cross, radc girl." ''Are yoa 7" he said, smiling aBholooke<l down at her. *' Yes â€" and â€" Guy, dear old Gay, yoa will tell me, will yoa not?" "Tell yoa what, yoQ little witch?" he •aid, smiling, ahhoagh bia eyes were dim •t the recollection bow often Bbirley bad come to bis sideand slipped her hand throagb hia arm in the same coaxing, entreating manner. '• What I want to know, Gny dear; do tell me (jaickly. Mamma is coming." " What do you want to know?" "Ah, yoa know I Guy, don't be ao'an- kindl" â€" ^..U-Von want to know with whom RoM is in love. Would it not be a breach of con- fldencu to tell yoa?" " I would tell nobody, Guy, 1 promise you." " You are quite. t|aite sure '.'" " Quite," aaid Madge earnestly. " but suppose I am not in hia oonti- deuce?" Madge half drew airay her hand, then pat it back again. "Ah, but ho has surely told you !" "Now, Madgie, do you suppose for a moment or for a halt a moment, that ho came to me and told me in so many worda, * I am in love with Bo-and-eo' ?" " Uf course not ; but yoa have guessed." " I did gaess." " Ah. then tell me 1" "Buppose you guess, Madgie?" he ana. wared, looking down into the fair pleiiding egor face with an indulgent smile. " Uut [ i-aii not ; 1 don't know her perhaps. " "On, yes, you iloâ€" you have met her!' •• Where ? 'Here, or at Cotsford ?" " Uere, and at (Jotsford." Madge looke<l pu/:/:led. " Nt Uoaie Venn?" "N," Guy answered gravely. "Mas Grayling? No? Then who can it be? If Lady Kiirholme hail been here, or were not marriuil, 1 shoulil say it was she." " liut she has nut been hero, and abo is married." " I give it uPi t'uy," Madge said, color- ing a little under his scrutiny. "IJoyou? IjuI me see ; who can it be? It muBt be some one on the premises, Madge. It is not l<ady Oliphant, let as hope ; and hu has not Hccn this pretty acnool mistrcsH, and Mrs. Ford is rather old and pluni)< and â€" Madgie" â€" he had dropped his bantering tone now, and was looking at her with grave tenderness â€" " have you gueByed ? Yi-a, I Bee you have. Well, is it a very liopidi-BS buainesB, dear?" Madge wan hanging her head to hide her bluBhee. and the lliilo hand lying on Guy's arm waa a tritlo nnsteady. " la it, Madgii'? ' "Why should it bo.liuy ?" she whiaperod. Jack, piHir fellow, tliinks it is, because the girl whom liu Iovh is a groat heiress, and ho is conipnrativcly a poor man." " Does that nukn aiiv difference, Guy ?" " It makoH A vftHt difforeiioo in the eyes of m%ny pHopIc, diiar ; and ,Iank fears that the lady of liiu lovo will dojpiae him for a fortunehuMti-r." "Ah, no -ah. nol" Ma<lgo said eagerly. " llow can ho lovo her if ho thinks so meanly of her? ' 'â-  I know liiir hotter," Guy answered, amiling. " Bo hid cause is not hopelees after all, and he rin«d not go awav 1 See â€" hero aro tho c«rri»i;<H," ho added as he went forward to nicm I.ady Oliphant; and Jack camo to hilp Madge into tho break, her blushing faco lovolii-r than over with the new sweetntHB it gained during tho last few minutos. CHAPTER XLV. "I am bouM I on a very diaagreoablo errand," aaid lv»ilv Oliphant, sighing as Major Hlu*rt uirri>d the poniua' hoada down the road in ro*r of tho break. â- â-  Indeed ! I »in sorry. What ia it ?" ho asked, looking lU li.r h> inpathotically. " You know MrH. (Jrant, tho flchool inis- trcss, whom Mmlgo goes into such raptures over?" Lady Oliphant rejoined. •' And 'followed suit. indeed I waa jqft as bad ^» Madge about )^r myself," she udded. , " Yes ; her ijainn to fitTiilliar in tfj eara «a hoaaehold worda. ud Guy, <amiling. "The child'* cnthubin i "" tlit subject waa quite at^bing." " Yes; sliaiook ihcgrcatest fancy to her, andoonceivt^ ijuite an affection for tier" â€" and Lady Oliphant sighed. "And now I fear the poor child will suffer for my im- prudence in allowing her to aaaociate with a person who is evidently not a fit com- panion for hor." "Uow is that?" Major Stuart said, with some interest. "Uavo you discovered any- thing to Mrs. Grant's diacredit?" " I am afraid wo have. Indeed all the village ia talking of her conduct, and our rector, Mr. Venn, who was at lirat an de- ighted with her as we could possibly â-  be, called at the Hall yesterday aboat it." " Does she ill treat these children ?" Guy asked somewhat absently â€" he was appar- ently, more interested in thebehavior of the two young people in the break before him than in Mrs. Grant's. "Oh, no, she is most kind and patient, and indeed I was <|uite charmed with the way they are getting on!" "Then what baa she been doing?" " All kinds of thiuga,to jadge from tho village gossip. Mr. Litton, Dr. Lloyd'a assistant, ia constantly at her cettage, by day and nightâ€" prof oBsionally, be saya; but a woman who ia well enough to continue her dutiea aa Bchool-miatross can not need so much medical advice." 'â-  And she has no relative living with hor who could need his service?" "No; she lives quite alone, and at Christ, maa she dismissed her servant, saying she preferred to live hO. Indeed, it is only within the last few weeks that these rumora have been flying about." "But Mr. Litton is an unmarried man," suggested Major btuart, with a smile, "and Mrs. Grant is a very pretty woman, I hear; so that I am afraid it must be a case of what Artemua Ward woald call ' aflinity.' It would not be sach a very wonderful thing for them to fall in love with each other. Lady Oliphant." " Not at all," she agreed promptly. "But Mr. Litton was almost engaged to Rosie Venn before this scandal ; and the rector has sent Hosio away on a visit, the poor child was (grieving so mach about it." " Uut why docs not some one take Mr. Litton to task?" said Major Btuart. "If his intentions arc honorable, he will not hesitate to say »o, and if it ia only a tlirtation, he ought to be told that he is seriously com. promising a aolilary woman'a reputation, and that he ought to deaist." " Hut Mr. Litton'a viaita are not the only thing we have to complain of ," continued Lady Oliphant, who woald have been glad to arouse her own anger against the school- mistress before reaching her cottage, in order to be able to speak to her with firm- nesB and decision, although she knew that one glance of Shirley's ba/el eyes woald up- set all her profiosed apeechea and make her compaBsionate toward her poor erring aiater. " Bo many other atrange tliinga have bean said about Mra! Grant, Gay. Bhe baa been seen â€" my husband himcelf saw her â€" coming oat of a public. house on two occa. aioDB, anil they say other, oven worse thinga of her in the village." "And Madge has bsen intimate with such a person 7" aaid Guy, with involuntary displeasure. " I am grieved to say so," answered Lady Oliphant, sighing. " Kbe used to go to hor constantly, and Mrs. Grant gaveher music- loseons, and wo thought â€" Bir Frederic and I â€" that the child waa greatly improved ainco she aaw so much of Mra. Grant, who in a tjerfoctly well-mannered woman, extremely graceful, and, I should think, a liidy by birth." " Hut you had roferciicoa with her. Burely ?" ".No," Lady Oliphant aaid simply. "lam almost ashamed to own it; but we had none. We took her on trust. I will tell you all about it," alie added, as they drove on. " It is rather a romantic little story." And as they drove slowly up the hill, she told him, in as few words as she could, how they had succored the poor young widow who hiid lain down by the roaaaiile to die; and (iuy listened with an interest and attention which pleased her ladyship. " .Vnd this ia how long ago. Lady Oli. phant?" ho said, in a quick, eager voice. ", lust as you went abroad. l)on't you remember driving with uh to the lodge?" " Yes, I remember," Guy said slowly, his faco fall of grave tboughtfulness and with an eager lix}k in his eyes, which ahowed that ho was aearching back into the past ; but the momentary eagerness had left hia eyes when he apoko again, and it Bcemod aa if some glimmer of hope which had brightened them had died away. Would you describe Mra. Granttome?" he said quietly. I would take you in to see her only I am going on such a disagreeable errand," she answered Hiniling. " Ab, if you saw hor, yon would not be surprised at Mr. Litton'a infatuation ! She is very lovely : no worda can bo too warm in praise of her beauty, and whatever Madge haa told you on the sabject can hardly have been exag- gerated." " Madge has contented herself by telling me that alio ia the moat beautiful person in the world," Guy said laughingly. "But that descripitioii is not very graphic. Is she a blonde or a brunette?" "Neither, for she baa chestnut hair, the aweeteat oyoa with jot black browa and lashes, and a fair complexion. She has a perfect liguro, and moves lUost gracefully." "And â€" and her voice. Is it such aa BhakHpoaro would call Bne.\collent thing in woman ?" Guy aaid, trying to disgui'<o his anxiety under an appearance of oarolcsa- ncHS. " It is Buch a pretty voice," alio answered too much abaorbod in her own thoughts to heed tho eagerness in his manner, " very low and aweot, with a little tremor in it sometimoH. Ab, the cottage ia in sight! .\nd there is Mr. Litton's horae waiting." Hir I''roderio, from tho box-soat of tho break, glanced back at hia wife as his eyes foil upon tho big bay horse fastened to the Bcbool-hoiiau railings; but at tho same moment Mr. Litton came out of tho cottage, oloacd tho door after him with tlio air of nn /Kibimc, swung himself into the saddle, and redo down tho hill toward thorn. " Oh, papa, there ia Mr. Litton I I'lease stop. 1 want to inquire after Mrs. Grant. He haH been to tho cottage, and she must bo ill," cried Madgo eagerly; and Bir Frederic pullid up hia horse, and Guy Mr. Litton rode op, looking gntver and Saler than bia wool, lifting bi« hftt toLady lipbant. "Yoa have baen to the sAool-boase, ' said Madge eagtrly. "Urs. Gf^ant if not ill, I hope?" .;- - ( " She is oft very well" fie ansjjrered, smiling at he^; " but there ia no need "for anxiety, Miaa Oliphant." . "May I go in and seeher?". Madge a;ked, when her father interposed. " -^3 your mother ia going to see her this morning, it will be better for you to put o£f your visit, Madge. It is not infectious, doc- tor, I presume?" "What ia not infectioua?" aaked Mr. Litton, looking up in surprise; but Sir Frederic's face waa impasaive. "Mra. Grant's illness," he answered coolly. " Infectious. Mrs. Grant's iUneaa?" the young man answered looking bewildered ; then suddenly recollecting himself, he added (luickly, "Oh, dear, no, certainly not ! bhe is a little overtired, I think â€" that is all." " Then she ought not to be troubled with visitors," said Sir Frederic. "We won't detain you, Mr. Litton. I suppose you are busy just now?" " Pretty well, Sir I'rederic," tho young surgeon replied, •â-  he lifted hia hat once more and rode away. Guy Btuar) looked after him keenly. Young, handsome, graceful, it waa no wonder that he should attract a woman's love ; btrt, if â€" Guy's train of tbougbta waa suddenly cat short by Sir Frederic drawing up again at the school. house to say a few words to bis wife ; and then the break drove on, the girl's pretty blue eyes looking wistfully at the cottage windows. "There must be some good in her to have won such a lovo as that," Guy thought, as he helped Lady Oliphant to alight ; and, while she knocked at the cottage door, he looked eagerly to aee who woald open it. But she knocked twice without receiving any answer ; and then, trying the latch and flndiag it unfastened, she entered the cot- tage. " I will not keep you long. Gay, she aaid, with a ainile ; and, entering the little passage aa ahe apoko, she met the school- miatreaa coming down-staira with a cup and saucer in her hand. Uad ahe been one moment aooner Guy Stuart'a cariosity would have been satisfied : but in that moment Lady Oliphant shut the door, and 80 prevented hia aeeing the woman whose description bad Bo greatly intorosted him. " Lady Oliphant !" Mrs. Grant exclaimed her hands trembling so much tho cup and saucer rattled against each other, and she oould barely retain her grasp of them. " Yes. I am rather an early viaitor; bat I want to say a few words to you, Mra. Grant." In perfect silence the achool- mistress pre- ceded Lady Oliphant into the little sitting- room. There was no Urc, and the chill and oomfortlesH aspect of the room struck her ladyship with a sense of forlorn deso- lation, which pained her; while the figure o( the woman who stood facing her with great aad eyea, wjitich had an expreaeiofc of UDUiteirable miiKVy in their deptns, aeenuid in keeping with inu room. She waadreased, aa usual, in lilao||^but her attire had not the dairny fruHlmni ami neatness whioh generally' oharactori/ed it; tho beautiful chestnat hair was in disorder, and ahe wore a large apron aa if she had been en- gaged in housework. Lady Oliphant did nut sit down ; and Shirley stood facing hor with an air of deprecating sadness and humility which her ladyship could not help regarding aa a tacit confession of guilt ; but there waa aomething about the slim black. rol>ed ligure, witn its paia luvoi/ face and pathetic eyea, which touohed Madge's mother iigainat her bettor judgment, and made bar taak a more difficult one than it had appeared even in anticipation. " Mra. Grant," she said â€" and, despite all her efforts to render it stern, her plea- sant voice trembled slightly â€" ' what I have to say to you this morning is very painful to me â€" so painful, indeed, that I can not think that it will hurt you more tu hear than it pains me to say it ; but I am forced to do HO." Mrs. Grant made no answer; but into the great sad eyea came a look of intense dread and shrinking terror, and tho color faded from the sweet lips, leaving them aahly pale, " Will you not sit down ?" Lady Oliphant said suddenly. " Y'ou do not look well. 1 fear your dutiea are too much for you." " No, oh, no!" the school mistress said very eagerly. "They are not indeed. I can i)erform them quite easily. I'ray do not think otherwise." " And yet you are under constant medi- cal care," said her ladyship a tritlo more coldly ; and a great wave of color robe iu the pale face, then, fading, left it colorless as before. " Mr. Litton ia hero frequently, I under- stand," continued Lady Oliphant, "and you can be hia only patient hoie." The fear in the lustrous hawl eyes deep- ened. " Yea," she aaid faintly. "Then how can you bo equal to your dutiea ?" aaid Lady Oliphant more gently. " There ia nothing the matter with me which would prevent my fuUilling them," was the alow, pleading answer. " I have been exact and punctual, and have neg- lected none of them since â€" sinceâ€"" Uer voice failed, and her head sunk for. ward on hor breast. " I am complaining of no neglect, Mrs. Grant. I have never had greater reason to bo satisfied than at present, which makes me regret all tho more bitterly being obliged to diamiaa you." "To dismiss mel" Bhe looked up in sudden terror as aho uttered tho words; then after a moment's pause, ahe aaid brokenly and tremulously, " Oh, Lady Oli- phant, yon do not mean to do that!" "It is with greatâ€" the greatest reluctance that I am forced to do so ; but 1 have no alternative." "Noalteroativol" she repeated mechani- cally, looking at Lady Oliphant with dazed, bewildered, frightened eycF, whioh seenied to Eoe ail executioner in tho gentle lady in velvet and furs. "None." A siloncc followedâ€" a silence ao complete that it seemed to have aomo tiTect on Mrs, Oraiit'B nerves. She glanced around her fearfully, as if aho wero afraid of hearing aomo sound in tho houao or seeing aomo apparition ; but aho could not force her parc^d and tregoblingHpa to spe«k; and Xady Oliphant went onjentlyâ€" " Sirs. Grant,!' ahe 'laid, » little nn- steacijly, " I do liot thiidc I need eukin to ^n oily reasons for doing tide. It coats no Bliinuoli, audit will give my daughter ao mnch pKin, that I sliould act have done it without being forced to do so." "But I do not understand. Lady Oli- phant," Mrs. Grant faltered tremulously. " Why should you send me away ?' " our ignorance mast be feigned, Mrs. Grant" â€" there was a little sternness now in the lady's voice. " You cannot conscien- tiously tell me that you are ignorant of my reasons for dismissing you." "I am ijnite ignorant," the school mistress answered more steadily ; and her manner vexed Lady Oliphant. " You are a young woman, Mrs. Grsnt; bat you are not so unversed in the ways of tho world aa to imagine that such conduct as yours haa not been noticed in the village." "My conduct!' echoed Mra. Grant, lifting her head with a momentary tiaeb of haughty resentment. " Yes, your conduct in allowing Mr. Litton to visit yoa so fre<iaently, and at any bear which anited hia convenience. Do yoa deny that he haa been seen leaving the cottage at night, and that you have been seen walking with him at boars when an action at other times barmlesa, becomes a perfect impropriety ? He cemes here, it would appear, three or four times in the coarse of the day and night, and his visits have given rise to a great deal of talk in the village." " Ha is a doctor," the schoolmistress aaid faltering. " Y'ea ; but you are not in such need of hia professional eervices ; and there can be only one construction put upon bis visits here." "And what ia that?" Mrs. Grant aaid vaguely. " That he is your lover." A peal of ahrill hysterical laughter broke from Mra. Grant'a white lips, laughter which waa terrible to bear, and which rang through the ijuiet room, startling Lady Oliphant out of her calm lelf.poeaesaion. " My lover," Mrs. Grant repeated in a momeot â€" " my lover!" "Yes," Lady Oliphant answered gravely. "The Buppoait'on la a very natural one; and if Mr. Litton's intention toward you were honorable, no one coald oppoae your reception of him; but he himself has told Dr. Lloyd that he has no thought of marriage, and â€" " .\gain the shrill bitter laughter broke forth. "Of marriage with me?" the sohool- miatress said, with a strange expression on the lovely white face. " No, he certainly hai not!" " Then, why does he come here?" " He comes here profeasionally," waa the almost sullen answer. " That is absurd ! And this is a very uaeleua discaaaion," said her ladyship angry now, and incensed. " We will settle it. Aa soon as yoa caa make it convenient to do so, Mrs. Grant, you will leave â€" " "As soon as," Mrs. Grant began, then her voice failed her for a moment; the next ahe went on huskily -"Lady Oli- phant, I ontroat you, do not Bond me away. Indeed â€" indeed 1 bavedonenothingwrosf(I Oh, will you not trust me a little longer?" "How can I trust you, Mrs. Grant? Y'ou have already abased my contidenoe ; you cannot have forgotten how, without reference, or any knowledge of youâ€"" " I have not abused your confidence â€" I have done nothing wrong. Lady Oliphant, if you have any pity, do not ask mo to leave the cottage now. I oannctâ€" I dare not face the winter â€" oh, thinkâ€" to be house- less and desolate in aach weather !" "Mrs. Grant, you are paining me terribly," Lady Oliphant aaid unateadily. " I have no wish but to bo just with you ; but really Sir Frederic ia exceedingly anuoyed at the scandal which has troubled the village for some weeks. Do you know that Miss Venn, to whom Mr. Litton waa paying attention, haa been obliged to bo sent away for a time, she fretted so much at Mr. Litton's visits hero? Indeed I cannot tell you how mnch haa been said, nor is it necessary." "Hut, Lady Oliphant" â€" the sweet broken voice was huaky and strained, and the little trembling hands were held out in passionate supplication^" do not send me away now. Oh, I cannot go! It is im- possibleâ€" oh, be pitiful!â€" trust mo a littl^ while. I may only have to ask your for- bearance for a very little while; but, in mercy, grant it ine." Lady Oliphsnt shook her head aadly ; Sir Frederics injunctions had been im- perative, and aho could not diaobey them ; bat her heart ached for the agony and des. pair on the pleading face. "What can I do, Mrs. Grant ? You do not justify youraelf. You cannot refute tho accusations, and I cannot lot them pasH unnoticed." Mrs. Grant fell upon her kueos, and caught at Lady Oliphant'a dreaa entreat- ingly. " For tho lovo of Heaven do not leave me thus!" aho implored, with anguiahed gea- turea and wild miserable eyea. "t)h, for the lovo of Heaven, take back your deci- aion! If it were only I who had to suffer, butâ€" oh, if you have one grain of charity, of compaaaion in your heart, have pity upon mo now I I have done nothing wrong. Iâ€" oh. Heaven, have mercy upon mo!" Her head sauk forward in a voicolesa agony of supplication ; the littlo hand still oiung desperately to tho velvet fur of Lady Oliphant'H cloak, whioh that lady was trying to disengage from her clasp. No, no. I will not riae. You shall not go until you tell nie that I need not go," cried tho school- mistreaa wildly. "Oh, if you knew â€" if I could tell you -if I conld trust yoa â€" oh, have pity, have pity I" Her voice died away in a wail of pain â€" low, faint, despairing. Lady Oliphant lifted hor to her feet; and sho stood looking at her with dim oyes, panting and exhausted from her passionate excitement. My poor child," her ladyship said tremulously, " you are paining me beyond all words. Lot this cease now. I will see you again. Vou must try to think it over oalmly. Believe me, I am only doing what I conceive to bo my duty, and 1 will do anything in iny power to help you to I another home." j " It ia not for that; it is not for my' sake," Shirley aaid pitifully ; " but it would kill What am I saying?" ahe added, proshing her haiida to hor forehead with a Iroubleii gesture, " What am I saying?" " I am afraid eo much excitement will maku us botl^, ill," La* Oliphant tai<) nerv(|Dsly, no«' anxious ffiily to end tho iHtei^ew. " I|Bust leaw you, and yon nanat try not to diatreM yODraclf more than you oan help. Do you not think you had better letxno sand aome aNistance for yoav household work?" she added, glancing at the fireleES grate. " Oh, noâ€" oh, no!" Mrs. Grant answered, trying to be calm. " I do not need it, and- and 1 have a fire upstairs." "Dojousltep upstairs then? Barely the next room is warmer!" " Y'es," waa the faltering answer ; and, as Lady Oliphant, with a little gesture ci farewell, passed out of the cottage, tho young Bthoolmistress sunk on her knee^ by the table and covered her face in a silent agony of tearless aobs, which shook her slender frame like a reed shaken by tho wind. " What fball I do ?" (he moaned prea ently, rising and pacing to and fro in tho little room. " It would kill him ; and yet, if they insist, of coarse I cannot resist. Oh, Heaven, help us ! What are we to do ? Where can we go ? Even Mr. Litton ba.l suffered for his goodness to us. Ab, he wa-i very good indeed not to betray us, and rather let himself be misunderstood by tho girl he lovea! 1 bring misery everywhere ; but some day I will go to Miss Venn and tell ber, and he'll be happy. I must write to Jackâ€" I must write to Jack." Bhe broke off restlessly, and stood silen'; for a moment ; then she went into theinnev room, bathed ber face with cold water, and smoothed the soft, chestnut hair. " Ho must not see me so distressed," aho said, with a pitifal, little smile. " And I am never safe from interruption. Oh, I am so tired !" she added, with a long, heavy sigh. " My limbs ache with fatiguo, and yet I must not be ill â€" I dare nut bo ill." It was pitifal to see how she tried to bo cheerful and to efface the marks of weari- neaa and sleeplessness which were so evi- dent on her face. Bhe went slowly back to the sitting-room, and, even as she had done on Cbristmas-day, she took out writ- ing-materials to address ber brother; but now the letter would have to be sent to Erindale Hall. Drawing up a chair to tho table, she sat down ; but the heart- weari- ness overcame her, and her head sunk for- ward on her arms in an agony of low, piti ful weeping, which, although it exhausted her, eased the burning brain to which the relief of tears was a merciful one. How long she lay there she did not know, she felt no chill, although the room was cola ; nor did she hear the sound of heavy, firm footatepa on the little brick- paved path at her door ; but the door opened quietly, and, when a gentle touch upon hev bowed head made her start up in alarm, ahe met the earnest, pitying, compassionate, gray eyes which had once made her all sun- shine, but which now ahe would have die>i rather than meet. " Gay !" The white lips parted to utter his name, yet no sound came from them ; but he guessed the word. " Yes,' ha said very gently. " Shirley, it is Guy I" (To b« eoDtlnaed.) I'Miful Antidote*. A* a role, there ia iu every household and factory, or at leart within easy reacl], simple and effective antidotes, writea % New York correspondent. These remedies are of infinite value. Warm water and mustard can always be got, aa can alro aweet oil, batterer lard. For poisoning by bug poisons, blue vitriol, mercury, lead water, saltpetre, sulphate of zinc or like substances, milk or white of eggs in largo quantities is always to be commended. For poiflona like rough on rats, Paris green and Fowler's solution of arsenic, one should tickle the fauces of tho victim with a feather, or induce vomiting by copious draughts of salt and water, which should be followed by good-si/.ed doses of sweet oil or milk. Where oil vitriol, muriatic or o.talic acid is the poison, one can easily help matters by scraping aome plaster from the wall and dissolving it in water and maki' the patient ilrink it. Soap dissolved in water is also good in those cases. When caustic poisons are taken, then water and vinegar, or lemort juice and water should be given. Many suicides seek the desired end by means uf carbolic acid. In such cases give the person drinks of a glutinous character. Flour and water, for instance, is especially desirable. For chloroform, chloral and such things,, douse tho head, chest and face with cold water and keep working the arms to pro- mote artificial respiration. Lauilanum, morphine and opium arealso in great favor with suicides. Induce vomit- ing and give all the strong coffee you can get down thoin. And so I might go on. All these things I have named, you will see, are nearly alwavs at hand and can be em- ployed with good results, if only until the doctor comes. They aro things the police ought to know at any rate. Nllftnou'n Debut. Writing of Mmo. Nilsson-Miranda's farewell concert. Dr. Louis Kngel says in the Worlil, of London : " Never shall I for- get tho sensation created by the young Bwedish girl at tho Theatre Lyrique, in Paris, and how within one week the name of Christine Nilsson was in everybody's mouth. She who began to sing in the street with her littlo brother, proud of the receipts of her first concert, which amounted tn flveponce half-penny, sent the inhabitants of the inojt roue capital of the world mad, following up hor successes with England and .Vmcrica, where she made net profits amounting to a million in fifteen months. I had tho pleasuro of introducing her to Rossini, who li.stened with intense- attention to her sympathetic voice, warned hor against tho use of those exceptionally high notes which so delighted the aadi- ences of Europe and America, and I have seen through her career many triumphs, the last of which, aka I ia to bo expected on June 20th, and will be a solemn leave- taking in addition." \ Out oTtlio MouibH t>f ItalioH. There is a certain little girl in this city who WH3 being instructed by hor teacher not long ainoe in regard to tho different; rulera of the world. She waa told that in Europe the people are all governed by Kings and Queens. " And now," aaked the teacher, " Who governs tho people in this country?' Tho littlo t irl looked \qi into the teacher's faco and anawercd earneatly and promptly, Knavea." N 'V