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Cont'd) diner; the men went out | their work again, and Mrs. Ber-| prepared to go into her sittings | ** Se and sew, to complete 4 new fasts Jor hemelt, to 'be worn at are," she 'said, "as soon as "have washed up the di I want you to make some doughnuts and'. jumbles for sup. per; and you must have some hoy biscuits and rice waffles, and had some of that cold: beef and ham to: gother for 'a relish. And mind le 3 smart as you were this morn: & Do you hear?" Z Yeh, ma'am," answered poor woman. And as soon ss her mistress had left the kitchen, Maris Serafinna recommenced her endless task. Bho had felt 'stronger 'this day than: any day for: the last twelvs foonths ;. but as it drew near night Jee strength began to fail, aud Ly Yime she placed the well-co ied supper on the table, she felt al- most ready to faint. Mrs. Berger praised the cooking, but did not notice jhe pallor aad weakness of the cook. As she arose from - the supper Sable, she said: "1 am going to finish my alpnca dress, Marie, so you must get along the best way you can. without me this evening. After you have washed up the dishes, and scoured the kitchen floor and the 'dresser. 1 want you to iron those things you sprinkled down. It will txke you till late, but you know the work must be dane; and if you want to stay Here, you must do ib." "Yes, ma'am," meekly the poor woman. "And as her mistress left the room, Marie attempted to rise: and go about her work. But she was mite prostrated than she knew. As she tried once more to stand up, 'an everpowering faintness and drow- sihess came upon her, and relaxed her limbs and weighed down her eyelids, so that she sank back in her chair, and fell into a deep and dreamless sleep of some hours' dur- ation; She was awakened at length by the loud voice of her mistress, call- ing from the next room--- "Marie! Marie! haven't you got through 'there yet! It's after twelve o'clock, and I have just fin: my dress, and I'm going to ed! and you ought to be through with: your work, too, by' this time. flow hurry | 'because you know you uve got to be up very early in the worning."' "Yes, ma'am,' mechanically an- swered 'the. poor' woman, slowly waking up from her profound sleep to the alarming consciousness that she had slépt ever since supper time and had done none of the work that had been given her to do! Twelve, "midnight, and she had not washed the dishes, nor scoured the kitchen, nor: ironed 'the clothes that had been sprinkled down; Bhe had not even lighted the kitchen lamp It was sunset when she had been overtaken by sleep; and now it was midnight, and the kitchen was as 'dark as pitch. but for the glowing of the fire through the crevices of the stove. | 'Marie, are you throught" "called her 'mistress again; "No, ma'am; but -1 will get hax quick as ever I can,' irl, groping about in the replind 0 hey atte ro pray nd go to She felt so greatly hor long, deep sléep in th that she scarcely felt the i any more. sleep that night. Yet, as soon as she touched her 'pillow, she slept again, and slept well As on the previous morning, was waked up by the first. beams ot the rising sun shining on her face. ' As before, she started up in {a 'panic on finding "that: she had overslept herself. . She hurried down stairs, 'and into thé kitehen. 'Wonder upon wonders | As on the morning previous, all the work 'was 'done. The kitchen was clean, the table was set, the breakfast was cooked and smoking on the stove, ready to be dished: Marie Serafinne sank down in her ohiair, so overwhelmed: with per- plexity, that she felt as if she would lose her reason. i: Who had done her work? The unsdewerable question al: most crazed her brain. She had heard of household spirits, 'called "'Brownies,'" who were said to make themselves very useful in domestic Jabot ; but these sho had consider- ol ax the creations of imagination only. Now she caught herself in- quiring: "Qan it be a 'Brownie' that helps me!" And immediately, in alarm, she exclaimed : "I 'am going crazy, or 1 never should think of such a thing!' The entrance of the family recall: |" ed hér to practical duties. She put the breakfast on the table, and prepared. to wait on: those who sat down. But again she was invited with unusual kindness to sit down and partake of the meal with them. And with silent © gratitude she availed herself of the privilege. : This was Christmas eve. An upon this.' day 'all the married daughters, with their husbands and children, were exepcted to arrive; And in 'the course of the day they cams, one party after another. And the work for that day was quadrupled. mt But Marie = Serafinne 'found strength to do all that was requir. ed of her; or if her strength Rag- ged when she happened to be at work in 'a room by "herself, she would be overpowered by drowsi- ness, and after a restful sleep of several hours, she would wake fo find her work all done! i By degrees she reconciled herself to this. most mysterious help; ani Lier health and strength visibly im~ 'proved, and consequently, to her mistress's great approbation, her usefulness increased. ! ! She only wanted rousing! TEX had indulged that girl's laziness, she would Save moped herself into a- consumption, sure enough. Now see how well she is!" said 'Mrs. Berger to her oldest married daugh: tor, as théy sat at their sewingone afternoon early in January..." - But little did either mother or daughter suspect but that Marie Serafinne did 'all that vast amount ot labor with her own hands! Marie Serafinne; since the da her 'darkest misfortune, ways been a very. silent woman, Now, she was even more: than In great | rment she exe . fahed the at up before. : yo The boy consented to posal, and went off 'in a forward, practical way in search of | fin the soap: Marie. He found har suds," busy with the f ' (ing, and he askid hey plainly to marry him. Sasha Bhe stated in mute astonishment 3 Sull minute, and then flatly: re: used, iis : He went off with his story of dis appointment 'to his' mother. » And she told him not to despair, but to have patience, and he might win his sweetheart afterall. = = Meantime summer waned into au- tumn, and autumn faded into win< Christmas holidays were again approaching, and all the married daughters, with their families; were: coming to 'pay' their annual vilit to their Elms." : Again tha work at the farm-house was. doubled, -and quadrupled as | made | ne, bo had no' trouble but the constant longing Christmas day drew: near. But this additional labor' no difference to Marie Ser: who 'received - mysterious he cording to her need. She desire to know who her secret h or conld be; Gi el lh : There was one night, in e year, that was very. terrible to the: poor woman, This was the night of Christmas' Eve; the 'anniversa of the birth and death' of her child: It was on the eleventh anniversary of this tragedy that her myste: ous helper had first come, wl A year had rolled around since then, 'and ber 'helper had never failed 'her. Bhe bad grown acens- tomed to. the secret supernatural aid, but had not become reconcil- ed fo her {gnorance of the identity: of the agent: "Who 'does my - work, when my Pi own arm fails?' she asked he many times, and asked in vain. « "If T could only see, hear, feel, or even dimly perceive, my hel er!' she would sigh, and sigh to no purpose. PL eh The year had' rolled' ary again. The' twellth anniversary. of the birth and' death 'of 'her ¢ and the second anniversary of th comirg of ber supernatural: hel was at hand. 3 Marie Berafinne; the! last shout the house to retire, erept bed never could. She lay thin the piteous fate of her little born dead in one nig erves were unusually mind unusually: mor know: but she | parents at. {Witch Pr |