you intend to do with your life?"

"Spend it for God and my fellow creatures; and enjoy all the pure
happiness I can appropriate without wronging others. I have so many
privileges granted me, that I ought to accomplish some good in this
world, as a thank offering."

"Take care you don't make a fetich of Jerusalem missions, Chinese
tracts, and Sheltering Arms; and lose your dear, sweet personality in a
goody-goody machine bigot. Forgive me, dear old girl, but sometimes I
fear a shadow has fallen in your sunshine."

"Sooner or later they fall into every life, yet mine will pass away I
feel assured. 'Pain, suffering, failure are as needful as ballast to a
ship, without which it does not draw enough water, becomes a plaything
for the winds and waves, travels no certain road, and easily
overturns.' If the gloomiest pessimist of this century can extract that
comfort, what may I not hope for my future? I am going to rebuild my
house at X----and when it is completed, I shall expect the privilege of
returning the hospitality you have so kindly shown me. I shall be very
busy for at least two years, and I am glad to know that Aunt Patty is
beginning to manifest some interest in my plans."

"Leo, may I ask something?"

"If you are quite sure you have the right to ask, and that I can have
no reason to decline answering."

"I can't bear that you should live and die without being a happy wife.
I don't want you to become a mere benevolent automaton set aside for
church work, and charities; getting solemn and thin, with patient
curves deepening around your mouth, and loneliness looking out of--

"'Eyes, meek as gentle Mercy's at the throne of heaven.'"

"To be a happy wife is the dream of womanhood, and if the day should
ever dawn when God gives me that crown of joy, I shall wear it gladly,
proudly, and feel that this world has yielded me its richest blessing;
but, Alma, to-day I know no man whom I could marry with the hope of
that perfect union which alone sanctions and hallows wedded love. I
must be all the world to my husband; and he--next to God--must be the
universe to me. There is Gen'l Haughton coming up the stairs, so I
considerately efface myself. Good-bye till luncheon."

As she glided away and disappeared behind the curtain leading into the
library, Alma looked after her, with very misty eyes, full of
tenderness.

"Brave, proud soul; deep, sorrowful heart. If she can't drown her star,
at least she will admit no l