the stuffiness
of the best room came an echo of the deep organ note of midsummer.

"Whom God hath joined together--" said the minister, and the epitome of
humanity which filled the room held its breath--the old with a wonder upon
their life-scarred faces, the young half frightened to feel the stir of
the great wings soaring so near them.

Then it was all over. 'Niram and Ev'leen Ann were married, and the rest of
us were bustling about to serve the hot biscuit and coffee and chicken
salad, and to dish up the ice-cream. Afterward there were no citified
refinements of cramming rice down the necks of the departing pair or tying
placards to the carriage in which they went away. Some of the men went out
to the barn and hitched up for 'Niram, and we all went down to the gate to
see them drive off. They might have been going for one of their Sunday
afternoon "buggy-rides" except for the wet eyes of the foolish women and
girls who stood waving their hands in answer to the flutter of Ev'leen
Ann's handkerchief as the carriage went down the hill.

We had nothing to say to one another after they left, and began soberly to
disperse to our respective vehicles. But as I was getting into our car a
new thought suddenly struck me.

"Why," I cried, "I never thought of it before! However in the world did
old Mrs. Purdon know about Ev'leen Ann--that night?"

Horace was pulling at the door, which was badly adjusted and shut hard. He
closed it with a vicious slam. "_I_ told her," he said crossly.

A SAINT'S HOURS

In the still cold before the sun
HER LAUDS Her brothers and her sisters small
She woke, and washed and dressed each one.

And through the morning hours all,
PRIME Singing above her broom, she stood
And swept the house from hall to hall.

At noon she ran with tidings good
TERCE Across the field and down the lane
To share them with the neighborhood.

Four miles she walked and home again,
SEXT To sit through half the afternoon
And hear a feeble crone complain;

But when she saw the frosty moon
NONES And lakes of shadow on the hill
Her maiden dreams grew bright as noon.

She threw her pitying apron frill
VESPERS Over a little trembling mouse
When the sleek cat yawned on the sill,

In t