225

XII. THE LOVE POWDER 259

XIII. THE DIMPLER 281

XIV. WISE MISS TOUSY 303

XV. THE CHRISTMAS GIFT 329

ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

"He produced a small gold watch with the word 'Rita'
engraved upon the case" _Frontispiece_

"She changed it many times" 31

"She flung at the worthy shepherd the opprobrious words, 'You
fool'" 81

"'I've come to get my kiss,' said Doug" 121

"Covering her face with her hands, she began to weep" 191

"'Kill him, Dic; kill him as you would a wolf'" 255

"Miss Tousy softly kissed her and said, ... 'There, don't cry,
sweet one'" 315

"'Here,' replied the girl" 349

ON THE HEART OF THE HEARTH

A Forest Hearth

CHAPTER I

ON THE HEART OF THE HEARTH

A strenuous sense of justice is the most disturbing of all virtues, and
those persons in whom it predominates are usually as disagreeable as
they are good. Any one who assumes the high plane of "justice to all,
and confusion to sinners," may easily gain a reputation for goodness
simply by doing nothing bad. Look wise and heavenward, frown severely
but regretfully upon others' faults, and the world will whisper, "Ah,
how good he is!" And you will be good--as the sinless, prickly pear. If
the virtues of omission constitute saintship, and from a study of the
calendar one might so conclude, seek your corona by the way of justice.
For myself, I would rather be a layman with a few active virtues and a
small sin or two, than a sternly just saint without a fault. Breed
virtue in others by giving them something to forgive. Conceive, if you
can, the unutterable horror of life in this world without a few blessed
human faults. He who sins not at all, cannot easily find reason to
forgive; and to forgive those who trespass against us, is one of the
sweetest benedictions of life. I have known many persons who built their
moral structure upon the single rock of justice; b