outside that inner temple where,
secure in each other's love, and bound by the golden chain of faith and
trust in God, who had given them so many beautiful gifts and tokens of
His loving care, they could always retire and feel that they were happy.

This fair and gracious temple of married love is one of the most
beautiful possessions that any one can rejoice in. But it needs to be
carefully watched, lest any moth should enter, or rust mar its
brightness, or serpent creep into the paradise.

As the Vestals of ancient days kept their altar light pure and clear, so
should the true wife pray to keep the light of this, her sacred temple,
pure, and replenish it from time to time with the heavenly graces of
Hope, Faith, and Charity, those three, the greatest of which is Charity;
for it is one of the laws of our being, that in whatever position we
find ourselves we cannot be secure without watching and prayer
Sometimes the wreckage of a fair ship, or the first falling of the stone
which is to end in the ruin of that house, may be traced to some small
failure in duty, some slight wrong or omission unrepaired, or some angry
word unrepented of. The woman who hopes to get through life loved and
honoured to the end, and who would guard the first enthusiasm of her
husband's love in all its freshness, must not expect to do so without
continual care, forbearance in small matters, and bright, cheerful
taking up of little crosses, which turns many a thorn into a flower,
many a rough stone into a radiant jewel.

Mr. Paget turned away from watching the carriage roll off, and said to
Melville and Harry:

"I hope they will have a safe journey; there is much ill-feeling abroad;
and they are making a desperate effort in Bristol to secure the return
of two Reform candidates. It is an unhappy business," said peace-loving
Mr. Paget. "It is far better to let well alone."

"Yes," said Melville, who was far too indolent by nature to have any
very keen political feeling, "it was great nonsense of old Wetherall to
split with his party about the Papists, and now to be against Reform."

"As an old Tory, I am with him there," said Mr. Paget; "and there is
something brave in the way he has put his own interests aside for what
he believes to be right. But a judge ought not to be so violent a
partisan. I hope Mrs. Arundel and those pretty babies of hers won't come
in for any stone throwing and smashing of windows. There is to be a
great meeting in Qu