?p By HONRE DE BALZAC S
CH A PTE It XVIII.
Several month went by. The cooper
went te ae hi wife at various nine in
e day. sod never raentimied bu dai ea I
tar's asms never ui her, nor made
tkm slightest alluuon to her. Mme.
flraadet' health grew worse and worse;
ato had not our left her room since that
tanlkla January BBarning. Rot nettling
ahnufc th old cooper' a determination: he
Was hard, cold and aojieMlng aa a bl-fc
Of granite. Ha cane and west, hie nu
e of Ufa waa 1b nowise altered, bnt
he did aot stammer saw. aod he talked
less; perhaps, to, faj matter of bosi
caa, people fauad him harder thaa be
farm, but errara crept iato his bookkeep
lag Something bad certainly happened io
the Grand t family, both Crnchotius am)
(VaaalaUtea war agreed on that hi ad .
and "What eaa be the matter with the
OraodetaT" became a atixk question
which people ssked each other at trtry
octal gathering La Saamtir.
A lirtis later the aecret leaked out, and
s whole tows knew that ever since
?w Year's Day Mile. Graniet had Iwn
eked up in her room by her fatiier'a
rders, and that there ahe lived on bread
od water in aolifary confinement and
rithout a fire. Nanon, it wan reported,
cooked dainties for her and bpiugtit food
secretly to her room at night It was
aid that ouly whea Grandet was out of
the bonne rvmid the young girl curse ber
another, or indeed gee her at all.
Graudet had Just entered upon hit all-ty-serenth
year. Avarice bad gained a
Stronger hold upon him during the i.ast
two years of his life: ind eei. all Inftinc
passions STTovr with man's growth; and
U had come to pas with liitn, as with all
men whose lives are ruled hy one master
Idea, that he clung with all the f n e of'
his Imagination to the symbol which rep-!
resented that Idea for him. Guld to ;
have gold, that he might see and touch
It, had become with hirn a perfect mo
omarila. Ilia disposition to tyrannize J
ad al.so grown with hi love of money,
and It seemed to him to be monstrous I
thjt be should be called upon to gi-e up j
the leaat portion of his property ou the
Vtth of his wife. Waa he to render
an account of her fortune, and to have
an inventory drawn up of everything he!
possessed-aud pat It all up to action?
"Thai would be atark ruin," he said
loud to himself, as ha stood among bia
Tinea. He made up his miud and came
back at dinner time fully determined
aa bla course. II a would humor Eu-
Cnia, and coax and cajole her so that
might die royally, keeping the conlrol
f his niillious in hia bands until his
latest sigh. It happened that he let him
elf ia with hia master key; he crept
"Wiselessly as a wolf up the stairs to bis
rifs's room, which he entered Just as
higenie was setting the dressing case,
I all its golden glory, upon ber moth
r's bad. The two women had stolen a
Jeasnre in Grandet's absence; th ey were
king at the portraita and tracing oat
JBarles' features In his mother's like-
"It- la Jost hia forehead aod his
saouthr Eugenia was saying, as the vin
flower opened the door.
Mme. Grandet saw how bar busbsnd's
ayes darted upon the gold. "Oh! heaven
have pity upon as!" she cried.
The vine grower seized upon the dress
tag case aa a tiger might spring upou
i Bleeping chiM.
"What may this be?" he said, csrry
htg off Uie treasure to the window.
"Gold! solid gold!" ha cried, "aad plen
ty f it, too; there ia a ccapls of pounds'
weight here. Aha! so this waa what
Chart es gave yoa B exchange far yoor
.ratty gold pieces! Why did yoa not
tail me? It was a good stroke of bosi
asa, little girl. You are year father"!
Own daughter, I aee. This belongs to
Oharies, doesn't it?" the good man went
"Tea, father; It la not mine. That
ease ia a aacred trust"
"Tut, tut, tut! be has gone off with
jour money; yoa ought to make good the
mas of yonr little treasure."
"Oh. father!"
The old man had taken oat hia pocket
knife with a view to wrenching away a
lata of the precious metal, and for the
aoosnent had been obliged to lay the case
aa a chair beside bim. Eugenie sprang
forward to sec ore her treasure; bnt the
Seeper put out hia arm to prevent thin,
ad thrust ber back so roughly that aha
Ml on to the bed.
"Sir! sir!" cried the mother, rising and
a ting upright Graadet had drawn oat
Us kulfe, and was about to Insert the
Made beneath the plate.
"Father!" cried Eogenle, going down
SB her kneea and dragging herself near
er to bim, "for your own soul's salva
tion, father. If you hava any regard for
fay life, do not touch ltl The esse is not
pears, and It Is not mine. It belongs to
aa onhappy kinsman, who gar it Into
r keeping, and I ought to give it back
him untouched. Do not pull it to
pteeea. Von will bring dishonor upoa
he. Father! U yon hear me?"
"For pity' sake, sir!" aa treated tha
another.
Tho shrill cry raag through the honse
aad brought the frightened Nanoa ap
stalrs. Hugenis caught up a knifa that
ky within her reach.
"Well?" said Grands, calmly, with a
ad amile on hia Hps.
"Father, If yoa eat away single
rap of gold, I ahail atab myself with
ha knifa. It la year doing that my
lather ia dying, aad aesv my death will
Jeo be laid at yoar door. It ah all ha
Mad for waaad.
Oraadat hatd his kmlfa soaaandad
ahwra th caaa, laokad at km daoghtar,
tmi ImatUtad.
"vTaahl yoa raally da it, Baffanfer
- ta rttail
woald m m at aays," rrisd
, , aa. aa aaasusa. aw, iar oace
Lim Ufa." ' :
t trat at ttW gU aad tWa at hia
kaaMN tlff ,ta9 MaT-
' -V CmdcX U aathKaf fsj
. :.r ( TJt alaiJWt tsa ft Wrkf'
sua tm f
girt? No more dry bread; yon shall eat
whatever yoa like, see jbi in
oiling her eyes. Well, now. little moth-
j tr, don't take on so! Look! I am going
I siss mugenie; sue loves her cousin,
does ahe? 8 lie shall marry him if aha
likes; she shall ke-p her little case for
bim. But you must live for a long while
yet, my poor wife."
"Oh, how can you treat your wife and
daughter ia this way,1" moaned lima.
Grsode.
"I will never de aa again, never
again r cried the cooper. "Yea ahail
sea, my poor wife."
He went to his strong box room and
returned with a handful of Ionia d'or,
which he scattered on the coverlet
"There, Eugenic! there, wife! those
sre for you," he said, fingering the goid
coins as they lay. "Come, cheer op!
and get well, you shall want for nothing,
neither you nor Eugenie. There are a
hundred louis for hrr. Yoa will not give
tli em sway, will you, eh, Eugenie?"
Mme. Grandet and her daughter gazed
at each other in amazement.
"Take back the money, father; we
want nothing, notbiug but your love."
"Oh, well, Jat as you like," he said,
as he pocketed the louis, "let us live to
gether like good friends. Iet ua all go
down to the dining room and have din
nrr and play loto every evening, and be
a merry as the maids. Eh! my wife?"
"Alaa! how I wish that I could. If you
would like it," said the dyiag woman,
"but I am not strouj enough to get up."
"Poor mother!" said ths cooper, "jou
do not know bow much I love you; and,
... chilri!"
lie drew his daughter to him and em
braced her with fervor.
"Oh! bow pleasant It ia to kU one's
daughter, after a squabble, my little girl!
There, mother! do you see? We are
quite st one again bow. Jiixt go and
look that away," he said to Eugenie, aa
he pointed to the case. "There! there!
don't be frightened; I will never say an
other word to you about it."
M. IVerseKn, who was regarded as the
cleverest doctor iu Saumur, came be
fore very long. Ha told Grandet plainly
after the luterview tlint the patient was
very seriously ill; that any excitcflient
might be fatal to her; that with a light
diet, perfect tranquillity, and the most
constant care, ber life miKht posnildy
be prolonged until the end of the au
tumn. "Will It be an eipensirs IlluesT'
aked ths worthy householder. "After
all, M. Bergerin, you are a man of hon
or. I can depend upon you, can I not?
Come and see my wife whenever, and as
often as yon think it necessary. Pre
serve her life. My good wife I am very
fond of her, you see, thougb I may not
show it; it is all shut up Inside me, and
I am one that takes things terribly to
heart; I am in trouble, too. It all be
gan with my brother's death; I am
spending, oh! heaps of money In Paris
for him the very eyes out of iny head.
In fact, and It seems aa if there were
no erd to It If you can eava my wife,
save her, even if It takes a hundred or
two hundred francs."
In spite of Grandet's fervent winlias
that his wife might be restored to health,
for this question of the inheritance waa
like a foretaste of death for him; in
apite of his readiness to fulSll the least
wishes of ths astonished mother and
daughter In every possible way; in apite
of Eugenie's tend e rest aud most devoted
care, it was evident that Mme. Graa
det'a Ufa was rapidly drawing to a close.
Day by day aha grew wuk. She
seemed to hava no more vitality than tha
autumn learca; and as tha sunlight shin
ing through tha leaves turns them to
gold, so aha seemed to be transformed
by tha light of heaven. Her lov for ber
daughter, har meek virtues, har angelic
patience, had never shone mora bright
ly than In the month of October, 1S22,
when ahe passed away. Oa the morrow
after her mother's death. It seemed to
Eugenia that she had yet one mors rea
son for clinging fondly to tha old house
where she had been born, and where ahe
had found Ufa so hard of lata it be
came for her tha place where her mother
bad died. She could not sea ths old
chair set on little blocks of wood, the
place by the window where ber mother
used to sit, without shedding tears. Her
father showed ber such tenderness, and
took sne .rare of her, that she began to
think that she had never understood his
nature; he used to come to her room and
take ber down to breakfast ou his arm,
and sit looking at ber for whole hours
with something almost like kindness in
his syea, with tha same brooding look
that ha gave hia gold. Indeed, tha old
cooper almost trembled before hia daugh
ter, and was altogether so unlike him
self that Nanon and tha Cruchotins won
dered at these signs of waakneaa, and aet
it down to hia advanced age; they began
to fear that tha old man's mind waa giv
ing way. But when tha day came on
which tha family began to wear their
mourning, M. Crncbot, who alona was in
hia client's confidence, waa invited to
dinner, and . these mysteries were ex
plained. Grandet waited till tha table
had been cleared and the doors carefully
ahut
Then he began, "My dear child, yon
are mother's heiress, and there are acme
little matters of badfitn that we moat
aattle betweea aa. Ia not that so, eh,
Crucbotr
"Tea."
"Ia It raally pressing; must It be tat
tled to-day, father r
"Yea, yea, little girt I could not en
dare thle sua pease any longer, and I
a eure that yoa weald not mass things
hard for me. everything moat be decid
ed t-.lght"
Tiea what do yoa want aw to dor'
"Why, little girl, It la ot for me to
MA yoa, Yoa toll bar, Oracmot."
"Mademalaaoe, year father wants
either to rlde aer to sad hie property,
or to par beavy eacceaolsa dot a poo
the ready maaey. Re If theoe eempllca-
are to be avoided, there) moat be
eat, ad an the area-
ailrMil far the prea-
i cafe aare af what
ye toJk la thk war
MaMtaytaf tt
bo uir
1M m ma
wat I baa b aa.
ae toveatory amaae
my daughter wouid plunder ma. Yoa
would not plunder aw, would yoa, little
girir
"jint what am I to da, M. CrochotT
asked Eugenie, losing patience.
"Well." said the notary, "yoo must
sign this deed, by which yoa renoanca
your claims to your mother's property;
the property would be secured to you,
but your father would have the use of
it for his life, sod there would be no
, need to make a division now."
"I understand nothing of all this that
you are ssying," Eugenie snswered;
, "give me the dead snd show me where
; I am to sign my name."
; Grandet looked from the document to
his daughter, and again from his dsugh
tsr to the document. His agitation wss
' so great that he actually wiped several
! drops of perspiration from hie forehead.
"I would much rather yoa simply
waived ail claim to your poor dear moth
er's prupsrty, little girl," he broke In.
"instead of siguiog that deed. It will
cost a lot to register it I would rather
yon renounced your claima and trusted
to me for the future. I would allow you
a good round sum, f a hundred 'ratios
t ery month."
"I sill do as you like, father."
"Mademoiselle," said the notary,, "It Is
my duty to point out to you that yon
sre robbing yourself without guarantee
"What does that matter to me?"
CHAPTER XIX.
"Io be quiet, Cruchot So It Is set
tled, quite settled!" cried Grandet, taking
his daughter's hand aud striking his own
into it "You will not go back from
jour word, Euj;euie? You are a good
girL"
In hia Joy he embraced his daugrter,
almost tuflVx-cting her as he did so.
By noon nett day the declaration waa
drawn op, and Eunie liernel' signed
swsy all her rights to ber heritage. Yet
a year slipped by, snd the cooper had
not kept his promise, and Euseuie had
not received a sou of the monthly in-
V. 1 . K t l...n Kn wheS
Eugenia spoke to him shout it b!f
laughingly, he hurried up to his room,
and when he csme down again he hand
ed her a third of the jewelry which ha
had purchased of his nephew.
"There! child," he said, with a certain
satvaitlc ring in his voics; "v. ill yon
take these for your twelve buudred
franca?"
"Oh! father, really? Will you really
give them to tne7"
"You should hare aa mu-h next year
again." said he, flitsging it into her lap;
"and so, lcfore very long, you will have
sll his trinkets." he added, rubbing hia
hands. He bad made a very good bar
gain, thanks to his daughter's sentiment,
snd was In high good humor.
Five years went by lu this way, and
no event diturbed their monotonous
eilstence. Eugenie and her father lived
a lire of methodical routine with the
same regularity of movement that char
acterized the old clock. Every one knew
that there had been a profound sorrow
In Mile. Grandet's life; every circle In
Kaumur had Us suspicions as to the stats
of the heiress heart, but she never let
fall a word that coold enlighten any one.
In the year 1827 her father began to
feel the infirmities of sge, snd was oblig
ed to take her still further Into his con
fidence; she learned the full extent of bis.
landed possessions. Grandet had reach
ed the age of 82, and toward the end of
the year had a paralytic seizure, from
which he never rallied. Death came op
at last, and the vine grower's strong
frajne wrestled with the Deatroyer.
So Eugenie Grandet was alone in the
world, snd her house was left to her
deeolate. There was no one but Nanon
with whom aha could talk over her trou
bles; she could look Into no other e.vee
and find a response lu them; big Nanon
was the only human being who loved her
for hertelf. for Eugenie, Nanon waa a
providence; ahe was no longer a ser
vant, she waa a humble frie&d.
M. Crnrhot Informed Eugenie that (he
had three hundred thousand llvres a
year, derived from landed property, be
sldea six millions In the 8 per cents and
In ready money two millions In gold, and
a hundred thousand franca in silver,
without counting any arrears that ware
due. Altogether her property amounted
to about seventeen million francs.
"Where ran my cousin be?" ahe as Id
to herself.
On the day when M. Cruchot laid
these facts before hia new client, togeth
er with the In format iea that the estate
waa now clear. Eugenie and Nanon sat
on either side of tha hearth in ths par
lor, now so empty and so full of mem
ories. Everything recalled past dnya,
from her mother's chair, set on Its wood
en blocks to the glass tumbler out of
which her cousin once drank.
(To be continued.)
Oar Peppermint Stick.
The old-style stick candy has red
stripes running around It la spiral
form. The body of the stick li white.
It la slightly flavored with peppermint
It la very iweet and wholesome. Good
enough for a king! So cheap that tha
poorest may have It Six atlcka for 6
cents. Enough to last a family of six
two day. Break a stick In two In the
middle, eat half of It after dinner, or
after supper if preferred. That la
enough candy for one day. It la good
for children. Keep it In the bouse.
Away np In the pantry where the chil
dren can't help themselves. ' After din
ner Ia over take It down, break a stick
in two and pass It around. The chil
dren will Ilka it Immensely. Tbey will
like It all the better for not being able
to get too mncb of It Never let them
have all they want of It A half stick
la enough, although a whole stick
might be allowed occasionally. All Um
fancy tuff pnt np In boxes that coat
a dollar or mora cannot equal the old
fashioned stick candjr. Six atlcka of it
contain mora eolld comfort and mora
nutrition than a wagon load of cara
mels and painted bonbons. It Is tha
candy of oar forefathers. Oar grand
mothers need to eat It Accept no oth
er. Ba sora tbst yoa gat tha proper
tradarnarkred scripts running spiral
ly around tba stick. Beware of aabetl-tataaV-Madkal
Talfc.
Uaaaatoedlr.
Bar It most bare ban awfmliy
hard to wear those old eoata of bmU.
Elxa-'Yea, indeed. They hara all
tfca sites ia sua of kartwara,
Cftf7 eflri 00
Oa Holla.
A little time spent In making rolls
or breakfast or dinner always galas
peat appreciation from the household,
fills Is easily done If a good recipe
a at hand and the oven beata rapidly,
loiuetimes, too, the rolls will bear ra
les ting and be aa good aa when fresh
y made. . This recipe Is simple and
fx eel lent Take two pounds of flour,
I littl' salt two ounces of alfttd sugar,
bur ounces of lard or clarified beef
Iripplng and two eggs beaten Into two
ablespoonfula of yeast and a pint of
rami milk. Knead the dough tlior
tughly and set It to rise near the Are.
Than divide iDto twelve or fourteen
fills, place on buttered baking sheets
ind set before the fire to rise to a
ywper size. Then bake In a steady
ven for half an hour and place on a
Hive till cooled.
Banana 8hort Cake.
Make a rich tea-biscuit crust, bake
ii Jelly-cake tins in not too thick lay
irs. When done, split open with forks
ind butter while hot. three layers le
nn enough for one cake. The two
Kjttom layers and one t(vp make the
et shape. Take alout three good
tlzed. thoroughly ripe bananas and
ihred finely with a fork. Spread a
oyer of the fruit on the crust, adulng
lie least bit of salt, and sprinkle well
vitli powdered sugar. Add the next
ayer iu the same way. On the laxt
mu ppread fruit very ililekiy well mix
Ml with sugar, so as to form sort ol
clng. Serve with soft custard flavor
Hl with vanilla.
Beef Roll.
Two pounds round steak, chopped
Ine; two well-beaten egt?s. one hail
acupful rolled crackers, one-linlf cup
rami butter, one half cup sweet milk,
me small onion snd a Uttie sage; nea
ton with h'x and pepper, mix all to
ptlier with a stiff spoon. Put In a
l"cp, square bread tin and bake one
lour In a hot oven. Haste quite often
tfter It begins to brown. The onion
r sjige can le omitted It not liked,
tnd any kind of other flavoring for
neats added. This is vory nice hot foi
linner or sliced cold for lunch.
Lemon Snap.
One. pound of flour, half a pound ol
Juttrr, one dessertspoonful of allspice,
;xvo of jround ginger, the grated peel
if half and the Juice of a large lemon.
Ulx all weU together, add a cup ol
molasses, beat It well, pour It on but
lered sheet tins and spread It thinly
ver them. Bake In a rather slow oven.
IVhen done, cut It Into squares, and
oil each square round the finger at
.t Is raised from the tin. These are
ulte as delicious as the best brandy
maps sold by confectioners.
Lemon Candy.
Cook togrther over a alow Ore one
pound of loaf sugar and half a plnl
f water. At the end of half an bout
clear It with a UtUe hot vinegar. The
scum must be removed aa It rises. Test
the syrup by raising a spoon, and
when the shreds of sugar snap like
flass the candy will be reedy for fliv
ring; add lemon essence to taste, and,
s-ben nicely flavored, pour Into a but
tered tin. When the taffy Is nearly
eold mark It Into squares with a knife,
' Mntton Pie.
Cut some cold mutton Into neat
Square pieces, and place them In a
lep pie (31sh, with a liberal seasoning
sf pepper, salt and pounded allspice,
Scatter plenty of flour over, and add
1 teaeupful of stock. Cover the dish
with pastry, and bake quickly till tbi
pastry I cooked, then cook slowly, for
the meat to stew, for three-quarters ol
an hour.
Short Snsseatioas,
Tbe woman who keeps house with
cellar should pay It a daily visit and
see that It Is aired, even If she hai
to negloct her parlor. Enough germt
moy lurk In the wilting leaves of cab
bage or a handful of decaying potatoes
to cause inexplicable Illness In hef
family.
Cooklng-scbool expert say that cab
trice, onion and strong-smelling vege
tables ahould be cooked uncovered.
There la an odor, of course, but ths
Crafts quickly disperse It wberea If
tbe saucepan Is covered a very strong
tdor Is diffused every time the lid la
llsturbed, which permeates the house.
After sweeping the carpet rub It
tver witb a cloth wrung out In vinegar
and water and If possible do not let
It be walked upon until It Is dry. The
quantity of rlnegar la a teaeupful ts
a pall of warm water and this treat
ment often baa a wonderfully good
effect In reviving tha faded color of
iu old carpet
Tbe possibilities of common ginger
ara aa floor rasas snd plant bolder!
tre well knows. They are made twice
ia attractive by woren cover as raffia,
Mther la ths uneolored or the tinted
rarlrttlea. Whan ths Jar shows arlaahea
ft blue,, green or red at tba top of
tbe glass It Is wall to repeat tbe tons
sn ths raffla.
' la Ironing, ths lanndrass should bs
ins'tractad to bang npon one aids of
ths clotheohorse only such articles as
tan bs put away Immediately after
airing. By separating those which
head a stitch or button ths work of
aaarcfalng through ths clothes basket
and ths tanbliag of ths fraahjj iao
left faooaa art arstded,
A TI.HKLV AUMOMTlOM.
Br r. Jess J. !.
"Cousider the lilif of the field.
Matt, vi., US.
No admonition should be more heed
ed in our aire than that exprewffc-d In
the text In etery walk of life the
multitude Is running Hd after Jin
play, wearing iUcir out trjini W keep
with dame fashiou. Mothers are Bul
lous for their social posi.'ion. (."hlldrea
are taught to emulate their parents,
lather are troubled itlmtit the
diture which it all cut!'.
How Chiit would like to ilr.iw s'J'-ii
people out f tlilfiiiHelV'.'S, u!;t 'f the T
vvoiiilliriesa. To ;hii end li' pnip.is.-s
for our consideration "the liiUs f tin
luld, h.m- tiny trow, they Ialsr i;ol.
l-eitlier do they epiii: and yet I a
uuto you that even Siioiiion in ali ln
i;!ory wa not arrived a oi.e of
these." IJke a lrum;" t blat from a
purer world, with luv.s.-r.it!: and re
tre-hilij; effect nsoutidit the niuie of
his words, "be not ttollcitous f-.r ymir
life, what you kliall eat, ii'r for your
Unly, what you fclwil'i put oii:" but
''consider liie iiiieu of i!ie fiViii. " t !!
Mder them; admire their iuiriiisi.-U-auty,
the fnsh i.-re-ii leaves pencil
ed ami veined with the arteries which
distribute life throughout, the Mower,
ptHceful Iu prcp'Ttion, corg.-ous in its
color of bright scarlet, mi that ul! to
which, the hihet art can aspire- is to
copy such beamy and Imlute such con
trast. What a satire on our anxious strain
lug lifter e!Ts-t. our careful thought
for f'Msl and raiment that even So'o
inon with all his wi-dom and wealth
could not rival a flower of the Held.
"Consider the lillc of the field" and
treasure up the memories of bygone
days when In our childish Inmxvii. -e
we plucked and played with them.
The little Mower of the field is still
fresh and pure and fair as ever, but,
slusl we have soiled ourselves with
the impurity of sin; hence our toil and
strife. Why should we strive for the
vnln conceits of life? "If the grus of
the field, which Is to-day and to-morrow.
Is cast Into the oven, Jod iloth
clothe; how much mure you, (1 ye of
little faith."
In all this, however, frod does not
mean that we are to he idle, hut he
di-slres us not to labor yuly for tin;
meat tliat perishes. We are not to
strive after the vanities of life, not
after mere effects, but to live within
our circumstance without the pride of
life that leads Into destruction. When
Christ says, "Consldor the Il.les of tbe
field, how they grow," he would have
us learn the lesson of growirn; likewise
in purity aud singleness of purpose
before the Lord; that like the liiy we
should allow (lod's plan to work itself
out iu lis, tut Oiir Conscience wiould
prow tender by God's training, that It
should be sensitive In worldly matters,
sensitive to know ami to feel when self
Is predominant, sensitive to detect the
evil In the small things of life that
are often passed over too rapidly,
lliose trifling acts of der-eit and decep
tion, those little acted lies that corrode
iplritunl life and stop spiritual prog
ress. The illy of the Ik-iJ, lli.-fvfore,
Hands as a Kymlxrf for us a symbol
at beauty In the grace given by fiod;
a 'symbol of adherence to primitive
purity; a symliol of naturalneaa as
igalnHt artificiality. "For after all
these things k the heathen seek."
Acain, the Illy of the field Is of the
Lord's planting, created for his glory,
nourished by his goodness. Uw con
jideratinii. then, of tjio Illy of the field
leads to our recognition of self as Ihe
property of the Ixird of creation, and
that our whole nature should grow In
his service; then only may we look
forward to a "comfortable hope, know
iig that nil things work together for
;ool to those who are his by faith and
rood works." Then doth the flower of
the field remind us that, as all was
hce purity and holiness, so agalu It
hnli lie, w hen the renewal of corrupt
ed man Is. completed; when the re
deemed of the I.ord shall shine forth
a the beautiful lily to adorn every
highway, to crowd the valleys, and to
climb the hilltops. "He not wlicitous,"
therefore, for, as (Jod Infuses life Into
Vie flowers of the field, so will he care
for our Immortal souls, which he has
created also.
With Mini and body thus trusting In
i loving father's care and grace, what
.mttei-s It If fierce storms dash down
be fragrant flower to the earth, or If
an early blow destroy its bloom? The
good seed shall remain, and the earth
-ill again burst Into buds and flower,
into everlasting verdure and fragrance
nd perfect beauty. Is not thla worth
Jie longing after, thinking about, look
ing forward to? Does It not give a
creator satisfaction than the thought
f feeding, clothing, or pampering the
ody; than being "solicitous for to
morrow," forgetting that "to-morrow
will he solicitous for Itself?" Let ye,
tjen, "seek first the kingdom of Ood
and his justice, and ail things else
all bs added unto you.".
OHKMTIAN iTiiaf iM FAITH.
By Br. raeeser . Saaras.
To speak of earUlity la religion
i:giu that is of deep. value must bo
held not a a matter of opinion but a
moral c-Uinty. Tb Christian is one
who knows that he is a eon of tiod.
And if anyone object te bia dog
matism, limistlug that It would be
more seemly to expreas a bef, a
h.ipe, an oplulou, rather than a cer
tainty, the Christian answers that hi
knowledge of iod Is not theological
tenet. It ia uot oteu for dwbate and
disruption. It l an experience. Ood
cannot be proved. If lie la to be known
it all It must le by experience.
I ). IMM.tu r. r ir.-i.
Br Her. rlfat Hunter.
Well done, good and faithful servant;
Vmu hast tccu faithful over a few
things; 1 will make thee ruler over
UMliy things.---Matthew xiv., ii.
Tiie divine attitude toward faithful
lieH is (i.-arly slu.rtii lu tbi parable
of the taleirs S is the diviue tliollght
n t what c..n-!iiuti-s falllifulieirs.
The two men here commended were
Iu.- :tijrt lu the beg .lining and farther
apart at the end. II. It e.nii was railed
a ' g.n-1 and faithful servant" l- ati-e
be bad done the Im-i lie knew with
vvi.j! liail bean giNcU hi In
The man with two talents U not ex.
pectcil to do as tn it' ll us the nuiu with
;he, but be U cxp.- t-d to do as well.
Some limitation cannot be oven-ome,
and ilo nut count against men that
liiey are not. It Is no ivflci tiou ujM.n
ti e log cabin, foundation that It cannot
sepport :i twenty story building - it
was not made to It IS Uo reflection
upon the round boil that It dues not
:ni it s.piare hole -that Is not what it
i. for.' 1,'pon the same principle it ts
i. o li riHiit to a man With two tni"tits
that lie does not do Ihe same work a
the man with tlie-he was not s--nt
here to do It.
Kvery man should meet obstacles
with a hnive liejirt. Hut if aft'-r hav
ing done so the top is tint reached we
should not liio.ne d.sconrag'd ami
conclude that we have failed. Ttiee
are imillit ild'-s tilling li'iuihl os!tioii
who are as faithful and deserving of
pr ii-c as many w ho have reached posi
tions further up. No man Is to biamo
tor not filling a plae f ir which h was
luit i)e-ig-;i-d by nature. '1 h sint
where wrong cone iu Is where
fail in what we do to do t,e bust wo
can. The d'.ne cl-e'sitlentl-ei of men"
is not ti-ordlng to wlnt tli"y do, but
according to bow they do No work 1
gremt that has a small moiive back of
It. No work Is small that has a irn-af
t motive back of It. It Is far better to
i fill a humble place than to only half
till one more prominent, it isn't the
Bize of the picture that makes a great
nrtlst. it isn't the length of the poem
that makes a great (siet. (luulliy al
ways outweighs quantity. It Isn't th
kind of talent we have, but the way
it Is listed, that makes life a success or
failure.
The value of faithfulness to tbe
world every one can see. The parable
teaches that it has a value coually
irreat for otirsJvew. In the case of (he
two coinmende,! It brought Increase of
power and enlargement of opMrtunity.
When given the talents they were
called servants. Itut after using and
multiplying them they are promoted t
rulers. Faithfulness Uius lifted their
life to a higher plane, it first gave
them more to do with, then more to do.
The full connection between the pres
ent and future Is not traced In srrlp
ture. Hut enough i (riven (o j,)Htifr
the liellef tlmt much hirher
awaits man beyond the skies, and that
the best way to get ready for it la to
cultivate the spirit of the higher in
itolng the lower. There Is a thought
here that shonld bring Inspiration and
comfort to those who have to mi"et lifo
st a disadvantage, who have desire
beyond their ability. Ily doing what
they bve to do the !est they know
how they will iViVelop power that shall
lit for something better by aud by. He
who now overcomes hi limitation In
spirit will one day overcome It In fact.
The sur-wt way to Impove conditions
without Is b) Improve them within.
It is a great mistake, therefore, to
M-ttle down and be satisfied with any.
thing that does not come up to the
standard. To do poor work In any
calling I to Injure ourselves more
than any one else. The man who top,
short of doing wl(t he know be might
with 'This will do," does himself nn
eternal wrong. When he gHj, through
with earth bia work will be eft be
hind, but the spirit developed n y,n.
nettlon with that work will go w-1ib
him wherever he goes. How Important
then, that we form the habit of alway,
doing our heat. Tbe easiest way j0
get away from the itxret la to grow
away from It To be "faithful over a
few things" I to prepare for beta
made a "ruler over many things."
Hhort Meter fterssoac.
Paint does not make purify.
Sow a sin and reap a sorrow.
Words are the window of the soul.
He cannot help, who does not hope.
Seek happiness, you And heartache.
A little charity makes a lot of cheer.
Cherishing malice Is nurturing mis
ery. Beery biography embraces ill his
tory. Tba world need righteousness mors
than rltas.
Thets Is no work la anything that
Isads to wash.
Tea asaao
org t ftald
to s bigoted, Tstsilofra.