)k k t&e adveutisei Subscription, $2.00 per Year, iu Aihante. OKrif'IAIi I'.VI'KK ok tiii: fOUXTY. a nors LOVES. " When I lira big I will marry Kitty." Hut Kitty slapped me nnil ran away, And whllo I wept for myxelf. In pity I tniulo up my mind 1 would marry Mny. For May was gentle, and Mny was tender, Vet lightly she nut my oiler by; " I am engaged to Ueorglo Mender: Perhaps I'll take you If ho should die." By-and-by I met.Tonnle Hlutehell; Jennie was thirteen and I was ten; I used to carry nor books and sachet, And Hindu up my mind to marry Jen. Hut Jennie, hor reign was quickly over. And Kate, my cousin, lieuamo my Pate; I said, "I'll propose. Ilko a brave, true- lover, As soon ns over 1 graduate" Alas) when I took out my clean dlplonm, The darling girl was about to start On her wedding trip with young Will Do Komii, And noono know of my broken heart I At one-and-twontv niraln I.ovo found inc. 'Hut the anirol luce mid tho meek blun even. And tho threads of the goldou hair that loved mo, Wont lading back Into I'urndlsol Hark I Into the houso T.u, Kate nnd Harry, With shout and soumpor lroin school hnvo come, And a girl I never had mount to marry Is wile and mother within my homo. Mary Ainu? Dccre. in Vuittt'a Com jnmfmi. STEP-MOTHER HUD STEP- A Story of Love, Jealousy, Ha tred, Uovenge and Heroic Self-Saeriliee. fly the Author of "flora Winnie," "A Hrtilae of hove" "At War With llcrsrtf," "A doUlcn Uiiwn," " Which Loved lltm Hull" "A Rome In Tlwnii." .lc, Ac. CHAl'THIl II. For ninny long yours tlio Christmas Evo psirLy at Larehton Mere had boon a most solemn institution. Sir Austen believed in old times and in old cus toms, and he loved Christmas with tho simple love of a child. It was with a heart full of emotion that he took his place now at tho table which groaned under its Christmas faro. To Ross it was something now to soo a lady in tho chair which had so long been vacant. Lady Cumnor's magnificent blondo beauty was shown to tho greatest ad vantage to-night. Sho wore a dross of rich black velvet, with a suite of superb diamonds. Hor arms and nock woro white as the driven snow, her golden hair glistened in tho brilliant light, and her face, proudly fair, was Hushed with " beautiful color. Sho had small whito teeth that shone liko pearls when sho sniitad, eves as bluo and clear and cold as the water of an Italian lake, and curved lips that could bo sweet or scornful, as sho pleased. Sho was most fair and lovely; yot Ross, as he watched hor with some curi osity, said to himself that sho was not tho kind of woman ho could love. What was there about her that repelled him? Hor fair, grand beauty and stately grace wore perfect ; but thoro was something that repelled him, something in tho cold light of tho bluo eyes that chilled him Stntclv grace, bland cour tesy, refinement and tact distinguished her ; but more than once he, watch ing her, caught a gleam iu thoso bluo eyes that was like a warning to him. In those cold, bluo depths ho, to whom nature had given keen shrewdness, read deep passions, ungovernod pride, great ambition, cool, calm power, and resist less force of will all theso lie road where oilier peoplo saw merely the bright light in tho eyes of a beautiful woman. She did not often glance at him; but. when she did, thoro was calm deter mination in her oyes. From hor his eyes wandered to his mothor' s distant relative, aud they lingerod long on that faeo. It lacked the brilliant beauty that distinguished Lady Cumnor's; but it had a Tovolhioss of its own. The eyes were dark as night, clear, sweet, and with a wondrous steadfast light in their depth?. Her face was oval in con tour, Spanish in typo clour brunette beauty with a color that at time as sumed the huo of a delicato rose-leaf, and again was pale as a lily in tho sun light. Her dark hair was arranged in thick coils round a beautifully-shaped head; and tho spark ling grace and life that charac terize all Spanish women shono con spicuously in hor. From the palo Spanish face, with its spiritual, poetical expression, Itoss1 oyes wandered to tho fresh beauty of Lady Viola Carlion, an English girl, of whose nationality thoro could bo no doubt. Hers was a bright, beautiful face, a blending of lily and rose, with oyes of tho color of a purple heartsease, and fair hair, which, without being golden, seemed to have caught tho sunlight. Sho was as fresh and fair as a rosebud, straight and supplo as a young willow, with an exquisite profile and a perfect figure. Sho woro a white dross with holly leaves and scarlet berries. Loam Dynovor had a dress of trailing black laco with goldou loaves. Othor fair facos woro thoro; but those woro tho three that interested Itoss. Cumnor most. Liko all tho dinners given at Larch ton More, this was a grand success, and Sir Austen's fa-'o brightoned ,ws ho looked first on tho old friends ound him, and then at his beautiful wife. He kopt up tho loving old custom of the wassail-bowl; and ho stood up, with tears in his oyes and lovo and friend ship warm in his heart, while ho drank "A merry Christmas and a happy Now Year!" The whole party wont into tho brill- inntly-lightod drawing-room, and thon Lady Cumnor seemed to think it time that sho spoke to her handsome step son. Sho summoned hun to hor with a graceful wave of hor fan; and Ro3S went. " We have hardly spoken to each othor yot," said Lady Cumnor. " I havo not had an opportunity of saying anything to you. We woro later than wo expected to bo in reaching homo." " It must havo boon a fatiguing jour noy for you," ho said. ills voice was cold, and sho felt it. Tho nearer ho caino to that cold, glittering beauty of hers tho less he liuod hor. Yot sho was a woman, and ho was al ways chivalrous. "It was not so very fatiguing," sho ro pliod; "audi had before my oyes al ways tho hopo of reaching homo." Sho laid great stress upon tho last word, as though sho wished to make him understand that Larehton More was hor home quite as much as Ids. 'Ho felt this, lie understood tiio position with out ono word, and passed it over. For his father's sake, and because sho was a woman, ho would do all ho could. "1 hopo," ho said, "that you liko Larehton More?" "I havo not scon much of it. Tho moon was shining brightly as wo drove through tho park; and tho great mass of building hing iu tho shadow looked pioturosquo enough. I shall see moro of it iu tho daylight to-morrow." Ross gave ono glance round tho magnificent drawing-room. "Surely," ho thought, "tho interior might ploaso hor! Sho may havo boon accustomed to luxury; but this must please hor." "1 hopo," ho said, "that you will bo pleased with Larehton Moro. The house has always boon considered agood one." "It seems very fair," sho replied, coldly. "Of course wo shall roquiro alterations; but that ono expected." "I do not quite see whv," ho said, fatillly. "Do you not? How strange! Why, of course, when a houso has boon for twenty years without a lad' at tho head of it, thoro must of necessity bo much to change and rearrange!" The words stung him liko this lash of a whip. Everything was just as his beautiful young mothor had loft it. His face darkened and his oyes flashed scornfully. "I did not know that a lady "was tho head of a household," ho said. "I thought it was tho husband who was tho head." "That is a mistako you will havo to rectify," sho replied, with a little low laugh-- Place mix dames' always." How beautiful sho was! Her hair shone liko gold, aud tho diamonds Hashed from amongst it. He almost wished as ho looked at hor that ho could liko hor; but tho coldness and tho glitter ropollod him. "Havo you many nico noighborsP" alio asked." "Yes," replied Ross. "I think wo aro very fortunate." "Are those tho best?" she asked; and thoro was percoptiblo on her faco tho faintest suspicion of scorn. Ho took firo in a moment; ho was loyal to tho very core of his hoart his father's homo-friends woro all sacred to him. "Tho best, most cortainly, and far bottor thauyou would find as a rule. I havo known them all from tho time 1 was a child." "1 do not doubt it," sho replied; and ho asked himsolf what thoro was in her tone of voice that completely mad dened him. It was neither satiro nor insolence; yot thoro was a tingo of both in it. Sho looked at him with a sudden gleam of laughtor in hor bluo oyes. " What am I to call you?" sho asked. " I did not know that i should find you a grown-up man. Sir Austen litis al ways spoken to mo of you as a boy." "I shall always bo a boy to him," said Ross. "Yes, I fancy so," ropliod Lady Cumnor, with a peculiar smile. "What shall I call you' Ross,' as Sir Auston does?" "If you will, it will bo best," ho said; and his quick, ardent nature soft ened to her. Since his mother's death, so many yours before, few women's lips had uttered his name, and tho sound of it softened him. "1 cannot oxpoct that you will call mo ' mothor,' " sho roniarkod, with an other soft rippling laugh. His face darkened again. "I remember my own mother," ho said; "and I could novor givo that name to another. I will call you ' Lady Cumnor.' if that pleasos you." " It matters little," sho returned, in diftorently. " The only thing to which I should seriously object is your calling mo ' mothor' it would mako mo look so absurdly old. What do you think of your baby-brothor, Ross?" Tho handsomo faco softonod into real bounty as ho thought of tho rosebud faco and tho tiny lingors. Ho would havo spoken out his honest thoughts and havo said something loving and kind about tho child, but for a certain gleam of triumph ho saw in hor oyes, which ho could not endure. "I shall bo hotter able to toll you when I havo seen him again," ho re plied. Sho soomod doterminod to pursuo tho subject. " It must sootn strange to you to havo a brother," sho said; "you have been quite a spoiled child." "No; my father and I havo boon bot tor friends and moro confidential than tho generality of fathers and sons; but I do not. think ho has spoiled mo at all." "You havo boon lord of Larehton More in his absonco," siho continued, "it will bo difficult, I should imagine, to bo a good subject when you havo been reigning monarch." He had no time to answor, for Mrs. Pitt came to bog that ho would sing for them. 'Ho you sing?" said Lady Cumnor, half scornfully. "I will sing to you, Lady Viola," ho said, as ho passod'her by; and Learn al most envied tho words. " In tho greenest growth of tho May-tlmo I rodo whom tho woods wero wet, Hetween tho dawn and the day-time Tho spring was glad that wo mot. " I waited to watoh you llnirer With foot drawn baek from tho dew, Till a suuboam, straight Ilko a tinner, Struck sharp through tho leaves at you. " And ii bird overhead sang, 'follow,' And n bird to tho right sanir, 'Hero, And tho arch of the leaves was hollow, And tho moaning of .May was clear. " I saw whore the sun's band pointed, I know what tho bird's note said. Hy tho dawn ami tho dew-fall anointed, Von wero Queen by tho gold on your haul." Even Lady Cumnor was silenced by tho beauty of the song; aud thon Ross asked his j'oung kinswoman if sho would sing for them. Sho did so; but sho wondered as sho sang if he lovod tho girl who was "Queen by tho gold on nor .head." CIIAl'TUU ill. It was a different voico this timo that sounded through tho room, low and rich, full of tears and veiled sighs a voico that went straight to tho hoart. Tho words woro clear and distinct, and Ross listened to them with rapt atten tion. " Oh. the young lovo was aweot, dear, That dainty dream of ours). When wo could not keep ourfoet, dear, From dauolug through tho How its " When hopes anil gay romances Wore thick as leiivo In spring, And euros woro old folk's fancies, And Joy tho solid llilugl " Of all youth's visions blest, dear, Ot alt Its goldon dow'rs. Oh, tho young lino was best, dear, Thatdaiiity dream of otusl" When the song camo to an end, thoro was silence for some few seconds tho groatest praise a singer can receive. " Which song do you like best?" askod Lady Cumnor of Ross. " They aro both perfect in their way," ho answered "ono song full of bright laughtor, tho other of smiles and tears. Thoro can bo no preference, because thoro is no comparison." " What a fanciful name your kins woman has," sho.said "Learn Dynovor! I havo novor seen tho nnnio, oxeopt in Tho Atonement of Loam Dundas. Sir Auston tolls mo it was Major Dynovor's wish: that ho was born nuur tho rivor Loam, and would havo his child named after it." " I liko tho name; it is pretty .mid un common. Looking at her to whom it belongs, 1 think that no othor namo could suit hor so well. See how, as hor thoughts change, tho light changes, too. on her face." Lady Cumnor laughed; and thoro was just a touch of scorn in hor laugh, enough to send tho proud blood hotly to his laco. How dared sho this goldon haired, glittering woman laugh at ono who was related to his dead mother? Ho wont from hor; and, as ho crossed tho room, Lady Viola Carlion spoko to him. " This is liko tho old Christmas Eves," sho said. "Last year, when Sir Auston was from home, it seemed tdl a blank; now it is as though the world had sud denly awakoneil again." Sho looked fair and Hushed as she toyed with her fan. Sho did not raise her oyos to his face as she went on: "You have a new relative, Mr. Ross. What a sudden change from living alone hero! All at onco oil seem to havo quite a largo household at tho moro. Did you know anything of this cousin of yours before?" "In a very remote fashion," ho an sworod. " I know that my mothor had relatives in Spain; and in a very indefi nite way I know that ono of them had married an English officer, who distin guished himself in tho Cat list war; but I never hoard much of them Spain and England aro so far apart." ' Do you liko hor?" askod Lady Viola; and again tho beautiful oyos rested anywhere oxeopt on him. " Yes. What a lovely Southern faco it is --a faco that suggests all beautiful ideas! I think of the moonlight and tho dew as 1 look at hor and hor oyos. I have seen a color just like that in tho deep waters of tho Black Tarn. 1 am proud of my kinswoman." Tho Hush deoponed in tho llowor-liko faco, and aspasmof something liko pain passed over tho smiling lips. " You seem verv ready to adopt hor as a relative. What is sho to you really?" " My mothor and Leant Dynovor's mothor woro second cousins,'1 ho re plied. "Learn would bo a third or fourth cousin; not a very close relation ship, is itP" "No; and your father, Sir Auston, has roally adopted her," sho continued thoughtfully" that is, sho is to mako hor homo horo so long as sho lives?" " I should fancy so; though I havo hardly seen my father, and wo havo not exchanged many words on tho subject." Sho longod to say more. Sho raised her oyes to his face, and thov spoko plainly as words. Sho longed from tho depths ot her trunk, loving heart to say to him: " Will you liko her moro than you do mo, Ross"? Will sho take my place in your hoart? Is sho horo, with hor dark eyes and Southorn faco, to win tho hoart that I prize above all tho world?" Sho wishod that ho could havo guess ed hor thoughts; but tho words sho uttered told naught of thorn. "You will havo many now friends now, Mr. Ross." " They will not mako mo forgot tho old ones," ho replied. Tho girl's heart warmed to him. Sho saw in tho future great changes for this beloved ton who had hitherto been mastor of Lavchton Moro, whoso will and sway had boon undisputed. Sho was a good judge of character for ono so young; and sho saw that " my lady" would disputo his authority and his powor inch by inch- that tho proud, Impetuous, noblo hoart would bo tor tured as only woman can torture, and that tho gallant, bravo young spirit would bo stung and wounded. She saw and understood what tho futuro llfo of Sir Austen's son must bo if Sir Auston lovod his wife; and sho pitlod Ross. " Lnrehton will bo quite a different place," sho said, "with a lady at tho head of the houso" and these words from hor did not displease him iu the least. "Will you liko it as woll, Mr. Ross?" Ho looked at hor thoughtfully. "I cannot tell; but I think not," ho ropliod. " My father and I woro very happy togothor." "Lady Cumnor is very beautiful." " Yes; and my fat hor seems devoted to her." ' Ah, Mr. Ross, thoro aro tho carol singors! Hark, they aro singing the old enroll" and sho looked utTiimwith tho light of expectation in hor face. Ho had always taken hor to tho groat west ern window, outsido which tho carol singers stood, and they had listened to tho carols togothor; but on this Christ mas Evo ho torgot tho old custom. "I must toll Miss Dynovor about tho carol-singors," ho said; aud he loft Lady Viola Carlion alono wliilo ho went to his kinswoman. Loam stood talking to Sir Auston, who smiled as his son camo up to them. "Miss Dynovor," said Ros"s, "I want you to cotno with mo and hoar tho carol-singors. Somo of tho carols they sing aro beautiful ; they are hundreds of years old." "Ross," interposed Sir Auston, "as you and Loam aro to bo brother and sistor, do not call her 'Miss Dynovor ; ' it is too formal, (live hor hor own bright namo of 'Learn. ' " " 1 shall bo only too happy if sho will allow mo. Lo'am, will you como with mo aud listen to tho carol-singors? Thoy form quite a picture standing out there in tho snow. Tho lovely Southern faco was raised to his. "1 should liko it very much," sho said ; and ho noticed that her voico in i speaking was as rich aud sweet as in 1 singing, full of sweot music that had a touch of sadness iu it, as sweetest musiu ! always has. 1 hoy wont to tho western window togothor, and Lady Viola followed them with wistful oyos. Loam gave a low ory of delight when Ross ilrow aside tho heavy velvet curtains. Out side lay tho whito snow, on which tho moon was shining ; tho bare brunches of tho trees woro fringed with snow, and in tho midst of the snow-covorod lawn was tho group of men singing of tho happy festival that gladdens ovory heart. Thoso two had novor mot before ; yot already, boforo thoy had oxohangod a hundred words, thoro was something between them that no words could ox plain. Tho hoart of tho girl was stirred as it had novor been boforo. Tho kindly wolcomo of this handsomo young kinsman, the kiss ho had im pressed on her faco, tho clasp of his hand aud tho music in his voico had awakened something in her heart of tho presonco of which she had hitherto boon unaware. Sho could not havo told how it was, but a subtle, sweot change had como into her life. To bo horo with him was liko a glimpse of Paradise. Tho spell was so strong", and it hold hor so wholly, that hho (fid not caro to break it, even by a word. She listened to him, and over hor whole soul spread a glad content that she did not under stand. Tho low cry that camo from her lips was not all of delight at tho scenery ; yot that was fair enough. Her oyes lingerod on tho dark trees, tho pioturosqtio figures of tho carol singors, tho pure whito snow, and, overhead, the glittering stars and the clear bright moon. " You would not soo a landscape liko that out of England," sho said. "How beautiful it is! It lies boforo us liko a picture. I think all tho glorios of trop ical kinds, all the sunlit splendors, fado iflto insignificance boforo the whito beauty and purity of tho snow. "Havo you fivod long in Spain, Loam?" ho askod. "No. I was thoro long enough to form a child's impression of a laud splendid with How ers and sunlight. I havo a vivid recollection of tho colors of the llowers and tho bluo of tho sky. When 1 dream of Spain it is always a vista of llowers and light. I camo with my mothor to England whon my father died. I was only ten years old; and for tho last eight years wo lived horo so happily, my mother and I." "Thon vou aro eighteen. Loam." ho said, gently. " How sad to bo mother-' loss so young!" "I novor think myself motherless," sho ropliod. "Perhaps you will say I am superstitious; pooplo in the South aro far moro so than you colder, calm er Northerners. I am superstitious; for my mother, though dead, still lives for mb. Sho is never out of my mind; and, whatever I do, my first thought is whether it will ploaso hor. If it bo all an illusion 1 should not liko it broken." "I cannot tell whether it is or not," said Ross; " I havo never thought much about such things, Loam. I should say and I roally do not know whether I am right or wrong -that any belief that made life purer und bottor was right; should not you?" "That is too wide a question to dis cuss idly just now," ropliod Loam, smiling. " Koss, who is that beautiful Lady Viola Carlion?" TO HE CONTINUKU.l HUMOROUS. Tho Lowell Citizen has disoovorod that "L. S.," printed aftor tho signa tures on the blanks of legal documents means "Lick tho Soul." "What is lovo?" asks an oxchnngo. Lovo, my frlond, is thinking that you and tho girl can be an eternal pic-nio to each other. Salem Sunbeam. " Fruit oaton at night is banoful." This Is ono of thoso wiso axioms proved to bo true by Adam. His trouble was oausod by oatlng an applo aftor Evo. lloslon 'J ransennt. "Thou rainost on my bosom," sung tho Earth to tho April showers. "Oh, dry up!" growlod the Sun, as ho shono out from behind tho clouds. No music iu his Sol. Wo supposo that a groat bort, in good health can bo called an artesian woll. A man is seasonably dressed when ho is clothed in a "poppornnd salt" suit. Boston Courier. Several brothers recently got Into a quarrel over a plo, and tho littlest ono ielt loss kindly toward tho biggest, who took his part, 'than ho did toward auy of tho others. Boston l$t. Six months ngoamlddlo-agcdman, a former resident of Gospor Swamp, had to borrow monoy to buy a burro to go to Santa Carrina Mountains pros pecting. Ho sold, tho othor day, n mine for 10,000, and has bottor mines still for salo. Arizona Paper. Six months ago a Chicago man had to bor row money to go to Loadvillo. Ho sont the other day for moro monoy to como homo with. Chicago Tribune. Jones says that thoro is ono thing about which no and his wife can never agree. When ho says u woman is homely, Mrs. J. always sees Homothing interesting about hor; and when ho speaks of another as pretty, his holp mato will inevitably doclaro that she is positively ugly, or at least remark that sho cannot for her part see where peo ple's oyes are. Greater philosophers than Jones havo pondered over this same problem during their whole lives, nnd died at last, leaving it unsolvod. Boston Transcript. llEMMOUS AND EDUCATIONAL. Tho itinorant ministry of tho Meth odist Church received over 700 preach ers during 1880. Hov. G. W. Yancoy, of Louisville, favors sensational sermons, for ho says a sermon to bo worth anything must bo sensational. Tho 5th of August has boon sot aside by tho Methodists as a day of prayer especially designed to prospor their Ecumouical Conference. The University of Dos Moinos, la., a Baptist institution, has boon reorgan ized, thoro being an entire change of tho faculty. David F. Call is the now President, and ho will also dischargo tho duties of tho Professor of Matho matics and Social Science. In tho midsummer term of tho "School of Philosophy," at Concord, President Porter, of Yalo, aud Presi dent McCosh, of Prinooton, will deliver lectures this year. Ralph Waldo Em erson has promised to read a paper on Carlylo, if his health will permit. Thoro aro at present G,!)79 schools in Austria without teachers. Over -1,780 places havo boon temporarily filled with individuals who havo received no suitable training; and 1,606 schools had to bo closed altogether, as oven thoso untrained indivitlutds aro beginning to become scarce. Brother Harrison, known as tho " boy preacher," has concluded a re vival season at Moridon, Conn., during which he has induced about ono thou sand ono hundrod( porsons to profess conversion. A book containing tho lifo of this brother has recently boon written by an evangelist named Davies, who says in his preface that ho has submitted tho pagos to tho young man in order to bo certain as to tho correct ness of the statements mudo in them. Theso statements comprise somo of tho most wonderful religious exploits over recorded. Artciuus Ward as a Hoy. Watorford, Mo., is full of recollec tions of Charles Biown's boyish pranks, and his fellow-townsmen take prido in relating them, though timo was whon thoy caused not a little ominous shak ing of thpoldor heads, bringing foith repeatedly tho prediction that ho would never como to any good. Ono of his earliest exploits was tho organ izing of a circus that moral institu tion dear to tho hoart of tho small boy. Dressed in ono of his mother's gowns, his head ornamented with her best bonnet, tho futuro "genial showman" acted as clown, ring-master and man-agor-in-chiof, with his villago cronies as assistants. His father's red cow, covoroil with bkmkots and providod with a stuffed cout-slecvo for a trunk, served as tho elephant, and by long and careful training was brought into tho ways of the circus trick-mulo. Tho occasion of all others was tho initiating of somo country greonhom into the mystories of tho "show bMslnoss," by permitting him to ride tho elephant. Whon such a youth was found and brought in, ho was placed on tho back of tho animal with groat coromony, to bo as surely tossed "sky high." Upon this, Charles would express tho great est surpriso that tho elephant sliould act so, and would commiserato tho poor victim with much concern. (Charles continued all his lifo a friend and patron of tho circus.) Scribncr's Monthly. Prof. Grimmer says that within the noxt ten years this country is to loso, 15,000,000 inhabitants by epidemic