Rkciimuicatk!) Maxims.
ln;l
afternoon train. Mr. mid Mrs. Mclveet
highly delighted, us we have no doubt
cjvery doting father and mother would lie
under similar circumstances, soon re.
tired, leaving Howard alone 5n the with,
drawing room. For some time after they
had gone he stood at an open window,
looking oitl upon t lie moonlit landscape,
and pondering upon the events of the
last two days. A day is a very small sec
tion of a lite, and ordiuariuly hut little is
accomplished in it, yel it sometimes hap.
pens that the fortunes, or character of a
life, are Hexed, or turned into some new
channel, by the issues of a single day.
It so happened that this evening was the
turning point in Howard McKce's life.
One might suppose that the realization of
a long cherished ideal in this completion
of his college course would have elated
bis downcast spirit, and banished from
his mind the bitterlhoughtsof yesteulay's
adversity. And perhaps thia was the case
while the excitement of the entertainment
lasted, and while his mind was continual-
ly occupied with the practical duties be
fore him, Hut this was all over with
now. lie had received the degree, and
the honor, for which he had been striving
f.r four years. These were now things
of the past, and his thoughts turned from
item to the piinful contemplation of the
future. To-morrow he started for Europe,
leaving behind, in the little village of
I) ', the one that he had fondly hoped
might accompany him. llis thoughts be
came more and more turbulent, as the fu
ture seemed more and more gloomy and
cheerless; and we may safely infer that at
this moment lm would have given up his
contemplated tour, his degree, his honor,
bis all, to have been se- back six months
in life, and been granted the privilege of
living and enjoying anew its squandered
pleasures. Pleasures whose brightness
now like a meteor had passed away, leav
ing him in the darkness of despondency.
His mental torture at length became so
great that he siczed bis bat from a table
near bv and rushed out into the quiet eve
ning air to cool his heated brain. Down
along the quiet suburban street he rushed,
as if seeking relief for his mind in his
Ileetnes of foot. lie passed on, by hous
es, and by pleasant gardens, and soon put
a ulle or more between himself and the
outskirts of the town. At length he
struck off Into a hy-path, leading across a
sweet scented clover meadow to the river
bepond. Coming to this he seated him
self upon its bank, and gazed for some
time into its swift-rushing water. Then
he arose and began to pace up and down
along its bank; listening betimes to the
water's solemn gurgle, thekaty.dids in the
meadow, and the plaintive cry of a night
hawk rn the opposite side of the river.
The moonlight seemed so soft, so gentle,
so hid, and the bedewed clover blossoms
so sweet and fragrant, and all nature so
quiet and beautiful, that Howard, pacing
to and fro upon the river-bank, could not
help feeling gradually tlrtiir silent inllu
ences. How many a life has been saved
from ruin and destruction ; how many a
foul crime averted, how man' a despair
ing hope revived, by those silent influen
ces of the natural world I For one to
commit suicide on a dark and stormy
night, when the elements without vie in
warfare with the thoughts and feelings
within, or among the dark alleys, and
filthy hovels, and underground dens, of
some of our larger cities, where the pure
sunlight of heaven and beautiful nature
are seldom seen, does not seem so draugc.
But for one to do this enormous deed with
both eyes open to the fair world around
him, would seem to show him destitute of
manhood, destitute of a sense of human
responsibility and divine goodness. How
ard McKeo's turbulent thoughts were
calmed; and as he turned to retrace his
steps homeward, he slowly repeated sev
eral times to himself these words of Mil
ton, as if striving to comprehend their
full import:
41 Nor love thy llfenor hate; but what thou
llv'dst, , , 4
Live well; how long, how short, penult to
heaven,"
JS
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immw'wnTO'WWPM
