The Carved Cupboard

re

made us f

earts are

st in Thee.-

riends with all the farm labourers who passed by the house, and Gwen tried to manage everything and everybody. Clare shook off her low spirits, but was uncertain-tempered, and would never settle at any occupatio

to give Elfie permission to play on the organ in church, which, of course, delighted her. Agatha was informe

erving, and they know me! I won't have anything given to my parish

are, with her usual impulsiveness, lost her heart to her at once. She confided to her the history of her engagemen

about her, when talking t

but with good taste; and is such a graceful woman! She is quite the nicest person I have met for a long time. I am dying to see her in her own home. I am

d Gwen. 'We cannot do without it in the country. If

donkey-cart,' said

, what do you say? We have a stable.

o Brambleton and do some shopping, and return quite interested and eager to tell all she had seen and heard. She met Miss Villars on one of her expeditions, and she asked her to go and have a cup of tea with her before she returned home. This Clare willingly did. She had not been to the house before, t

nthusiastically. 'I am a Londoner, and

afterwards, Miss Villars said: 'Miss Foster is the eldest daughter of an East End vicar. She has not had a holiday or any change from home since her school-days; and she is

ever have,' sai

sitors who need a little brightness in their lives. It is so sad to think of some young lives being cramped and dwarfed by their surroun

ood, Miss Villa

ghtly. 'Not at all, my d

with sudden impulse. 'You look so

hose God is the Lord,"'

ave found religion make

d Himself who can do that. Do you k

er before. 'I don't know Him at all,' she sa

w you can ge

ry religious

ade nigh by the blood of Christ. For He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down th

'I don't think I want to be brought near

l happiness. Any soul away fr

room again, and the subject was changed; but Clare

ase and waiting for their afternoon tea. Agatha was the only one who was doing anything, and she was stitching away at some small garment for one of the farm

wicker chair, her head resting on her arms behind it, 'I could go to sleep in five

Every one in the country has time to

she picked a climbing rose beside her and placed it in he

the flowers in the house every morning is no joke! I was nearly two hours over them; then I wrote letters

isively. 'You will never

e, than sitting still in the same chair from ten

g up; 'but when I peeped inside the study, Gwen, and saw you had o

and I shall be occupied in t

t of it?' asked Clare. 'You'r

y,' was the

at

so much, that I am even condescending to write

xclaimed Elfie. 'Couldn't you re

I have dashed off this morning to amu

to get her manuscript, she said, 'Gwen is preparing some surprise for her fami

self in her easy chair, began to read in a

city below. Sounds of toil and labour meet her ears. The busy multitudes are all engaged in the various occupations of their spheres. And whilst the ringing laughter, the joyous mirth, of

cious of its absence I am longing to find it. If I could devote

of its own. She is leaning against a copper beech, and her soft brown hair is kissing the shining bark. Her blue eyes are turned upwards, full of expectancy and hope. She stands like a beautiful statue. A squirrel darts up a tree close by, and rabbits sport amongst the fallen leaves. The birds are carolling forth their evening hymns of p

es her steps to the ho

of children's happy voices, as they roam through the meadows and play in the new-mown hay, the humming of bees, sipping their honey from the full-blown flowers, come in at the open windows. Upon a co

ss for me until I experience it All the gold I possess would I gladl

ly in the silver moonlight. Her head is thrown back, her lips parted breathlessly; her whole attit

ls out her midnight song. She listens and does not move, but hears it to the end. It ceases, and the wind rushes through the long grass at her feet, and shakes the leaves above, even venturing with its lawless impudence to buffet

th. She is seated on a rock, and all is darkness save a fain

rroundings, and heavy sighs come from her lips. She looks up at last, then wends her way still further into the innermost recess of the cavern. She stands beneath a deep vaulted roof, in deeper darkness, but in drier atmosphere, and here she pauses, a

it to still its beating. Moments pass in anxious hope, then sudden

shall I obtain it, for outward circumstances influence it little. How vainly deluded I have been hitherto! Litt

n, and returns to her

quietly, adding indifferently,

in her matter-of-fact way. 'She seems

ured Clare, looking at Gwen

haps,' sugg

e all

us t

nted si

en walked into the hou

ubject! Gwen never does write like ot

lding up her work, 'It may take in certain magazines, but I th

id Clare, looking aw

ed Elfie, regardi

n self, not c

ached her bedroom she murmured to herself, 'And I know all my unrest and discon