From Jest to Earnest

her flow of spirits seemed unequal, and to flag towards the last. She had sudden f

hood and venturesomeness in them. But to do what had been made to appear mean and dishonorable was another thing, and she was provoked enough at Hemstead for having unconsciously given that aspect to her

arity with society, and that, when at ease, he was simple and manly in manner. She also perceived that this seclusion from the world, which was the cause of his diffidence, had been employed in training and richly storing his mind. Moreover, to one so accustomed to the insincerity of society, his perfect frankness of speech and manner was a novelty, interesting, if not always pleas

mmenced. He shall not preach me out of my fun in one half-hour. If I could make him love me in spite of what I am, it would be the

rld together; and while she saw nature in her rarest and purest beauty, she had a

time the sleigh drove up to the door she was as bent as ever upon victimizing the "Western giant," as the conspirators had named him. She was her old, decided, resolute self; all the more

was her nature to carry out what she had begun, if for no other reason than that she h

and De Forrest indulged in many notes of admiration. Lottie received these as a matter of course, but looked at the stu

it beside her, and he felicitated himself over

nt, the evergreens still bent beneath their beautiful burdens, some straight cedars rem

rapid motion. Snow-birds fluttered and twittered in weedy thickets by the way-side, breakfasting on the seeds that fell like black specks upon the snow. The

Addie Marchmont. "How black and

sons, Mr. Hemstead?" aske

ood a reason, I suppose, as tha

look, and said, "I hope y

e you with being a wi

with w

a difference," she said

orrest, "that you might be

o room for the imagination

s we are. What pictures of placid content those ruminating cows are under that sunny shed. See the pranks o

o anxious to escap

d not see the pretty rural picture to which I called your attent

"that is, if you give us to understand that you would seek your themes in a barn-yard, and set yo

rust, but he, with heightened color, said, "You cannot criticise my picture, Mr. De Forrest, for it does

ce of Denmark's king, t

scent of hay and the breath of the cattle as

deny that

e is a celebrated and greatly admired picture in a certain gallery, representing a scene from t

at

which did not enter my thought at all, and would not have been in my picture, could I

nk you

ve employed their brushes upon just such scenes as these, which perhaps offend your nose and taste more than

e have painted barn-

in some c

ing, the famous Engl

u are evidently telli

t, contem

g is a famous painter, I am told, and

ated of his works. Moreover, Judge Marsden, I must ask of you another decision as to the evidence in this case

deny tha

seer and Rosa Bonheur. Moreover, in the numerous pictures of the Nativity we often find the homely details of the stable introduced. One o

sit in judgment on such painters as Mr. Hemstead has named. You are fai

at Mr. De Forrest says of it, but I am sure you will always find pleasure in seeing a fine frolicsome ho

much about pictures? Theolog

now, most emphatically," replied Hemste

it is c

face and a noble form, as truly as of a chapter in the Bible. He manifests Himself in these things. Now fine paintings, statuary, and music bring out the hidden meanings of nature, and therefore more clearly God'

ldren just before we went home, 'Now during the week whenever you are tempted to do anything wrong, remember the text, "Thou, God, seest me."' When wasn't I tempted to do wrong? and I had fo

ttering world around her, and, chief of all, her own abounding health and animal life, combined to quicken her excitable nature into the keenest enjoyment. From her red lips came ripple

d unconsciously the unwary student was passin

s had carried down from the air every particle of impurity, and left it sweet and wholesome enough to seem the elixir of immortal youth. It was so tempered also, that it only braced and stim

catching the light snow from the adjacent fence, would c

you call that a gust of wind? I declare it was a viewless spri

ethereal," said De Forrest, wi

we people of the world speak of fairies, sprites, and nymp

ied, "I should still

d be glad that you

y s

e your wings

that speech. But see how far I am from it

re no farther

do you

wn. But I am not going to preach any more to-day. Li

ut to speak. "I'm talking to Mr. Hemstead. See those snow-crystals o

Hemstead, "prove an infinite mind gratifying i

t bother with such li

e reveals as much in one direction as the telescope in another,

Divine hand is employed in fo

s make the avalanche and the winter's

rcourt from the front se

s everything we see, even to nature's smallest trifl

" asked Harcourt, with a sneering

When they were just opposite, a slatternly, carroty-headed woman opened the door, and raised her foot to dri

with twinkling eyes, "was that sweet pastor

he answered, reddening. "A th

urt, "she is not to blame for the cast of her features and the color of her hair. I scarcely

portrait of some beautiful wom

Forrest, pulling from his inne

te this grave argument more; I'll take that

hat satisfies me fully," said Mr. Harcou

rwards, and, without destroying your picture utterly, should blend with those features the forbiddi

d think

ught, and the woman we saw was the perversion of it. You can trace no evil th

erverting, then

vi

should be perverted into hideousness, and moth

ver fair, M

n told, when resenting their ugliness, that it w

ay to make a young girl hate

pose it'

has made them. By seeking the Divine Artist's aid more than humanity's first perfection can be regained. It is poss

he limit of my imagin

muttered D

re not orthod

hink that because I am a minister you must talk upon subj

to preach for him next Sunday. I advise you to reserve your thunder

t," whispered Harcourt to

er about the 'thunder,' Mr. Harcourt. That is only noise under any circumsta

e is not?" he rep

which Bel and De Forrest smilingly noted, an

ountry store and beckoned them to stop, saying: "We're going to give our dominie a donation party to-night. Perhaps Mrs

s wanted to attend a country donatio

fear you won't enjoy it. You wil

. I want to meet the other

rive, which will be the best part of it, you

all us, and that pretty young woman wants to come as she would go to a menagerie," muttered the

this expedition with great zeal, as it will

urt, that the ride will

true that two of even you

troversy prove th

ne more to keep the world in ho

agree among

e, perhaps, f

the proverb, 'When rogues fall out, ho

were talking

ard even in jest," said Harcourt. "Very well, since you are so able to t

g away abstractedly as if she had not heeded the remark. She was too quick to be caught easily, and the conviction grew upon him that while the others from his calling and difference in views and tastes had a n

' nice young men,'" he rep

-good, pious, devotion

be that; do yo

so, since they are t

ot oth

t. There's a hint

greeable to him to be thought "good, pious, and devotional,"-qualities not in dem

missionaries as well as

ll take city churches, a

that be

It's a matter of ta

t marry a lad

man I loved; that is,

d," said D

ith you. Every man h

Lottie, with a mischie

ho will never take 'no' for an answer

e said, lifting her e

tead. It's a matter of

missionary, Mr. Hemst

" he replie

ill have the border ruffians on one side and the scalping Indians on the other. You said you would marry the

If the one I want won't

, so innocently that the others had no

?" said Hems

m you said y

ntion any one," said Hemst

not exactly s

k not, since I don

e. "I thought we were going t

f my sympathizing audience," he replied, wit

een appointed to select wives for missionaries, and that there are excellen

d these words, but she looked at

missionary lore certainly exceeds mine in regard to the 'committees.' But there will be no emergency

heard so," said

ice of missionaries and their works than

ear the other side," s

against that,"

lege of whispering to Be

replied De Forre

e continued, as the sleigh sto

Capital, Lottie, you are a star actress

tal, Julian," was

the young theologian assume a look of offended dignity. He disappointed them by good-naturedly springing out after his hat, and was

em, while they pelted him till he was white, and, as if utterly defeated, he led them a breathless chase up and do

as despised. But Hemstead immediately showed what a self-sacrificing victim he was to Lottie and the children by almost demolishing De Forrest wi

for she sank on the lower step of the piazza,

re he shook himself after the manner o