Monica's Choice

s, and he was soon pondering deeply over a compensation case, as he strode along the stretch of almost

pointment, when, turning a corner sharply, he collided with a young lady of nineteen or

orry, Mr.

his spectacles, which had nearly fallen off in the contretemps. "I hope I didn't hurt you?" and he looked apo

ault as yours. I am afraid I was not looking where I was going; these chicks were

--of sister Kath's attention being distracted for a moment, and with wonderful noiselessness and rapidity had crossed the wide road, on which the t

are always up to mischief. You and Mrs. Bertr

Mr. Bertram's reply, albeit there was a gleam of sadness in his eyes, and a

he walked on quickly beside him; "I shall soon

lied, with an amused laugh. "The mischief I

sackcloth and ashes on account of your sins at present," was Kathleen's saucily given reply, as she shook han

g such a troop of young people about him. But I daresay he looks at it in quite another light: probably that of ￡ s. d. Well, well, the best of us are never satisfied, but I m

ittle truants, and was giving them a lecture on their mis

hfully into the dark grey eyes of the little girl, whose hand she now held tightly. "You might have been knocked down, and run over, or even lost. All

," said little Joan, somewhat awed by the calamities which

tle face, which was surrounded by a halo of golden curls. "But it was such a dear little monkey!" And he half t

t alone, again," she said, "or poor mother would be dreadfully upset.

was Master Pat's saucy rejoinder, as he

even more tightly, for this baby brother was the pet and plaything of the whole family, a

ed home. She was a very tender-hearted little maiden, who would seldom have given any trouble b

nd-hearted Kathleen, as she pushed open the heavy iron gate, and the trio walked up the somewhat wee

fourteen or so, a younger edition of

impetuously. "Elsa and I thought you were

to breathe," said Kathleen, as her younger sister bega

hing reply, as Olive succeeded in securing a large tin of enamel. "But, oh! Kat

l, for I had the sense to bring not only one, but two

Now Elsa and I can both paint at the same time. Send the children to Nanny, Ka

live sank down upon the first chair she came to from sheer want of breath; but she quickly got up again with an exclamation of dismay, for she remembered

eried a voice from the other end of the quaint, odd-

the similarity was only external; in habits and character they were as widely diverse as the poles. Elsa was as quiet and methodical as Olive was noisy and impetuous in her actions; indeed their mother sometimes said

ch more than the dregs of the turpentine cook had given them, somewhat gingerly; but alas! the old bookcase and table that Olive had been seized with a desire to rejuvenate, had be

she stood helplessly looking at the ugly stain which was growin

p fast turning into anger, for she knew punishment would inevitably follow upon discovery. "I never did know such a stupid thing as

it to hold her own with her somewhat tyrannical twin sister. But Elsa Franklyn had lately learnt that it is "the soft answer that turneth away wrath;" and although she was often sorely t

d, as her sister twisted the skirt, first this way, and th

own carelessness to thank for the catastrophe, gave the unoffending chair such a kick with her foot as she was going out of the door, t

Oli

? She wanted to find an odd one, but she couldn't, so she gave me one of the kitchen set.

. For a minute she was inclined to let Olive bear the brunt of the cook's wrath, as a punishment for her silly outburst of temper, but the next she said quietly: "I will take this down t

sorry now I was cross to you," and she looked affectionately into the quiet face Elsa lifted to hers, as she rose from her stooping posture.

id, but the smile which irradiated her face

ears a faithful servant in the doctor's busy household) and wa

a, d

nd the object of her search sitting beside a couch on which reclined a delicate lookin

ma?" she said, as she

thing falling upstairs a little while ag

pered words, for it had been one of the frag

g care not to make the worst of Olive's temper; but

ly, a look of annoyan

e a long zig-zag slit in her blue serge dress, and now this grey one will be ruined, and she will have nothing f

e greater part of her life in her own room. But yet she could not regret the imprisonment, for it was only since she had been forced to give up her busy active life in the large household, where the doctor's income never seemed sufficient to meet the huge demands made upon it, that she had learnt that bringing up her boys and girls to be healthy and happy was not all that was necessary. God had taken the busy mother aside, and had shown her that her child

r, and drew the girlish face, aglow with health, down to hers, until their lips met in a long

e how the saucer could have fallen by itself. But do not tell me, de

used to, mamma," said Elsa, eager to defend the abs

ir with her soft white fingers; "it takes two to make a quarrel, I used to be told in my

her mother's slight form, so that her words were only just audible. "Sometimes I fail; I did yesterday when we were

ell Jesus,

I always do, di

given you,

I could remember quicker, so as not to let the

my of yours, and He is only too ready to help you. Keep looking to Him for strength, Elsa, and go on persev

do," murmured he

was Dr. Franklyn's description of his eldest daughter, but there seemed little resemblance, nowadays, between the fragile invalid and this tall, capable young woman of three-and-twenty. Lois was not s

t the turpentine incident had blown over, as no mention was made of it. The meal passed merrily enough; Kathleen's racy account of her contretemps with Mr. Bertram amusing them very much. Paddy and Jo

ut a cup of tea, and begged him to drink it at once, assuring hi

n, saying: "I will have some more when I come

n various directions, as soon as they had finished their tea, and thus secured