Nobody

n the months have of sending promissory notes in advance of them; and this year the spring was early. The sun was up, but not much more, when Loi

e. In one place, two or three great apple trees in a group formed a canopy over a wide circuit of turf. The hoe and the spade must stand back respectfully; there was nothing to be done. One corner was quite given up to the occupancy of an old cherry tree, and its spread of grassy gro

e. Of them all, Spring's smile brings most of hope and expectation with it. And there is a perfume Spring wears, which is the rarest, and most untraceable, and most unmistakeable, of all. The breath and the perfume, and the smile and the kiss, greeted Lois as she went into the old garden. She knew them well of old time, and welcomed them now. She even stood still a bit to take in the rare beauty and joy of them. And yet, the apple trees were bare, an

thorough knowledge of her business. Do not imagine an untidy long skirt sweeping the soft soil and transferring large portions of it to the gardener's ankles; Lois was dressed for her work in a short stuff frock and leggins; and looked as nice when she came out as when she went in, albeit not in any costume ever seen in Fifth Avenue or Central Park. But what do I say? If she looked "nice" when she went out to her garden, she looked superb when she came in, or when she had been an hour or so delving. Her hat fallen back a little; her rich masses of hair just a little loosened, e

ducation, the intercourse of polished society, the smooth ease and refinement of well-ordered households, and the habits of affluence, and the gratification of cultivated tastes; more yet, the having cultivated tastes; the gratification of them seemed to Lois a less matter. A large horizon, a wide experience of men and things; was it not better, did it not make life richer, did it not elevate the human creature to something of more power and worth, than a very narrow and confined sphere, with its consequent narrow and confined way of looking at things? Lois was just tired enough to let all these thoughts pass over her, like gentle waves of an incoming tide, and they were emphazised here and there by a vision of a brown curly head, and a kindly, handsome, human face looking into hers. It was a vision that came and went, floated in and disappeared among the waves of thought that rose and fell. Was it not better to sit and talk even with Mr. Dillwyn, than to dig and plant peas? Was not the Lois who did that, a quite superior creature to the Lois who did this? Any common

at their plain house was full of comfort, if not of beauty; and that she and her sisters were doing what was given them to do, and therefore what they were meant to do; and then came the thought, so sweet to the servant who loves his Master, that it is all for the Master; and that if he is ple

ore of this wor

ch trifles with

of these hymns, it came with its fall power. Mrs. Armadale heard her, and murmured a "Prai

you were singing when you cam

ng?" Lois repeate

ng it loud enough and plain enough;

mean what one sings

ou mean that? 'The time for such trifl

trif

It begins about 'this world's vain

exa

wouldn't

isn't. 'The time for such trifles with me now is o'er.' I have found something better. As Paul says, 'When I became a man, I

ord!" said M

ure, nor reasonable. Folks say that just when somethin's gone the wrong way, and they want to comfort themselves wit

it, then, Charity," rem

views," returned Miss Charit

ndma," said Lois pleasantly. "She

make me c

o know th

u. Ain't you sorry to be back and out of 'this world's vain store

N

and wearin' that outlandish r

rt very much. The dress I

everythin' you w

adge put in. "Nobody has that; you hav

city where true joys abound;

," said Loi

e got all

hings I haven't got, if it's th

se it

ympathies were never wearied; her intelligence was never at fault. And her work was never neglected. Nobody had ever to remind Lois that it was time for her to attend to this or that thing which it was her charge to do. Instead of which, she was very often ready to help somebody else not quite so "forehanded." The garden took on fast its dressed and ordered look; the strawberries were uncovered; and the raspberries tied up, and the currant bushes trimmed; and pea-sticks and bean-poles bristled here and there promisingly. And then the green growths for which Lois had worked began to reward her labour. Radishes were on the tea-table, and lettuce made the dinner "another thing;" and rows of springing beets and carrots looked like plenty in the future. Potatoes were up, and rare-ripes were planted, and cabbages; and corn began to appear. One thing after another, till Lois got the garden all planted; and t

one very warm afternoon bending down among the strawberry beds, and had brought in a great bowl

adge, "and skimmed a lot of milk. I must chu

assented. "Did you

N

rinces are doing finely too. If w

did you ge

arts, a

e to-morrow. Lois, I get

ut I always ge

ay in and day out, and from one year's end to anot

ould yo

e a litt

rtain sense I thi

nse," said Madge. "H

returned cheerfully. "If you take it as I think

said Madge discontentedly. "If there

hesit

it becomes much better than play. Don't you know, Madge, I take it all, everything, as given m

ot a pettish person, only just now something in

't w

butter, for instance; or cherry sw

nse. It is the way I do my

ting, and the sewing is for your own back, or grandma'

t cant; it's th

t it is i

us to do; we must make the clothes and preserve the cherries, and I must weed strawberries, and th

elf, or for grandma, a

y bit of all these things in the way that I think wi

your d

u can't think how pleasant they are; nor how all sorts of little worries fall off. I wish you knew, Madge! If I am hot and tired in a strawberry bed, and the

th eyes that were half

o the world outside the window, or to a world more distant and in tangible, that

adge echoe

edge-education-yes, and accomplishments. I have the temptation to wish for that sometimes; but I know it is a temptation; for if I was intended to have all those things, the way would have been opened, and it is not, and never was. J

e," the other sister ans

why should I? Only just now

wished for tha

If ever a chance comes, we shall know we a