live? Why, pshaw! what is there in death for me to fear? And yet there may be, but no, I'll not think of it. If there was a God he would have made a better world; he would not have left it so that a little white drug like this should have the power to destroy the crowning workmanship of his hands."

So saying, he took from the lining of his coat sleeve a small paper containing a poisonous substance, which he was about to apply to his lips, when the door of his cell opened, and the silvery voice of childhood, so seldom heard there, rang through the gloomy hall. There was a pattering on the prison floor of young feet, and the rustling of a light dress, and then, like a sunbeam embraced by clouds, there was gathered to that old man's heart a child-form from whose lips came trembling forth the words, "My father!" to which the reply was, "My child!" and mid the silence so fearfully eloquent, tears of repentance dropped from the old man's eyes. His Star had returned unto him and he was saved..

From that hour De Lorme St. Luke became a better man. The power of a child's love, simple, earnest, truthful-ah, who can estimate its worth? We believe in ministering spirits commissioned of God to watch over us in our earthly pilgrimage, but we also believe that there are those who in this life have learned the mission of angels, for of such was Stella. As soon as the first passionate feelings of joy at their meeting had subsided, and she perceived that her father was relapsing into sadness, having subdued her own fears for the future, the heroic child addressed herself to soothing those of her father.

She told him all that had happened to her in his absence. The loss of her flowers, her meeting with Rose, the promise of Alfred Malcomb* to plead his cause-she related all, and in conclusion she added: "And you know my promise, father. I shall never forget it; so if they do shut you up in a dark prison, you'll have your Star with you. So you'll not grieve much, will you, father?"

"No, child, Stella; no, dear, I shall not grieve much if they permit you to remain with me," replied the suffering man, his manners losing all their harshness in the presence of his good angel.

"But they must let me stay with you now. My promise, father; they would not have me break that. I must stay with you."

"But," said the father, "is it your promise only which makes you

*NOTE.—In a former chapter the name of Alfred Linwood was substituted for Alfred Malcomb. The printer supposed that as Alfred was the adopted son of Albert Linwood, Stella's uncle, he had also assumed the name of Linwood, and that the authoress had made a mistake in writing. As the error might create confusion in the mind of the reader, this correction is deemed necessary.-ED.

wish to stay with me? Have you not regretted a promise which has already caused you to suffer, and do you not know, has no one told you, that you would be better off if you would desert your father and look out only for yourself?"

These questions, which implied a suspicion as cruel as it was unjust, brought the tears to the eyes of Stella, but without uttering a word of reproach, she freed herself from his embrace. Then, taking his manacled hands in hers, and kneeling down before him, she placed them close to her throbbing heart; then with meek eyes raised as if in the presence of attesting spirits, she said:

"Father, right here, throbbing in my heart, is something which binds me to thee with a chain stronger than any promise; stronger, even, than these irons; and had my lips never breathed the words which it were sin to recall, still on my heart would have lived a promise written there by the angel of love long ere it was uttered. Father, do you doubt me

now?"

"No, no, my Stella. May God, if there be one, bless thee, child; but I cursed you but now, when I thought that you too had deserted Can you forgive me, Stella?"

me.

"Bless and curse not,' my father. I forgive you," said the child; 'and," she continued, "I hope we shall yet be very happy together." "If you will consent to become my teacher, and I can learn to be patient like thee, I may be happy then," was the reply.

"It is easy to be patient when I remember what mamma said to me; that she was going to go a great way off, and leave me, but that sometimes she would come back to see if I loved her yet, if I tried to be good, and if I were patient under all trials. When I think of this, I am very patient. Then, father, will you not help me to remember is always?"

"Would that I might, my child. But I hear the turning of the key in the door again. It is to let my dove of peace out, and to leave me to despair again, I fear."

"Fear not, my father," said Stella; "it is only our good landlord, Mr. Templeton, who, now that our meeting is over, has come in to see you. He is our friend, father, greet him."

"I have no friend but thee, child," said De Lorme, but Mr. Templeton, without heeding his remark, stepped quickly up to him, and after the usual salutations, informed him that he had been to see the officers who arrested him, and after much persuasion, gained their consent to have his child accompany him to his place of trial. De Lorme, touched by this act of kindness, would have given his hand to Mr. Templeton, but, on the attempt, he felt the irons which fettered him, and sank back into his seat with a groan which showed but too plainly how deep was the mortification he endured.

In language simple but earnest, Mr. Templeton then sought to cheer the unhappy man, telling him that while he was possessed of so faithful a daughter, he had no need of a better friend. "For," said he, smiling,

"the charm of an angel would, I believe, be insufficient to attract her from you. She has a will about her which resists all persuasion. Never despair while she remains by your side. I question whether any jury could pronounce you guilty after one look into her pleading eyes."

These words caused Stella to blush deeply, but she made no reply. In about an hour, their friend informed them, they would have to set out with the officers, who were to take them to C City, there to await the sitting of the summer term of the Circuit Court. This information caused Stella many an anxious thought, but she restrained all emotions; and when Mr. Templeton left them, the tear which sparkled in her eye was a real heart token of her regret at parting with one who had been so good a friend in the hour of her greatest need. With a fervent "God bless the child, and may we meet again in happier days," the honest face of Mr. Templeton passed from the door, and Stella and her father were alone.

The Wail of Judah.

O'er Babel's dark stream there rolls a wild song,
'Tis Judah's deep wail of suffering and wrong.
No strains from her harp can sooth her sad lay;
From her chief joy she's exiled to strange lands away.

She sat down and wept, while to Heaven her cries
Were borne on the whirlwind and lost 'mid the skies.
Thus shorn of her beauty, her harp left unstrung,
In the sight of her wo on the willow is hung.

She remembers her Zion where she once faithful trod,
On her emerald mountains, and worshiped her God.
She sighs for her home, while in bondage she groans;
For deliverance she weeps, and for Zion she mourns.

To compel man to do his duty to his fellow, is not the object of the Order of Odd Fellowship. Man's duty to man is amply known and acknowledged without the peculiar institution of Odd-Fellowship to point out, to mark the prescribed limits with mathematical accuracy; but still the Order stands like an oasis in the desert-a bright light to the traveler-a haven for the mariner; in fine, it is to the moral world what Christianity is to the religious, not by any means assuming to fill up a void which the gospel has left but each separate and distinct, is destined to fill its own peculiar sphere-looking for its own common destiny.

The corner stone of the Grand Lodge Hall, in progress of erection at Indianapolis, was laid with imposing ceremonies on the 19th by G.M. Edwards, assisted by D.G.M. Luther Mann, Jr., and Rev. G. Taylor, Grand Chaplain, according to the usual formula of the Order. Grand Master Neilson, Grand Secretary Glenn, and other distinguished brethren were present, and participated in the proceedings. The Hall when completed, as will be seen by the accompanying engraving, will be one of the handsomest and most elegant structures in the West..

After the proceedings of laying the corner stone of the Grand Lodge, Grand Patriarch E. H. Barry delivered the following appropriate

ADDRESS: Three thousand years ago, in a city whose name is as familiar to us as household words, a city of western Asia-that old mother of nations-was enacted a scene like this. David, the warrior king of Israel, had gathered large sums of gold and silver, and provisions in abundance, that his son Solomon, whose name is the synonym of wisdom, might, during his peaceful reign, build a temple whose proportions and beauty might be a worthy memorial and dwelling place of the great Jehovah who had so signally interposed for the protection and guidance of the nation. The plan was drawn, material was prepared, and the king and priests and nobles of the land, with multitudes of the people, assembled to lay, with prayer and praise, with music and joy, the corner stone of that building which was not only to perpetuate their name and skill to coming ages, but which was to stand as one of the admired wonders of the world.

For seven long years the workmen toiled in the mountain quarries, in the forests of Sidon and Lebanon, on the banks of the Jordan, and on the hill of Moriah, when at length the cap-stone was brought forth, with shouts of "grace, grace unto it," adjusted to its proper position, and this splendid monument of art and industry and fraternity was finished.

And there it stood not only as a place where acceptable worship might be rendered to the true and living God, not only as a visible monitor of the presence of the All-seeing eye-but also as a center about which the nation might continually gather and towards which might turn with solicitude the thoughts and affections of those who wandered in distant lands, or who braved, the dangers of the mighty deep. Thither the tribes went up to renew their vows and testify their gratitude to the Giver of all good-to take counsel together for the peace and prosperity of the nation, and to interchange the greetings of brotherly affection. And while the people were attentive to the lessons of unity and fraternity taught them by this silent but impressive teacher-while they obeyed the laws of their God, and walked in love toward each other, no evil befel them. The sun of prosperity shone upon them, and the fields of plenty were spread out before them. But when these lessons were unheeded, when discord and hatred came in among them, their beautiful temple fell a prey to the destroyer, and they were led away captives by the heathen, and they sat down by the rivers of Babylon and hung their harps upon the willows, and bewailed the sad desolation, and earnestly desired once more to stand in the courts of the faithful—but in vain. Thetr temple no longer had an existence. Its mission is finished. But another temple was built, destined to be honored by the presence of one greater than Solomon. One who would more clearly expound