ness; for, without any approach to familiarity, he could bear long with the troublesome, and was kindly courteous to all. Trade prospered, and the evening topic of conversation in that little household sometimes fell on a larger shop which was to let in a more central part of the town.

CHAPTER VIII.

MISGIVING.

rose on that There was a

How pleasantly the Sabbath morning little family after their six days' toil! calm in its sunshine, a freshness in its dews, and a transparency in its shadow; or it was a sweet and happy fancy that thus invested this day of rest with its own peculiar beauty.

Through the early opened lattice the soft chime of bells crept gently in, the quivering sunbeams followed,-now touching old Mrs Simmons' cap as with whitest snow, and now making living gold of the leaves of the old family Bible, as it lay on the newly unfolded breakfast-cloth.

Always fervent in spirit, there seemed a double portion of earnestness in the good man's prayer on this sacred day.

Mary's merry laughter subsided into a quiet happiness, of which perhaps grateful contentment was the principal ingredient.

With few interruptions, since her early childhood, the Sabbath morning saw her neatly dressed, and walking, in company with her father, to the house of God. Mary had for some few months been betrothed to Leigh James, and he generally joined them at church, and was their guest for the remainder of the Sabbath-day; and if a feeling approaching to disquietude, but so indefinite that it was nameless, sometimes flitted across Mary's association with Leigh, what was it but a bird of night that had no business on her morning path?

She had given him the whole strength of her girlish love, and this beautified with its own soft colouring the harsher points of his character that were visible to her.

There were times, however, when Mary's thoughts of Leigh came to her through the shadowy medium of mystery, and whenever this was the case there was a tender pathos in her voice which caused her father to turn and look at her; and whilst she fancied she was smiling cheerily, others could see in her dark eyes the dew which is the presage of tears.

There was occasionally about Leigh James the momentary development of stern and reckless feeling,—so transient that as one looked it passed away, leaving only a doubt if the fleeting shadow had ever been discernible.

There is a beautiful spirit of trustfulness which gushes as a rich stream from the heart of youth; it

is brightened by early sunshine, and becomes fragrant from the gifts of opening hopes. It cannot understand the dense atmosphere of suspicion, and it is only a very palpable wrong which has strength to take from it its sweetest ingredient-confidence; yet sometimes, when Mary had wrapped around her spirit a sober certainty of Leigh's worth, some passing expression of his would send its gusty force against the little hope-built edifice, whilst her heart, as it sunk within her, would reproach her for the mistrust she entertained for her dearest friend.

There was much intelligence about Leigh; and if he had not the refinement that characterised Mary, an energy of mind and a vivacity of expression belonged to him, which won the admiration of that simple girl. He would enter into all her Sabbath pursuits without listlessness, and then just shadow forth some sceptical opinion, not perhaps as his own, but as belonging to one wiser than he, which gave her hopeful spirit its first real anxiety concerning him. Then it was that the transparency of her girlish happiness became filmy with apprehension; but not yet, no, not yet, had Leigh James given Mary cause for weeping.

CHAPTER IX.

SORROW.

YET even this anxiety grew pale in the new trouble that rose up on Mary's sky. Her father's health had evidently begun to fail. At first this fading of strength was noticed simply by Mary, who tried to account for the unusual paleness of his cheek by his unbroken attention to the shop.

She persuaded him to visit the sea-side, and during his absence went on alone with the business, in all that excitement of energy which troubled affection ever gives.

But when he returned with his form emaciated, and his very voice tremulous from weakness, Mary recognised the destroyer's touch, and in the bewilderment of a first sorrow, with passionate sobs and tears she made known her anguish of spirit unto God, and sought his presence and aid. Those prayers were not lost. "Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him;" and a soothing influence fell on her spirit as resignation gently whispered, "It is the Lord; let him do what seemeth him good."

Death had never in her mind been associated with her father, and now that its shadow so visibly rested on the household, every thing seemed changed. She scarcely knew herself.

All this while she stood up in her meekness alone behind the counter, and would often be seen with only a little more paleness on her cheek, and a slight but unusual quiver about her lip, trying on shoes for customers, or bringing the varying sizes from the shop window, whilst every sound in the house thrilled to her heart, a mysterious token of anticipated woe.

On the sweet Sabbath that father and child had unrestrained intercourse. Then he would set the promises in their most beautiful light, and bring forth, in warm and rich colouring, the confidence which, amidst the shadows of death, is the heritage of the lowly believer in Christ Jesus the Saviour. This firm though child-like trust was peculiarly and beautifully visible about Mr Simmons. That man, whose life had been steeped in business, such as is, alas often encumbering to the soul, was positively careful for nothing. He had maintained by prayer so close a communion with his Father in this distracting world, that now, when the summons came to depart, he was as a child called home. He had not even to put his house in order; for his simple will had been long ago made, and his mother and Mary were, by the security of the promises, in faithful keeping.

Their grief was the only shadow on his path; but viewing it as he did, with the light of eternity illuminating its darkness, and seeing how, at the very longest, only a few years could divide them, it be