MADONNA. Oh! Mary Mother, though we lay Nor at thine altars prostrate pray, We offer thee as justly due, The tenderest reverence lips may breathe, The Angel's homage we repeat, All gentle elements combined So pure that seeming sin became So powerful in thy self-control, That many thoughts may be revealed!- We women find in thee a bond We think of thee who thought'st to claim And when th' insatiate Conqueror Death Oh! Mary Mother, may we trace MARY ASHBURTON.* CHAPTER II. A TALE OF MARYLAND LIFE. hardened, changing character So passed away the morning of with the experience of each added my life; in foolish dreamings of year, as life reveals itself and the impossibilities, that wondering mystery (no grand mystery after search into the future that youth all) unwinds, only to find the fuhalf delights, half fears to sound, ture still fleeting before us as it the future floating with its golden merges and developes itself into rose-clouds, each impossible becoming the possible with its maybes of silver linings, vivified with shapes so indistinct that they melt before becoming visible to the sight, like those sweet shades in the morning sky when it is impossible to tell where one commences or another terminates; before growing dull and grey and * Continued from page 152. eternity-death and immortality, the goal we seldom think of in those sweet, youthful imaginings. Ah! God has so ordained it. He placed us here to live, to fill our little span, and He would not have the young, strong arm rendered nerveless with the impression of life's futility. I often saw him, the inspirer of my dreams, in one way or another. Once or twice when I was walking upon my work, my face flushing and my heart beating tumultuously if he happened to address a word to me, too shy to give an audi to school through the woods, I with his air of dignified grace with was overtaken by him and his tu- my mother. I, upon such occator on a scientific ramble in the sions, sat with my eyes downcast same direction. On such occasions he always bowed and gallantly insisted upon relieving me of my books, carrying them for me till we reached the school- ble answer. One day I was seated house door. He would make on the bench under the sittingsome gentlemanly remarks by the room window, with the honeyway, which I answered shyly suckle swinging above me and half enough, stealing occasional glances touching my head as I spun some at him from under the border of wool. The noise of the wheel premy long sun-bonnet, then when vented my hearing their approach my destination was reached with another courtly bow he would pass on with his tutor. until they were quite close and I looked up startled upon hearing footsteps to find it was the father and son. Then I saw him on his beautiful pony, presented by his father when his precocious manliness had developed itself into a his father walked off with mine to They bowed and the young gentleman took a seat near me while the adjoining field for the exhibition of some cattle. He threw himself with careless ease on casionally. desire for dangerous pastimes, could see him from my window as he gallopped to and from his stately home, made the woods echo the turf and played with our old with the report of his gun or bot- house dog, all unconscious of the anized with his tutor in the neigh- admiring looks I stole at him ocboring fields. I loved to watch him with the most eager, childOur conversation was very limlike unconsciousness of harm, as ited. I was of course too shy to if he had been a beautiful flower, undertake his entertainment, and a favorite plant, or those rich, he, after addressing me several gorgeous sunsets that my young remarks about the flowers and my soul drank in with such intoxica- present occupation, or such things ting delight. as he supposed might be interestBut, alas! a plant or a sunset is ing to a simple, ignorant country very different from a handsome girl, folded his arms while the youth, and the admiration exci- dog caressed his feet and appearted by the one differs altogether ed to be absorbed in the contemin its consequences from that pro- plation of the scenery or other duced by the other. subject of meditation. Presently Several times he came with his he sprang lightly to his feet as he father to see mine on business, saw the elder gentlemen approachand while the elder gentlemen ing, brushing away all familiarity were conversing, he would walk with the dog that was rather imabout the premises, playing with portunate in his attentions, as he my little brothers, or conversing did so. proud reserve. "You should have accompanied manner at once from an air of us, Alfred," remarked his father, friendly condescension to one of "Mr. Ashburton's stock is really worth looking at. I should like to have had your opinion, also, as to some I design purchasing."Alfred laughed and shook his head. Alfred noted the effect at once, and, with his graceful good nature, came to my father's rescue. To his father's hurried defence, that "there was time enough, he wanted the young gentleman to see something of the world before "It is an old adage, my father," he said, "that two heads are better than one, but I never heard he settled "-, he struck in, before that three were." He "You are right, both of you. paused and looked beyond at Perhaps I make more use of my something in the distance for a eyes than you suppose, Mr. Ashmoment, then added, "especially burton. Thanks to my father's such a sheepish one as mine is care I am laying in knowledge upon such subjects." Indeed he now which will not prove useless did not look in the least interested to me hereafter, as you will see. in that under discussion, and his We can never be rivals," he opinion could hardly have been of much value. His father looked at him with smiling pride. "A great farmer, Mr. Ashburton," he said, turning to mine. "That is my future assistant. What do you think of him for the present? is he likely to be a very valuable one, when he avoids such occasions for learning what may be very useful to him hereafter." bowed politely, "as you have the advantage of me in age and experience, but some time under your kind advice I may not disgrace my instructors." His speech had a peculiarly pleasant effect, and raised him higher (if that could be) in my estimation than ever. My father's attack had been a very rough, unprovoked one, and particularly unseasonable at his own house; I felt bitterly ashamed "Humph!" said Father dryly, "is that what you intend doing of it, and the contrast between with him, Mr. Chauncey? I tell 'ee what, young gent, you'll have to look sharp before you make a farmer. It requires more eyes than you've got, it appears to me." his want of refinement and their easy polish was never more strongly defined than at that moment. Father did not seem conscious of it, and took Alfred's politeness as if it had been his right, while it softened him without his knowing it. "You will be very welcome to it," he nodded good naturedly, "An old man's advice is sometimes of value, you know. I flushed and thrilled with horror and cast a glance involuntarily at the father and son. It was certainly not the answer that the elder Chauncey had anticipated. He colored and drew himself haughtily back from my plain- The visitors bowed and walked spoken old father, changing his off, carrying away with them a breath of polished refinement that your pleasure, but go and get seemed to leave my own surround- ready, for I can't be kept waiting, ings so coarse and flat by con- hark ye." trast. Repairing to my room in a state I felt the roughness of father's of great internal excitement, I manners as a sort of disgrace and found mother almost equally so a sense of humiliation and in- over my frocks, holding up several feriority came over me which was for examination as to their suitvery unpleasant, and marred my ableness on so august an occaenjoyment of the sunset that sion. evening considerably. It is a Her perplexity, fortunately for very difficult thing to become me, was put to a speedy termina etherealized. Though we gaze among the stars, a gnawing uneasiness at the heart will drag us down from æreal flights and make us far more alive to a mundane than a celestial existence. Once, and once only, I went to that proud mansion that was to my childish imagination as a Paradise from which I was debarred entrance forever-always near, yet as distant in reality, as one of the stars I gazed at in the night time. One afternoon, father came in and said, "Mary, don't you want a walk?" "Where, father?" I asked, looking up from my sewing. "Why, I've got to go up to Chauncey's on business, (my father always called him Chauncey behind his back, to my great repugnance, for I knew that he would not, for worlds, have done it to his face) and mother says you may dress yourself, and go with me, if you like. Will you go?" "Yes, sir, I'd like very much to go," I answered, with quick heart-beats, "It would give me tion by father's calling out from below, "make haste;" so I was quickly donned in a blue muslin and straw hat with streamers of the same azure tint. "You look very nice," said mother, surveying me with apparent satisfaction, "Now hold up your head and be as much of a lady as any of them." If holding up the head constituted the lady, my title to that appellation was certainly but a poor one, for my shy eyes drooped constantly on leaving our own land and treading the great avenue to the shrubberied Paradise. I could hardly realize my happiness, the felicity of going to his home;-there of seeing him perhaps;-of being their guest for a little while, and though ever so little, an object of their attention for the time. I was only thirteen or fourteen then. There were strangers just arrived at the grove we were told, and mother was delighted at the opportunity of my seeing and describing them to her on my return, having considerable curi pleasure to walk there with you." osity of her own to go there her"You queer little witch of a self, which curiosity she had had woman! why don't you answer no chance of gratifying, as of like other people? Fie! about course, she was not expected to |