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2 For Woman’s Work. Into my heart a sorrow fell, Scorchlug like fire uncontrolled: The wretched bittarne«s none could tell, As waves of agony o’er me rolled. Ever the flames seemed rising higher, Stronger and fiercer grew the strife, Crushing and searing each desire, Burning their way to the inner life: Till the weary soul, fatigued, at last Sank by the way, nor cared to live: Despondency trailed her dark robes past. Death only, the comfort sought, could give. For Woman’s Work. A Midnight Marriage. OWE VER,she resolved to becheer- Hj ful, and not let him feel uncomfort- JB able over the occurrence, though her heart almost failed her when she thought of the explanation she would have to make at home, and imagined her uncle’s sneers and sarcastic speeches. How her aunt would lecture about the impropriety of this drive at night alone with Frazier. Her uncle would be sure to think it was pre-arranged, or pretend he did; he thought her coming away from home at all to buy Archie’s Bible a piece of pure nonsense. But she would try not to think of these things for the present. And it was not hard to turn her thoughts away from them, for Phil was in his hap piest vein,so determined was he to drive the shadow from her face; and few could be more entertaining and delightful than Phil when at his best. He proposed that they should drive down town and get some refreshment before starting, as they would not reach home in time for supper. So they went to an ice cream parlor and partook of a little repast which Phil made merry by his flow of spirits. Whan they had fin ished and Phil had transacted some busi ness which he was obliged to see to before leaving, it was six o’clock, so, before they had driven more than five cr six miles of the eighteen they must traverse before * reaching home, the twilight had begun to settle around them, made somewhat ear lier by some gathering clouds. This much of their drive was passed pleasantly enough, but as the darkness grew more intense and a low rumble of thunder w r as heard, Annie’s spirits began to flag. Her laugh grew fainter in reply to Phil’s lively sallies, and when they observed a cloud in the west of exceeding blackness, riven no v and then by lightning flashes, Phil grew rather sober himself. The way grew darker before them as the road wound through the woods, and he re membered that it had been a long time since he had driven over this road, and his memory was not of the best. Suppose some turn should mislead him and they should miss their way? But he would not con'emplate such a possibility, so with a light touch of the whip he quickened his horse’s speed, and as they rolled swiftly along, he tried to recover his own spirits and revive those of his com panion by a constant flow of talk. But as the lightning flashes grew more vivid, and the thunder claps louder and sharper, he noticed with alarm that his horse was be coming frightened. He only urged the animal forward, though, hoping to proceed as far as possible on their way, and then take shelter until the storm subsided. So he drove as fast as he dared o i the un familiar road, now almost dark save for the lightning flashes. Annie sat silent and trembling, and Phil almost cursed himself for bringing her into this predicament. Once, when a loud clap of t hunder startled her almost into screaming, and caused the horse to jump violently, the poor girl involuntarily grasped Phil’s arm with both hands and cowered at his side with closed eyes and beating heart. Poor Phi), in the ex tremity of his remorse and concern for her was fain to take her in bis arms and beg her not to be frightened, and might have done so, had it not been that both hands were required to manage the frightened horse. Then they came to a f< rk in the road, and Fhil felt his heart die within him as he realized that he had not the least idea which side to take. He ground his teeth with rage at his own stupidity and would not stop to consider, feeling as if he would be more sure to take the wrong road than by leaving it to chance. So, without guidance on his part, lhey turned to the right and proceeded perhaps A Sorrow. (continued from last month.) But the Angel Mercy came one day And spread o’er the wounds a healing balm; While Hope on my brow her cool hand lay, Faith entered, and strove my grief tocslm. Sleep dropped the curtains of bless’d repose And bore my form to the isle of Rest: While Charity out of the ashes rose And folded her garments o’er my breast. Though the ugly sears must surely stay While mem rv those weary months recalls; But God sends comforters every day, Thus proving, He heeds “if sparrow falls.” Nellie V. Mayhew. Longwood, 111. a mile further, the rain now pouring in upon them. It was impossible to put up the curtains, as the horse was becoming more and more unmanageable, and so when a lightning flash revealed a house of some description on the roadside, Phil drew up to it and told Annie it would be best for them to stop until the storm had spent its strength. Driving close to the house, which was not enclosed by a fence, he called loudly, but received no response, so with out further ceremony he helped Annie out of the buggy and into the porch, then fastened his horse to the railing. Going to the door he began to knock vigorously, when it yielded to his hand and swung open. He stepped inside and pulled An nie in after him, for the rain was beating in upon them anti both were wet nearly to the skin. “They may take us for burglars, but I’m going to risk it, ’ said Phil, lighting a match. “Perhaps there is no one here,” sug gested Annie, as they surveyed the room by the dim light of the match. “I believe you are right,” replied Phi), looking around the empty room, with its windows boarded up, and general air of desertion. “Well, we’ll see what is here anyway,” lighting another match and going to a door on the other side of the room. Here they found another small room, and beyond that a shed, but no sign of living creature. This, Phil regretted, as he had hoped to learn here whether they were on the right road, though he was now almost sure they were not. However, they must make the best of it, so, as the first room contained a fireplace, Phil hunted around in the shed, while Annie held matches for him, and found a quantity of boards and rubbish with which he made a fire. Then while An nie attempted to dry her garments, he went out to look after the horse. The animal had calmed down considerably, feeling itself near shelter, perhaps, but Phil thought it more prudent to unhitch him from the buggy, which he did, lead ing him around to the shed at the back of the house. Then he stood in the door way gazing out into the night, and won dering what would be the outcome of their unfortunate plight. Had nothing unto ward occurred, and their destination been reached, as it should, about nine o'clock, he had hoped the urgency of the case would excuse their long drive, even if it was rather a breach of the conventionali ties. But as it was, he knew it would be impossible for them to proceed until the storm should abate; he was almost posi tive they had taken the wrong road and would have to retrace a portion of their journey; the rain was pouring and it was now pitchy dark. If they should have to pass the greater part of the night together in this lonely hut, and he saw small chance of anything else, he knew that evil tongues would be busy with their names on the morrow. And he knew full well that neither his own high standing nor Annie’s spotless character would protect them from the malignity of the village gossips. Once he turned to go in and rejoin his companion in distress, but when he reached the door opening into the room where she was, he saw that she was crying, and re treated. He felt that he could not bear her tears, until he had comfort to offer her. But what could he say? Poor Annie was sadly in need of com fort. She had given up all hope of getting home that night, and was thinking of her aunt’s wonderings, her uncle’s sneers, and more than all, of what her brother must think of her absence on this, his last night at home. It had not yet WOMAN’S WORK. fairly dawned on her what the world would say of the episode, but presenßsor row was enough, and she sobbed (J on drearily. - -38 Presently, Phil came in, stirred the fire, added more fuel, and brought in the buggy cushion, which he turned and placed near the fire. Then he said, “Come and sit here, Miss Annie, you will be more com fortable.” Annie obeyed, and wiping her eyes, tried to be composed. Phil’s heart smote him as he noticed the exceedingly pale smile she managed to evoke in spite of the sorrow evident in her face. To think that he should have gotten this gentle, sweet girl into such an awkward and un pleasant predicament, and that, too, just when he had begun to be most anxious to please her. Fate was surely against him, and he felt exceedingly savage when he thought of the bright plans and hopes of the morning now so miserably frustrated, for she would never like him now,of course, and this thought made him almost desper ate. He must plead his cause somehow. She had a kind heart, and perhaps when she saw his contrition she would forgive him. Sitting down on the seat beside her, he began: “Miss Annie, I am afraid you will hate me for getting you into such a scrape.” “O, no! It was not your fault, and I shall not blame you in the least. Os course it is unpleasant people will talk d —I don’t know what my brother will think ” here her voice broke into a sob, and Phil, seizing her hand, began an outpouring of entreaties, begging her not to cry, and abusing himself for the veriest villain on earth. Then the warm hearted fellow buried his face in his hands, almost tempted to cry himself. While sitting thus, strangely enough there came into his mind a picture of old Dr. Curtis as he saw him that morning, and then the memory of his own ca r eless speech to Annie. Suppose the old Dr. should go home and spread the report that they had eloped. Belmont was a small place, and all the idlers of the town loved to gather in Dr. Curtis’ store — his only claim to the title of Dr. was the small drugstore he owned. Nothing de lighted him more than to have a choice bit of news to relate to this crowd. Added to this, Parksville was the goal of all runaway couples from Belmont and vicinity, as everyone knew. Dr. Curtis’ imagination would have no difficulty in supplying the details. And then, suddenly an idea occurred to him that simply over whelmed him. A solution of their diffi culty that seemed to him would be alto gether delightful and satisfactory if only —but here h’s heart sank; of course An nie would not consent! But if she only would, how simply and easily matters would be adjusted. He was so excited over the idea that he sprang to his feet and walked hurriedly to and fro, while Annie gazed pensively into the fire and occasionally wiped*her eyes. After thinking over the mattf r for some time and looking at it in every possible light, Phil was so pleased with his idea that he determined to put it to the test, even though he would run the risk, not only of failing to win her over, but also of mortally offending her, for it would be a daring proposition, and would no doubt startle her very much. So, going over to her again, he said, “Miss Annie, we are in a very awkward position as the world looks at things, and lam afraid the gossips are going to make it very unpleasant for us when they hear of our little adventure. ’ He scarcely knew how to approach his subject, and at these words Annie blushed so painfully, while into her large eyes came such a frightened look that he hur ried on to say: “Now I want to propose a plan by which we can silence all ‘this gossip, and which will be the ’oveliest so lution of the difficulty I can imagine. Let me take you back to-morrow morning as my wife. Then no <ne can say a word, and I will be the happiest fellow in the state besides.” Phil really meant this; he was warming to his subject, so that he never noticed the wide-eyed astonishment on Annie’s face. “What on earth can you be thinking of, Mr. Frazier?” she murmured, in a voice scarcely audible. Poor child! she was so bewildered with the evening’s excitement that she thought he had gone crazy, or rather that she had herself, and fearing she had not heard ariglff, would not trust her self to reply. “Does my proposition seem so very preposterous to you? Look at it calmly and quietly, and let us discuss it practical ly, then see if you can enteitain the idea. Suppose we were at home in Belmont, and I had called at your house to-night and asked your hand in marriage. Would you have said no’?’’ Annie blushed a little, but answered quietly: “No, I might not have said ‘no’ at once, because, though I should have been very much surprised, I should have thought you asked me because you cared for me; while as it is I know you ask me because you think it will deliver me from an embarrassing situation, and I think that is too light a reason for such a grave step/' She was quite calm now, the very gravity of the question seeming to have sobered and quieted her. “If it were as you think, you would be entirely right in refusing to listen to me, but I want you to believe me when I tell you that that is only one of my reasons for ask ing you to take such a step. I have been thinking deeply for the last half hour, and lam persuaded that it would be a good thing for me, and that I would never re gret it. And if you will consent, I swear that, with God’s help, I will never let you regret it.” You do not care for any one else, do you? ’ “No,” she answered. “Then, practically, there is nothing in the world to hinder a marriage between us. We are both of a proper age, are healthy, have known each other for years; I am perfectly able to take care of a wife; on my side there is no one who could possibly object, and I don’t think your aunt and uncle would throw any objections in the way.” “But,do you not think people who mar ry should—should —love one another?” said Annie, hesitating timidly and blush ingly ever words that were evidently something sacred to her. Phil looked thoughtful, and paused a moment tefore answering. Then he said with the air of a sage: “Miss Annie, I think that young people usually attach too great an importance to the sentiment called Icve. Not that I would in most cases counsel marriage without it, but Ido not think it should form the only reason for marriage, regard less of whether other conditions suit, as it so often does. It has seemed to me some times as if there were greater chances of happiness when the parties were calm and dispassionate and thus capable of judging what is really best for them. Love is a strange will o’the wisp, and is just as liable to lead us away from our ideals as toward them. I have known men to fall in love with and marry the very girls they had once professed to de spise. I have had a great many friends among married men, and I have watched so many cases of passionate love change and grow cold, it has made me feel as if I would rather never love than to suffer the regret that must follow such a change. I have also observed many happy unions that were so-called marriages of conven ience.” After proceeding thus far very earnestly, Phil began to perceive that he was not making the impression he wished. Poor fellow! he scarcely knew how to plead his cause. If he told her that he loved her she would not believe him, she would have no faith in a passion which could spring up in a day, though it was becoming very real to him. So ne had thought to win her over by wise arguments, and reasoning which he had once thought very sound. But he soon saw that Annie’s face was be coming more and more doubtful, and his spirits fell accordingly. The fact was that Annie, womanlike, could not give up her little romance, and this philosophic wooing was not at all to her taste. If poor Phil had only known it, a woman is much readier to accept a pro fess'on of love, however improbable, and invest it in her imagination with all the dignity of the genuine kind, than she is to be satisfied with none at all. And Phil’s handsome, flushed face and ple&dirg eyes were in striking contrast to his worldly wise speech, and would have argued strongly in his favor, but Annie was not looking at him. Her eyes were bent thoughtfully upon the glowing coals, and, though she rtplied with some agitation, her tone was decided as she said: “Mr.Frszier,you are kindin offering what you think will help me out of a difficulty, but I cannot think the occasion justifies such a serious step,” Phil could not understand why her man ner grew somewhat cold as she said this; and he hurried with boyish eagerness to say: “Miss Annie, it is the honest truth that I had forgotten all about that being the reason. In fact, it isn’t the reason, or only a minor one. Ar.d let me tell you, I mean to win you yet, if it is possible for devo tion to win a womar !” Annie looked up in surprise at these ar dent words. Phil had sprung up again, and was walking across the little room with impatient strides, his fists clenched as if to grapple with the spiteful fate that had thrown these untoward circumstances MARCH, 1894.