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luce the ivy. Yrae love Is Ilk© th 0 * ^olfi, That clings eaoli day with firmer hold That groweth on through good and 111, And ’mid the tempest cllageth still. What though the wall on which It climbs Have lost the grace of former times, Will then Ihe Ivy loose Its hold, Forget the sunny days of old f Nay, rather It will closer cling With loving clasp, remembering That It had hardly lived at all Without the Kludly shelt’rlag wall. True love Is llfce the Ivy bold, That clings eaoh day with firmer hold ; That groweth on through good and lit, And ’mid the tempest cllngeth Btlli. True love Is like the Ivy green, That ne'er forgetteth what hath been, And so, till life Itself be gone, ^JntU the end ltcllngeth on. hat though the tree where it may ellng hall hardly know auother spring? What though Its boughs be dead and bare? The twining Ivy climbeth there, And olasps it with a firmer hold, With stronger love than that of old, And lends It grace It never had When time was young and life was glad. True love Is like the Ivy green, That ne’er forgetteth what hath.been, And so, till life Itself be gone, Until the end It cllngeth on. A Bieach of Discipline. “Its no use speaking, Brereton; I must go.” “Are you mad, Kendal ? It’s your night on guard, and you know what .-a martinet the Colonel is.” “Confound the Colonel! I tell you, I will go. The Colonel’s not a dancing man. He’ll know nothing about it.” “Don’t you believe it. The Colonel’B thick with those Lindsay girls, and I’ll bet you ten to one he’s there to meet them.” “Oh hang it! I’ll take my chance then,” was the reply in the dogged tone of a man who knows he is in the wrong, but does not choose to yield. The speakers were two officers of ttye —th Regiment, which had been quar tered for the last six months ac Single- norough. The subject of discussion was a great public ball which was to take place that evening. The regi ment was to be relieved in a day or two, and the ball would be the last at which the gallant officers of the—th would appear in that hospitable town. It had been a gay weason, and the redcoats had entered heartily into the festivities, and now, that their departure drew nigh, there might .have been many an incipient heart ache in a gentle bosom here and there. The girls indeed of that favored dis trict were so pretty, that even a brave soldier might be excused if a pang shot through his manly breast at the •thought of leaving them behind. Captain Kendal looked very obsti nate as he answered the prudent ad (monitions of his friend Brereton, who gave a long whistle, and tapped the 'groufl^miinously with Ity. rtainty, for reen as a hawk and find you out. I say, man, ; give it up ; the game’s too langtq^ls. “Pooh!” exclaimed theother testily. “I tell you the Colonel won’t be there, and if he were, trust to me to dodge him. Why, bless you 1 he’s blind as a mole!” His friend looked utterly uncon vinced, but remonstrance .vas plainly of no use. ^ “It’s all because of that Leslie girl,” he said ruefully, for he was honestly attached to his messmate, and saw clearly the consequences whioh might be expected to follow upon his attend ance at the ball. “Lord! what an ass spooning makes of a fellow! Thank Heaven, I'm not in love !” “Spare your eloquence and have done now, can’t you?” replied Cap tain Kendal ungraciously. “Go, I must and will, but trust to me to take care of myself.” The two friends walked down the rest of the street In silence till Brere ton turned into his club, while the •other went on, with a slightly anxious frown on his handsome suu>burnt face, and swinging his cane uneasily. He knew Brereton was right, but wrong is apt to be stronger than right sometimes, and the temptation iu this case was powerful. He was about to commit, deliberately, a glaring breach of military discipline, which, if discovered, would assuredly cost him dear and put an end to more pleasant hopes than one. Neverthe less he was quite determined to risk it. It was his duty to keep guard that night at the Royal Bank, and his colonel was not a man who would lightly overlook even a trifling offence against the military code. What, then, was the motive which could induce this gallant young officer of her majesty’s service, who had al ready won distinction for his bravery on the battle-field, and who had al ways acquitted himself well and hon orably heretofore, to plan so recklessly so grave an infringement of duty as the abandonment of the post he was bound in all honor to guard. We offer no excuse. But the ex planation of his conduct must be found in his state of mind, which wasa abnormal. Brereton was right. There was a woman in the case. Before his mind’s eye, there danced a lovely vision that lured the infatuated young man from the right path ; a pair of blue eyes, a sweet smile, a graceful girlish form, to gaze on which the foolish fellow would have traveled miles! And she was to be at the ball, sur rounded by admiring swains, of one or two of whom he was madly jealous ; and who knew what might happen while he was absent. He might of course have spoken a certain momentous little word before, and he had thought, now and then, that it would not have fallen on re luctant ears. But he had gone on basking in the sweet sunshine of her smiles, too happy in the present to think much of the future, and he had just heard casually that to morrow morning early she was to leave town for her home in the country. To-day, too, chance had brought a sudden revelation to his heart. Till then he had not been fully aware of the strength of his own feelings for that blue-eyed charmer. Ou turning down a street corner, he had come suddenly face to face with her, and in close attendance upon her was Mad dox of the —th Lancers, a brilliant Adonis whom ladies were terribly partial to. In his faee Harry Kendal read something that made him trem ble for his own hopes, and showed him too, In a startling moment of time, how hia whole life’s happiness was bound up in them. That rapid glance of recognition awoke a storm of anxious fears in his breast, and left the green-eyed monster raging there. Was he at this important crisis of fate to stand tamely aside and to leave her to the wiles of that handsome Lothario, to be whirled away from him for ever in the waltz, during the enchanted hours of that festive night, while he kept lonely watch over old money bags? Maddening thought! And to-morrow she would be gone. Oh, why had he not known sooner? To-morrow would be too late! No; he could not let love and happi ness go down the stream without mak ing an effort to hold them fast. Duty ight go to the winds for once. He ould go to the ball, where he might see her that night. And as to the Colonel? Surely he would not sport his stately, antiquated presence in such a giddy, uncongenial scene. And if he did—Brereton might say what Le pleased—the Colonel’s shortness of sight was proverbial! Alas! Venus with her wicked elf Cupid had strangely bewitched this misguided son of Mars, as there is evi dence enough to prove they have be witched many a stalwart hero in every age aud clime! * • « • The bank, a great solid building of dark grey stoue, stood in an inclosure. At the rear qjas a court encircled by a fence, in which was a small wicket gate opening into a lane a short dis tance below the main entrance, and used chiefly for communication with the back premises. At night it was always kept locked. The front of the building, on the other hand, faced one of the principal thoroughfares, and was approached through a massive- outer gate, which, like the smaller one, was carefully closed after night fall. Captain Kendall did not change his mind. As the evening wore on, he slipped out, merely informing the sentinel that he should soon return. The old soldier, wlie had known and loved his young officer for some years, shook his head ominously as he saw him depart, but inwardly resolved to keen his counsel if possible The truant meauwliile sped on his wilful way, and banishing all anxious reflections, appeared in the ball-room In time to secure the hand of his fair charmer for several dances. Fortune Beemed to smile propitiously on him, and the coast was clear. The Colonel was not to be seen, and no one else cared to inquire too curiously what offloer ought to be on guard at the bank on that particular night. As he led out the lady, the Bcapt-grace lover { had the satisfaction of seeing his rival turn away with a lowering brow. He was determined to lose no time now. In the maze of the waltz, while the soft, undulating strains of Strauss steeped the senses of the dancers in sweet dreams of delight, under the roseate light of the many wax candles in that perfumed, crowded ball-room, a question was asked, and an answer tremulously whispered, which trans ported two young people into a tem porary paradise of their own creating, where there were only they two, and no room for any other besides. No wonder that at such a moment all minor sublunary considerations were forgotten. But when a brief ecstatic hour had passed, ami they emerged once more from the rosy pavilion whither they had retreated among the flowers, there loomed, dark and erect in the pistant doorway of the adjoining ball room, a tall martial figure, whose gray head towered above the com pany ; a vision which struck a sudden chill to the ardent lover’s heart. “By Jove!” he exclaimed with a start. “There’s the Colonel!” The sharp ejaculation breaking in strangely upon the dulcet tones of love, astonished the pretty creature who hung on his arm. “What of the Colonel ?’’ she asked softly. “Why should he not he here, poor man ?” “Because I am here who ought to be on guard in street, and because I shall be cashiered to a certainty if he sees me,” was the abrupt reply. “Oh, do go away this minute. Do, dear Harry !” she pleaded in terrified, beseeching accents. Hi looked at her, then around him, irresolute for a moment. The Colonel had turned his back and was moving into another room. No, he could not go just yet, the temptation to remain was too strong. “Leave you now, when we are happy and are to be parted so soon ? No, I cannot, darling,” he whispered fondly, “But, never fear, we will keep out of his way.” She did not urge him any more. She did not fully understand the magni tude of the offence, nor the risk a in volved, and was too glad to keep him a little longer by all available means. There were a number of reception rooms in the locale where the ball was held, all of which were thrown open for the occasion. Keeping a cau tious eye around them, the young peo ple contrived to pass from one apart ment to another, whenever they de tected the dreaded form of the Colonel approaching. After a time he settled down quietly at a whist-table in the distdtace, and they gave themselves up with reckless gayety to the enjoyment of the evening. Another hour passed, and supper-time came, and still they danced or lingered in quiet nooks, and managed successfully to elude the eyes whose recognition was so care fully to be avoided. “What a comfort it is that he is such a maypole, and may be observed from afar!” laughed the girl, who had caught the infection of her lover’s •audacity. At length the dreaded time for part ing was at hand. The early morning train was to bear away the lady to her father’s summer residence, aud thus to separate for awhile the newly plighted pair. What wonder, that in those last few precious moments they forgot all precautions, and saw and heard nothing in each other’s all-en grossing presence? He followed her to the hall, and folded the shawl care fully round her graoeful form; for another happy minute yet he stood with her hand locked in his, meeting all her heart shining out through her deep blue eyes. Then the carriage door closed with a sharp bang, which struck cold and heavy ou his ear, as the rolling the night. Perhaps li dazzled by he had drui other thingi ently he ti hat and d leels bore her away into eyes were somewhat e bright parting glance iu so eagerly, for all round looked dim. Pres- ned listlessly to take his rt in his turn, still feeling like one t]Ct dreams. Suddenly, how ever, southing impeded him to look up, aud^rhat was his dismay, when he fouim himself face to face with— the (’oHel! Thei^ was a crowd of departing guests|ln the hall, and as they gather ed aud jostled each other, the two men who had been thus unexpectedly bought together were again borne apart. The recognition was but in stantaneous therefore, and in another moment the junior offloer had con trived to ^nlngle with and disap] in the crowd. But by the stern, aston ished gaze which had met his eye for that brief instant, he knew that he had been identified, aud that the Colo nel fully remembertd where he ought to have been. If he still ventured to retain any hope that the recognition had not been complete, such hope was promptly diepelled by the order, which presently rang out in ominous tones from the Colonel’s well-known voice of thun der. 1 ‘Drive to the Royal Bank ins tantly! ’ ’ it said with awful distinctuess. “ Aud go as fast as you can.” Captain Kendal had managed to slip unobserved turough the doorway, and he now stood in the street. What was to be done? The car riages that were in waiting there were all private ones. The hackney coaches were far down the file, and even if he he been lucky enough lo secure one in time, the rattle of the wheels at that dead hour of the night, speeding in the same direction as the Colonel’s carriage, or indeed the very fact of a vehicle stopping before the bank, would have convicted him at once. There was not a moment to be lost. At tills crisis fortunately his wits did not forsake him. A sudden inspi ration presented itself to his mind, and his decision wr.’i taken in a twink ling. Favored by the opportune dark ness, lie crept round to the back of the Colonel’s carriage, and just as it was starting, he sprang up nimbly on the step behind. The coachman whipped up his horses and rattled his wheels through the still streets of the sleeping city, clearing the distance in double- quick time, in order to forestall the return of the delinquent offleer. Neither master nor man guessed that tbeir hot haste was bearing back the truaDt to his post. Within the carriage the Colonel sat,stiff and erect, as became a worthy disciplinarian, wholly intent on the conyiction of his peccant junior, in whose impending discomfiture he could not help feeling a grim and righteous satisfaction. At the back the Captain sat crouching on the step, desperately concerting his measures. “Impudence! stand my friend through this scrape, be mentally ejac ulated. Perhaps all is not lost yet.” When the carriage turned into street and the bank appeared in view, he jumped lightly down and under the friendly cover of night, ran to the small wicket gate in the lane. Most luckily he had taken the key with him, and hurriedly letting him self in, he passed swiftly through the court, and came up with the sentinel inside the great gate,while the car riage was taking the longer curve which led up to the front. How he blessed the chance impulse which had induced him to take that key ! “The Colonel’s there,” he said breathlessly. “Don’t be too quick in undoing the chain. Give me as long as you can. And I say, Dickson,” he added anxiously, “mum’s the word, you know—if you can.” “Ay! ay! sir,” muttered the old sentinel as he shuffled slowly along. He was very partial to the young man, and not so much so to the Col onel. The Captain passed hurriedly with- Just then the bell of the great gate rang out a long, resounding peal. Tne sentinel clanked the chain noisily as he hooked and unhooked it, fumbled the key in the lock, and made such judicious delays as enabled the offleer on guard to compose him self in attendance at his post, before the heavy doors turned on their hinges to admit the Colonel. “Where is Captain Kendall?’’ he asked, as he alighted, in stentorian tones which vibrated strangely through the silence, with a sort of angry expectant note of triumph. “On guard, sir!” answered the sol dier curtly. “What!” oried the Colonel, in the shrill^ft of accents. He was too utterly taken aback to say another word. The seutlnel adopting his usual stolid demeanor, took no notice of his evi dent astonishment. Captain Kendal heard the inquiry from within, aud came forward. Repressing any in ward tremors he might feel, he re solved to put a bold face ou the mat ter. “Here, sir; do you require me?” he asked coolly. The Colonel stared at him. His face, with its expression of mingled sternness and entire bewilderment, would have been no mean study for a painter. He could hardly believe his eyes. Keenly scrutinizing the younger man, who did not quail before his gaze, he said stiffly, after a pause of some sec onds. “I certainly thought, sir, I saw you at the ball in D street just now l” “Me, sir ?” replied the other auda ciously. “Why, I am on guard, sir.” “It is ?ery singular,” resumed the C flonel, without relaxing his scrutiny and slightly raising his voice. “I could have sworn that 1 saw you there!” “Very singular indeed, sir,” retort ed the delinquent, gaining boldness from the very extremity of the strait to which he found himself reduced, “since a man can’t be in two places at once, and you have found me here, a case of mistaken identity perhaps, sir.” The two men stood still eyeing eaoh other, one keenly eager to detect, the other as eagerly seeking to avoid de tection. The Colonel was completely baffled. The man was there before him—that was certain; but how, hav ing left him, as he felt sure he had done, among the guests at the ball, he came to be there now, was inexplica ble. Not having wings wherewith to fly, how on earth had the fellow got there ? Could he have been mistaken, he wondered for a moment. But no, he knew he had not. He shifted the form of his Interroga tion : “Then you were not at the ball?” he asked very pointedly. The young offleer was worthy of all condemnation for having lorsaken the post of duty. But though he had acted inexcusably, he was still a gen tleman, and he would not pollute his lips with a lie. He hesitated for a reply; then parried the question with another. “How could I be at the ball when you find me here, sir?” he asked. Yes, how; that was the mystery, the simple solution of which was the furthest iu the world from presenting itself to the Colonel’s brain. Ha knew that it was quite impossible for another carriage to have arrived before his own. His coachman had driven quickly enough to satisfy even his impatience, and he could not have failed to notice if another vehicle had proceeded or followed his through the deserted streets. He could not in the least understand it. Silent, but wholly unconvinced, he sat down in the hall to think what it might behoove him to say or do next. While the junior offleer bustled about in a restless fashion, setting refresh ments before him, and awkwardly en deavoring to turn the conversation into another channel. The Colonel answered at random, for his thoughts were perplexing. Mystified, and righteously set on convicting the offender as he doubtless was, he could not help, nevertheless, feeling a perception of the comical side of the question. He felt, too, that however fully persuaded he might be in his own mind of Captain Kendal’s offence, it would perhaps be a difficult matter to prove it. At leugth he cleared his throat porten tously, and returned to the charge: “Look here, Captain Kendal,” he said, in accents whioh somehow had taken a milder sound from the bent of his cogitations, “it is no use beating about the bush; I could stake my existence that I saw you at the ball. But how you come to be here now is another matter, and I don’t pretend to understand how you managed it. You had better make a clean breast of it, and though it would be my duty to take proceedings against you—yet if you will explain, it is possible that I may just for once, considering the peculiar features of the case, be in duced to take a lenient view of a very grave misdemeanor, sir.” Thus encouraged, the culprit, who detected a kindly twinkle in the usually stern gray eye which was fixed upon him, made a full and free confession of his fault, and of the causes whioh led thereto. The Colonel, though well advanced in the vale of years, had not outlived the memory of youthful hopes, and was a kindly man, though a strict disciplinarian. The young lady whose fair Image had lured the lover from his duty, was rather a favorite with him, and considering, as he had said, the peculiar features of the cas he consented to overlook the offen and inflicted no worse punish on the delinquent than a repri which was received in dutiful sil aud with all due contrition, months later the Colonel made eloquent speech at the wedding of two happy young people, on whioh occa sion Captain Brereton acted as best man. Then two sweet blue eyes looked playfully into his, as the pretty bride thanked him, iu a mys terious whisper, for the solitary and memorable occasion when he had couse^ed to overlook an 1 oondone signal breach of discipline.— Bar.