Page images
PDF
EPUB
[merged small][graphic][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed]

BUTLER & TANNER,.

THE SELWOOD PRINTING WORK

FROME, AND LONDON.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]
[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][graphic]
[graphic]

"MY DEAR LITTLE FAN,-Your uncle
Claud has quite made up his mind to carry
me off to the seaside for a month, as a
punishment for my pale looks. He has to
go shortly to Paris on business. Of course,
I cannot be left alone, so I write to ask you
if you can be spared to come to me. I do
not want to be selfish in the matter, and if
Helen will come with you, my pleasure will
be doubled, and her loss will not be so
WAYSF PLEASANTNESS.great; for I suppose, as usual, that you are
both greatly enjoying each other's society.
One word, little Fan-you must write by
return of post; as if you cannot arrange to
leave, I must make other plans. I want to
start next Tuesday; you could come here
the day before, and we could all go on to
Hastings the following day. Helen will, I
hope, forgive my not writing her a separate
letter. With just as much love as is good
for you,-Your loving aunt and godmother,
"FANNY TRAFFORD."

By MRS. G. S. REAN?, Author of "Waking and
Working,"
""Blessingnd Blessed," "Sunbeam
Willie,"
," "Sunshe Jenny," etc., etc.

CHATER I.

"But heard ar the voices,

Heard are he sages, The works ad the ages Choose we: your choice is Brief and ye endless." SHE sat by the oen window, her head resting upon her hand, her eyes bent upon the ground. She had sat thus for at least an hour. Wthout, all was calm and beautiful in the solemn hush of a September afternoon; but within Helen Lenton's heart there was tumult and unrest. She was beginning to discover that the pleasures and joys of earth are but broken cisterns; they cannot satisfy. She knew not where to turn for true and lasting peace. But already her heart-yearning was the earnest of brighter days not far distant.

"If what Annie Graham said, be true, my life is a failure! Argue it out as I will, I shall never be able to make wrong come right. If it be wrong-but that is the question!"

*

"Helen, dear, I have found you at last! I have been hunting the house through for the last two minutes and three-quarters, to keep within the limits of the truth." And Fanny Galton, a bright-faced girl of sixteen

Helen's face lighted up as she read the
letter. Fanny watched her with one eye
half opened; then, unable any longer to
her delight, she gave a little shout
suppress
of joy, jumped up, threw her arms round
Helen's neck, and for a moment almost
suffocated her cousin with her kisses.

Helen was much quieter, but quite as
She was only
joyful about the matter.
eighteen, and delighted in the seaside life
whenever it was her good fortune to have
an opportunity of enjoying it. She ran off
eagerly to ask her mother "if it might be,"
closely followed by Fanny, who said there
could be no "if's," for it positively and
truly "must be."

Mrs. Lenton saw no objection, and Dr.
Lenton, when he came home to tea, thought
it was an excellent plan. He had noticed
Helen's thoughtful face of late, and had
wondered whether she would not be the
better for a change. Girls of her age were

apt to think too much sometimes; this would be just what was wanted. And Helen? Alone in her own room that night she took down her little Bible from the shelf, and sought the text, "I set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life."

"Why will Annie Graham always quote that verse to me?" she mused. "Life and death-blessing and cursing, and it is for us to choose! Well, suppose we choose neither, but just drift any way? But there, Annie will have it that not to be definite in our choice of life and blessing means death and cursing; we cannot be, she says, between the two. Well, I am sure I do not choose death, but still, I am sure I have not chosen life!"

Helen fell on her knees, but she could not pray. Her thoughts wandered off to Hastings, to the parade, and the pretty walks and drives.

In a few minutes Helen was fast asleep in her bed, dreaming of Annie Graham, and fancying herself on the Castle Hill at Hastings, deciding some very difficult question. She awoke in the morning unrefreshed, and the first distinct thoughts which came to her mind were those words of Goethe's

"Choose well: your choice is
Brief and yet endless."

"Jesus! seek Thy wandering sheep,
Bring me back, and lead, and keep;
Take on Thee mine every care,

Bear me on Thy bosom, bear."
FANNY and Mrs. Trafford were sitting
on the beach nearly opposite Warrior
Square, sheltered from the wind by a boat,
which an old sailor had turned sideways.
Helen was sitting a little apart, an open
book on her lap, but she was gazing wist-
fully at the sea as it rolled in gentle waves
a few yards from her feet.

By and by, the old sailor, who had shown so much kind attention to "the invalid lady and her merry Miss daughter," (as he persisted in calling Mrs. Trafford and Fanny), came up to Helen and said respectfully, You're not over fond of the sea, Miss, or maybe you would enjoy a gentle row this morning.

66

[ocr errors]

Helen smiled at old Sam, as she shook her head. Then she said quietly

"I love the sea to look at it, and listen to it, and to talk to it sometimes; but I do not care to go upon it. You sailors who live by the sea, and by what you get on, or out of it, cannot understand what it means to us who only come sometimes within sight and sound of it. Now tell me, Sam, what the sea means to you?" and Helen looked up inquiringly into the old sailor's face.

Sam smiled-at least the corners of his mouth smiled-then he said slowly, folding his arms and standing very erect

"At one time of life, the sea meant pounds, shillings, and pence to me, this and nothing more nor less; but that time is a time which belongs to bygones. The sea means something vastly different to me to-day. But then you see I've changed my eyes since those days."

66

'Changed your eyes?" said Helen, astonished; old Sam amused her by his

« PreviousContinue »