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THE TRUANT HUSBAND.

'Well, George,' said she, 'I am back in good time. How have you enjoyed yourself?'

'Capitally,' returned the husband. 'I had no idea it was so late. I hope you have enjoyed yourself.'

'Oh, splendidly!' said his wife. 'I had no idea how much enjoyment there was away from home. Home is a dull place

after all-isn't it?'

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'Why,—no,—I can't say that it is,' returned George, carelessly. 'In fact,' he added, 'I rather like it.'

'I am glad of that,' retorted Emma, 'for we shall both enjoy ourselves now. You shall have a nice comfortable week of it.' George winced at this, but he kept his countenance, and determined to stand it out.

On the next evening Emma prepared to go away again. 'I shall be back in good time,' she said.

'Where are you going?' her husband asked.

'O, I can't tell exactly. I may go to several places.'

So George Wilson was left alone again, and he tried to amuse himself as before; but he found it a difficult task. Ever and anon he would cast his eyes upon that empty chair, and the thought would come, 'How pleasant it would be if she were only here!' The clock struck nine, and he began to listen for the step of his wife. Half an hour more slipped by, and he became very nervous and uneasy.

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'I declare,' he muttered to himself, after he had listened for some time in vain, this is too bad. She ought not to stay out so late!' But he happened to remember that he often remained away much later than that, so he concluded that he must make the best of it.

At a quarter to ten Emma came home.

'A little late, am I not?' she said, looking up at the clock. 'But I fell in with some old friends. How have you enjoyed

yourself?'

'First-rate,' returned George, bravely, 'I think home is a capital place.'

'Especially when a man can have it all to himself,' added the wife, with a sidelong glance at her husband. But he made i no reply.

On the next evening Emma prepared to go out as before; but this time she kissed her husband ere she went, and seemed to hesitate.

THE TRUANT HUSBAND.

'Where do you think of going?' George asked, in an undertone.

'I may drop in to see Uncle John,' replied Emma. 'However, you won't be uneasy. You'll know I'm safe.'

'O, certainly,' said her husband; but when left to his own reflections he began to ponder seriously upon the subject thus presented for consideration. He could not read-he could not play-nor enjoy himself in any way, while that chair was empty. In short, he found that home had no real comfort without his wife. The one thing needed to make his home cheerful was not present.

'I declare,' he said to himself, 'I did not think it would be so lonesome. And can it be that she feels as I do, when she is here all alone? It must be so,' he pursued, thoughtfully. "It is just as she says. Before we were married, she was very happy in her childhood's home. Her parents loved her, and her brothers and sisters loved her, and they did all they could to make her comfortable.'

After this he walked up and down the room several timeshe then stopped again, and communed with himself.

'I can't stand this,' said he, 'I should die in a week. If Emma were only here, I think I could amuse myself very well. How lonesome and dreary it is! And only eight o'clock ! I declare I've a mind to walk down as far as Uncle John's, and see if she is there. It would be a relief if I only saw her. I wont go in. She shan't know yet that I hold out so faintly.'

George Wilson took another turn across the room, glanced once more at the clock, and then took his hat and went out. He locked the door after him, and then bent his steps towards Uncle John's. It was a beautiful moonlight night, and the air was keen and bracing. He was walking along, with his eyes

bent upon the pavement, when he heard a light step approaching him. He looked up, and he could not be mistaken-saw his wife. His first impulse was to avoid her, but she had recognised him.

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'George,' said she, in surprise, 'is this you?'

'It is,' was the response.

And you do not pass your evenings at home?'

This is the first time I have been out, Emma, upon my word; and even now I have not been absent from the house

THE TRUANT HUSBAND.

ten minutes. I merely came out to take the fresh air. where are you going?"

But

I am going home, George. Will you go with me?' 'Certainly,' returned her husband. She took his arm, and

they walked home in silence.

When Emma had taken off her things, she sat down in her chair, and looked at the clock.

'You are come home early to-night,' remarked George.

The young wife looked up into her husband's face, and with an expression half smiling and half tearful, she answered, 'I will confess the truth, George; I have given up the experiment. I managed to stand it last evening, but I could not bear it through to-night. When I thought of you being here all alone, I wanted to be with you. It didn't seem right. I haven't enjoyed myself at all. I have no home but this.'

me make my When I left I found that

Say you so?' cried George, moving his chair to his wife's side, and taking one of her hands. Then let confession. I have stood it not a whit better. the house this evening, I could bear it no longer. this was no home for me, while my sweet wife was absent. I thought I would walk down to Uncle John's, and see your face, if possible. I had gazed upon your empty chair till my heart ached.' He kissed her as he spoke, and then added, while she reclined her head upon his arm, ‘I have learned a very good lesson. Your presence here is like the bursting forth of the sun after a storm; and if you love me as I love you—which, of course, I cannot doubt—my presence may afford some sunlight for you. At all events, our next experiment shall be to that effect. I will try and see how much home-comfort we can find while we are both here to enjoy it.'

Emma was too happy to express her joy in words, but she expressed it nevertheless, and in a manner, too, not to be mistaken.

The next evening was spent at home by both husband and wife, and it was a season of much enjoyment. In a short time George began to realise how much comfort was to be found in a quiet and peaceful home; and the longer he enjoyed this comfort, the more plainly did he see and understand the simple truth, that it takes two to make a happy home, and that if the wife is one party, the husband must be the other.

ANECDOTES AND SELECTIONS.

Anecdotes and Selections.

PERFECTION OF THE CREATOR'S WORKS.- Professor Olmstead, of Yale College, in an article illustrating the Divine love of truth as exemplified in the material creation, refers to the revolution of the earth on its axis, in which the period of revolution is invariable, and the motion is absolutely uniform. He states that the extreme accuracy to which clocks and chronometers have of late been brought, is regarded amongst the greatest performances of art. The astronomical clock in the Greenwich observatory varies less than half a second a day; but the earth in its daily revolution has not varied half a second since the creation. Absolutely uniform motion, like that of the earth on its axis, or the passage of light from distant worlds, the practical astronomer has never been able to produce.

WHY ART THOU CAST DOWN ?-Yea, christian, wherefore? Does not each promise still stand up, an unscathed pillar, upon the summit of which shines the pure soft light of heaven? Are not God's strong-winged angels still all—aye, all-ministering spirits to the heirs of salvation ? Does not Jesus still live, and does he not bear your name upon his heart as he maketh intercession? Is he not your sympathizing friend? And does not God reign? Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? Is there not a home of sweet, sinless rest, where the soldiers of the cross shall by and by be crowned? Then why cast down? Right shall yet triumph. Dry up your tears. Look up-up! God reigns. There is enough in these two words for faith to fasten upon, to give a present and permanent victory. Cheer up, and honour God by trusting in him. "Let the children of Zion be joyful in their king."

GOSSIP is the bane of social life; always indicating a small mind; having affinity with petty concerns; often a malicious mind, delighting in traducing others; irreverence for truth, risking the violation of it for the pleasure of telling stories, which may be false, often are known to be so; great lack of honour, saying behind the back of another what would not be said before his face; want of power to converse on nobler subjects, at least lack of interest in them. Generally supposed to belong exclusively to woman, but supposed very incorrectly. Women gossip chiefly about domestic life, love, marriage, servants, entertainments, and a world of mischief they do there, of heart-burnings, heart-tinkerings, and heartbreaking, of broken ties, and alienated affections. But men gossip too; authors, professors, commercial men. Ah! what keen, biting withering gossip they have-what half-untrue, wholly needless. Literary gossip, political gossip-why, the world is half-ruled by gossip-half its miseries are caused by gossip.

THE FIRESIDE.

The Fireside.

A MOTHER'S ADVICE TO HER FATHERLESS DAUGHTER.

YOUNG art thou, my dear Mary, to leave a mother's roof,
And think not that I wish to say one word of harsh reproof;
Ah no! affection bids me speak, and this thou wilt believe,
And my advice at parting with willing heart receive.

Remember, should stern sorrow come, thou hast a heavenly Friend,
The "Father of the fatherless" will still my child defend;
Thou wilt not fail at early morn, and when the light is dim,
To bend thy knees, to raise thine heart, in fervent prayer to Him.

Forget not that He will behold thy every work and way,
And O, my child, His blest commands with humble zeal obey;
For vain it is with bollow words His praises to repeat,

Since He can read the secret thought, and will abhor deceit.

But when within His hallowed courts thou dost with joy appear,
The prayer that comes from unfeigned lips we know that He will hear;
In all the praises offered up, with thankful hearts unite,

For only the true worshipper is precious in His sight.

Pray that His Holy Spirit may dwell within thy heart.

That so from all that grieveth Him thy footsteps may depart;
Though sinful is thy nature, and weakness ever thine,
Thou wilt be safe from every foe if armed with strength divine.

Be neat in thy apparel,-how little do they know,
Who vainly dream that finery can any charm bestow;
Oh no, the love of it will spoil the very fairest face-
And, alas! how often has it led to sorrow and disgrace?

Take thou thy daily lesson from the flowers of the field,
Modest, forgetful of the world, their fragrancy they yield;
Take thou thy daily lesson from the bird that gaily sings,
And in the deepest solitude to heaven its tribute brings.
Learn a lesson of obedience from all that do God's will,
From the noble flowing river to the small unnoticed rill;
From the stars that shine above us through all the dreary night,
And sun that never fails at morn to bring the blessed light.

The Spring in early beauty, the Summer in full bloom,
The Autumn in its ripeness, the winter in its gloom;
All these are but the ministers of His Almighty will,
And like these faithful servants do thou thy part fulfil.

Yes, lovely are the lessons that nature can impart,
But far more precious is God's law engraven on the heart;

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