"How came you here?" she said, at last, turn"You were with me in the gar

The night was warm (though in mid-winter), the shutters were folded back, and in this sump-ing upon me. tuous drawing-room stood a bridal-party.

den ?"
"I was.

I followed you. You have made me eager to serve and comfort you."

The bride was of a soft and gentle beauty, very young, fair and tender, blushing timidly beneath her vail and orange-blossoms, and look- "Comfort me! Listen. That house which ing up with mingled bashfulness and love at her we have just left was once mine. There I bridegroom. We had arrived, singularly enough, lived, its proud and idolized mistress. That just as they took their places for the ceremony. young bride is my daughter-my own fair-hairA stout, severe, elderly man, with bushy brows ed Emma. My petted boy-my darling Horace and an obstinate, harsh expression breaking-you saw him, did you not? They clung to through the present suavity of his look, support- me, they were so young. Yes-I left them!" ed this young creature on her left. He was eviShe paused. dently her father or guardian, while as evidently

"I scarcely know your name-but latterly I

I decided that the youth on the bridegroom's have seen that you feel for me that you pity other side was her brother. He glanced sus-me. You are an old man. My heart is breakpiciously, stealthily from time to time at his sis-ing to-night. God help me! I thought it had ter; then nervously watched the motions of the broken long ago. It is years since I have perolder man, and seemed helplessly anxious and mitted myself the luxury of a friendly word. I never speak. When I was a woman, beautiful and admired, men used to worship my wit, and bow down before my sarcastic eloquence. It is one of my penances now to be silent-to permit myself no relaxation from this strict vow. to-night I must speak.

uneasy.

All this I took in at one look; for it has been my pleasure and habit for many a long year to study my fellow-beings, and I have acquired a quickness of perception which grows with what it feeds upon.

My neighbor grasped a drooping branch of the old oak, pressing her weak frame against its strength, and gazing ahead with such painful intensity, such starting eyeballs, that she neither noticed me, nor, I believe, would have turned her look aside even had she perceived me.

The low rustling of rich skirts as the elderly ladies stood up-a soft fluttering of fans and laces as the younger ones settled themselves a faint cough or two-then a breathless silence. "Dearly beloved......

"If any man can show just cause why these may not be lawfully joined together, let him now speak, or else hereafter forever hold his peace."

"I do!" rang out my neighbor's voice, clear and shrill. It resounded throughout that great empty garden-it echoed from the ancient walls -it stunned me for a second.

But

Did He is

"Is she not lovely, my gentle Emma? you see the bridegroom? I know him. cruel, heartless, cold, selfish, unwarmed by a single virtne or even vice. He feels too little to be even wicked. All is calculation. Hard as adamant, unbending as the steadfast rock, he will crush my darling's timid spirit. He will not ill-use her, but she will die from sheer want of sympathy. He will sneer at her girlish feelings, and put down her rising thoughts.

"He is twelve years her senior, and marries her for her father's gold.

"How long is it since I deserted them? My brain wanders to-night"-she put back her tangled hair, and beat upon her knee with her thin hand.

"I was very beautiful-very haughty-I could not brook control; and, in my wrath, meeting each day a will striving to be stronger than my A wild cry-a confused swaying of the crowd own, I grew restive. Life to me was such a -the bride sinking in her bridegroom's arms-weary business. He came-did I love him? a momentary hush, and then some sprang to the open windows, and all was hurry and pursuit.

I seized my neighbor's arm; she struggled, but I dragged her on; and, while eyes were peering into the darkness, and rapid feet were close upon us, we gained the little gate, and were safe. She was quieter now; only her hand was marble cold, and she muttered:

66

I do not know. Was it vanity or passion? a yearning after some powerful interest or a mere outburst of fretted pride? I can not tell now. Then I thought it a love stronger than reason.

"Five years I reigned the tainted queen of dishonoring homage. Who so bright, so grandly towering in the midst of her hollow court?

"One day a new light broke upon me. In 'My darlings-my poor forsaken darlings!" full career-with not a charm impaired-with I led her into the silent park which borders not a wrinkle to warn my cheek that time was that portion of the city, and seated her on a fleeting past-with no tarnish on my lips or brow bench. -in the plenitude of my meridian glory, I turnThe stars twinkled above our heads-restless-ed with disgust from revelry and empty, vicious ly, it appeared to me, and with a feverish, uncertain gleam. There was no calm any where. Did the tumultuous beatings of that sorrowful heart fill the atmosphere, and make even heaven's lights burn fitfully?

It was not noisy-it was not rough; it was a wild, silent, desperate throb.

VOL. XII.-No. 70.-I I

joys.

"It was satiety. It palled upon me. I pined for my children's pure kisses. I hated the train of bold, bad men who worshiped and despised me. I loathed the painted, meretricious women who formed my society. With fearless scorn I bade them farewell. I tore the jewels from

Prayer!" she repeated, scornfully. "Prayer will not give me my children, my lost name, my proud position. Prayer can not heal the bleedMening wounds that make up my heart. Prayer can not prevent what has happened this night-the sacrifice of my Emma. Prayer can not restore to them the blessing of a virtuous and loving mother, nor to me dutiful and happy children. Prayer might save my soul, but can not help them."

the layman as it is suggestive to the careful observer of the harmony that ever prevails between soul and body. And as its outward form, its body and substance, is thus connected with the head, so its inner soul-like nerves are but direct continuations of the two hemispheres of the brain, and make in this character their house a true and faithful symbol of the more or less refined spiritual life of their owner.

mon consent their organ of smell-lies mostly | so beautiful and perfect, and in him finds, as it flat and close upon the jaws; hence the two were, its crown and its highest expression. Curvsenses of taste and smell are rarely very dis-atures of the spine, therefore, and similar detinct and sharply separated in animals. Both fects in the skull, are not unfrequently reproof them are probably intended to guide them induced in the nose, with a fidelity as amazing to the choice of their food, not each for itself, but jointly. Socrates and Cicero thought that smell and taste were given to animals to tell them what food was to be taken and what to be rejected. Even in those apes that most nearly approach to human shape, we miss the separate existence of the sense, and only one, the kaho, has, as it were, a caricature of the human nose in his irresistibly ludicrous face. Where the organ is not thus closely joined and confined to the mouth, it grows out from it in extravagant length, as in the pig, the mouse, and the seal, reaching its extreme in the elephant's trunk, but presenting in all a form equally far removed from that of the human nose.

Hence both the almost unlimited variety of forms which this organ assumes among men, and the apparently undeserved importance which we attach to its shape. Not only the form, however, but also the direction, the outline, and even the coloring of the nose is striking in each case, and ever full of meaning. The infantine nose

Far different is it in man, "made after the image of God." Here the most general of senses, is always small and unmeaning; the brain betouch, is spread over the whole wide surface in hind has not yet begun its wondrous work, and the simplest organ, the skin, that covers his as yet has fashioned no features. Each year, body. Taste is half hid behind the discrete however, adds to its precision of shape; it curtains of the lips, and within the dark recess changes more than either eye or mouth, and of the palate, as if nature were anxious to con- reaches not its full form and permanent outceal the more or less sensual organ, and to keep line until the character also is completely formthe eye of the curious from those secret cham-ed. Hence a child-like nose does not please bers where food is received and changed into us in grown persons, however fashion may proflesh and blood. tect it as a nez retroussé, or the Roxelane nose Smell is the first of the senses that has an out- may charm us in spite, and not on account of ward organ, bold, open, and striking; though it its imperfections. For as a round, highly vaultneed not always be "as the tower of Lebanon ed brow gives to mature age the likeness of which looketh toward Damascus." It is, how-childhood, so, in the fully-developed head, a litever, the first of those three great senses that tle turned-up nose also suggests at once a childrepresent outwardly, in the human counte-ish and imperfect character. This is most striknance, the inner life of the nerves and their ingly felt in the lower races of men, especially mysterious sensations. Hence it is generally the negroes, who are all more or less marked admitted that of all organs of the senses the by the same peculiar feature. Whether this be nose is the most characteristic feature in the so ordained from the beginning, or merely the face of man, and gives it, far beyond eye or result of their hard fate abroad and dark barmouth, its own distinctive expression. Alto- barism at home, is perfectly immaterial to the gether independent of the strongest will and symbolic meaning. Among the higher races it the subtlest cunning, it can not, as our eyes can, occurs, necessarily, oftener among women than laugh with the merry and weep with the mourn- among men, though here, with an otherwise ing. The well-trained courtier, the crafty co- well-developed head, it generally proves most median, and the consummate hypocrite, can attractive, and gives always the expression of fashion the soft, silken lips into all they desire; pleasing, perhaps rather pert naïveté. Without but the nose grows up with the child, and ever such advantages it is a sure sign of insignificanspeaks its mind freely, pointing to the hour on cy, and often of coarseness. the dial of the face with a quickness and an ac- noses among men are rare in the higher races, curacy nowise inferior to the sun's own shadow and, when they occur, seldom fail to indicate from on high. Nothing, therefore, disfigures weakness of mind, or imperfect moral developthe face more than a permanent injury, or the ment. If they are short and thick, we may loss of that organ. We soon learn to forget safely presume a strong sensual disposition. A the harelip, and even the viler sneer of the scof-turned-up nose, with wide-open nostrils, is a fer's mouth; sweet twilight still lingers on the rarely deceiving sign of empty, pompous vanblind man's eloquent countenance, and awakes ity, and mostly belongs to men most truly callwith our sorrow deep pity and tender affection. ed "puffed up," lacking that "charity which But from the face without nose we turn with vaunteth not itself." Not that large nostrils in instinctive horror: the seal of the Maker is no themselves are considered objectionable; so far more seen, and the breath of life itself seems from it, they generally pass as an indication of to have been taken from the wretched sufferer. strength, pride, and courage, as small ones show For we must not forget that the nose is but an fear and weakness. Porta said that "men with extension of that skull which is in man alone open nostrils were rather given to wrath, but

Little, stumpy

Among the higher races a large, fully-developed nose is generally well received, and Napoleon is even said to have invariably been prepossessed in favor of men so endowed. But there is, we all know, no accounting for tastes; and large, powerful nations differ from us altogether. The Chinese have a national fancy for diminutive noses, and the Mongols and Tatars think that nose the fairest that is least seen.

strongest." Nor is this a mere arbitrary notion; for we know that the beautifully winding channels within reproduce there in miniature the great organ of the chest, by which we breathe, as the parts of the mouth are in like manner the reduced image of the digestive organs below. The strong man breathes fully and freely, and opens his nostrils, as his lungs, widely and largely. Even in the noble horse we read good blood and fiery spirit in open nos-They whittle it down to negative beauty, as De trils, with large breathing, and delicate transparent structure.

Quincey quaintly says, until Djengis Khan's Empress became the cynosure of all eyes, havAnother type is the full, well-developed nose. ing no nose but only two holes. Indian tribes The familiar fact that in man, whose respiration | flatten them on purpose; but less authentic is is stronger and more voluminous than that of the account that the Tatars, who are now the woman, the nose should be almost invariably next door neighbors of our English cousins in larger, is full of meaning. A large, strongly the Crimea, break the noses of their infants, marked nose is rare in the fairer sex, and when thinking it, as we are told, "a great piece of found, is a sure sign of masculine temper, or folly to let their noses stand right before their undue development of the less refined sensa-eyes." tions. That in mature age much may be gath- The Jews of the Old Covenant evidently difered from this organ, was not unknown to the fered from these views of beauty, for there we ancients. They collected with care numerous are told that "Whatsoever man he be that hath drawings, and Porta and others compared them a blemish, he shall not approach to offer the with various forms in the animal kingdom. bread of his God: a blind man or a lame, or That the outward form has its latent meaning, he that hath a flat nose." On the other hand, can not be doubted; but we must not forget they were given to strange ways of adorning it that while the whole is given by nature, and with costly ornaments, for they are threatened some may be accident, a part of both form and that "In that day the Lord will take away their expression is commonly the result of the own-rings and nose-jewels ;" and the preacher says, er's mode of life and daily habits. Over-abund-"As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a ant food and intemperance in drinking develop the nose beyond all limits of beauty. Nor is it without its special meaning, no doubt, that wine, whose main effect is upon the brain, should thus change the form of the skull, which, to be sure, we can only see in the most prominent part, the nose, where it accumulates cellular tissues and fills the countless blood-vessels. is but rarely that a nose thus developed, when coupled with a refined mind and high intelligence, gives to the face a sense of comfortable sensuality and cheerful humor, such as we fancy in Falstaff, and see in some of the noblest princes of the church, as painted by Titian or Rubens. On the other hand, we find that great general leanness, the excessive use of snuff, and the frequent touch of the finger in deep meditation, may reduce a nose to a pitiful shadow, and give it most marvelous sharpness. Five-fold is the duty performed by this organ When coupled with pale, prim lips, such a nose of sense. In man, as in "all in whose nostrils is a certain warning against the narrow mind is the breath of life," it serves to test the air we that dwells within, or speaks of melancholy breathe, and aids in the great process of respitemper. In woman, where all sharp bony em-ration. But with man alone it models the voice; inences are commonly covered and softly round-it gathers the superfluous moisture with which ed off with an abundance of flesh and fat, a sharp, sorrow or sympathy fill our eyes; and lastly, as pointed nose reminds us readily of the Witch we have seen, it adds beauty and character to of Endor. Too great regularity is, strangely the human face. enough, even less desirable than an inferior outline. Faces of far-famed beauty, in art or in life, show mostly a nose approaching the Greek ideal, which, perfect as it is in theory, still does not convey to us the feeling we most prize-of a highly-developed mind and vigorous characIt may please the senses, but it can not

ter.
content the heart.

It

fair woman without discretion." Women wear these barbarous rings even now: in the nostrils among some tribes of India, or in the partitionwall, as among the Fellahs of Egypt, where the large, heavy hoop has to be specially raised whenever they wish to engage in kissing or less romantic occupations. Equally barbarous was another nose ornament, known to the Bible: the ring, or rather the hook, put into the nose of captives. The Lord threatens, through his prophet, that he "will put his hook in his nose, and his bridle in his lips;" for this was by no means, as some have imagined, done only with refractory animals, but constantly also with men. Assyrian sculptures, especially, show us again and again prisoners of distinction who are brought before gorgeously-robed monarchs, led by a rope fastened to rings in their lips or noses!

But we must not forget, in speaking of these nobler functions, that our senses are the everopen gates through which the outer world finds admission to the secret temple, on whose vailed and mysterious altars the higher powers of man are enthroned. At these portals stand faithful guardians, who open them wide when welcome guests are without, but who can, with equal

quickness and irresistible force, close the doors | plants mainly invite those for whom kind mothand exclude the bearer of a treacherous gift or er Nature matures them by odor or perfume. a hostile challenge. The eye and the mouth Here the exquisite sense of smell is the foreare thus well defended. Wide open the beautiful runner of taste. Hence its organ is placed close gates of the former when the soul is filled with above the mouth. The eyes perceive substance amazement, or with admiration for the great- and form; smell tests the inner nature and ness or the novelty of an object; or when an chemical composition; and food, thus tried and intangible thought, an overwhelming idea, sud-examined, is at last admitted to the taste. denly opens, as it were, a vista into the far distance, or reveals a precipice at our feet. But how quickly they close, as if lightning had struck the apple of our eye, when a horrible sight, a crushing message surprises the sight! Nor is the nose without its trusty watchman. But as we can not close the gates here, as in eye and mouth, by a mere contraction of muscles, we raise our hand with instinctive rapidity, or we arrest our breath, that the nauseous current may not find entrance into the sensitive chambers. Thus all muscles and nerves that serve us in breathing change their position and show our reluctance; or we raise the upper lip and draw down the corners of the nostrils, thus half closing the entrance-a gesture equally expressive, whether employed to shut out a loathsome odor, or to reject the thought and the man that "stand in bad odor."

Birds have but feeble smell but keen sight, because they are lifted on high by their wings, and can thus choose from far and near. On the other hand, Providence gives to animals that are bound to the soil a feebler sight and more delicate smell. Birds feeding on grain, therefore, judge almost alone by form and by color; a hen does not smell the grain that is offered, but, if it be strange, pushes it aside with bill and foot, and looks at it carefully from all sides. Nor do they ever eat at night. The horse, on the contrary, feeds in the dark as well as in the bright day; but when the oats are poured into the crib he smells with loud breathing, and if the odor displease him, refuses the fairest and plumpest corn. Cats, like all carnivorous animals, possess an exquisite smell because they hunt mostly at night, and are so excessively cautious that even the most tempting morsel is rarely taken from the master's hand, but first placed on the ground, and then carefully examined with the nose.

While by touch we commune with all that is solid, and by taste with substances fit for food, this sense measures with marvelous delicacy all that takes the form of air or vapor. That all St. Pierre remarks that too little attention is the world is but one great whole, is shown in given to the odor of vegetables; still it is strikthis also, that all elements constantly and for-ing, and yet rarely, noticed, that most plants ever try to change their form-the solid into differ only in the shade of their one common fluid or vapor, vapor and fluid again into solid-color, green, but are easily distinguished by deand thus to enter into ever-new bonds of love and friendship. For all these forms our senses are each in its way arranged and prepared, and smell, in particular, tests all those elements which, on their great journey from solid earth, are ever striving to rise heavenward, and fleeing and flying, spread and scatter in the wide, pure ether. Most bodies exposed to the air are constantly sending out atoms so diminutive as to be far beyond the reach of human eyes; yet these may give us a pleasure we could not otherwise derive from such impalpable sources. The fragrance of a rose is not only pleasant in itself, but gives a refreshing stimulus to the whole system. Or they might be injurious to our health, noxious in the highest degree, and yet remain utterly imperceptible but for the aid of that faithful monitor. Thus foul air is first perceived by its smell long ere it enters the lungs, and many poisonous plants warn us from using them by their loathsome odor.

Delicate as these atoms are, the instruments of this sense are still more marvelously delicate. Not that they are equally so in all created beings; for some have more and some fewer nerves for that purpose. The dolphin certainly, the whale possibly, have none at all; and some of the most perfect classes of animals have neither olfactory nerves nor special organs for the sense of smell. With the majority, however, all theory of botany consists in smell, for

cided differences of odor. This the cattle know full well; and to this Isaac referred when he said, "The smell of my son is as the smell of a field the Lord has blessed." Useful to the beasts of the earth, plants become grateful to men. It is their noble vocation, in the great household of nature, to change, by their everactive life-full of silent devotion and unrewarded industry-the mephitic vapors of all that decays into sweet perfume. Their only reward is to be allowed to exhale them, and thus to earn the gratitude of man, entering by such sweet service into the gentle bonds of loving fellowship that bind all parts of nature one to another. Fruits also, when hard, are odorless, because they can remain long without being gathered; but when soft, and liable to spoil, they warn us by strong perfumes to gather them in time.

The sense of smell does not belong to the whole organ, as many fancy, but only to the upper parts and the adjoining cells. The lower passages, through which we breathe the common air, are as insensible to smell as the many little cavities that lie behind and above the eyebrows and farther inward. The whole extent of the cavity of the nostrils is tapestried with wonderful hangings-a skin covered all over with tiny hairs, which by incessant motion produce a never-resting current of air. These moving cilia are planted upon cells so exqui