‘TIS Morn:–the sea breeze seems to bring Joy, health, and freshness on its wing; Bright flowers, to me all strange and new, Are glittering in the early dew, And perfumes rise from every grove, As incense to the clouds that move Like spirits o’er yon welkin clear,– But I am sad–thou are not here! ‘Tis […]

IN the truest sense of the word, woman was created to be man’s comforter, a joyous helpmate in hours of sunshine, a soother, when the clouds darken and the tempests howl around his head; then, indeed, we perceive the divinely beautiful arrangement which marriage enforces. Man in his wisdom, his rare mental endowments, is little […]

OH, sister, darling, though I smile, the tears are in my heart, And I will strive to keep them there, or hide them if they start; I know you’ve seen our mother’s glance ofttimes so full of woe, The grief-sob rises to the lips that bid her first-born go. It is not that she doubts […]

“WE shall certainly be very happy together!” said Louise to her aunt on the evening before her marriage, and her cheeks glowed with a deeper red, and her eyes shone with delight. When a bride says we, it may easily be guessed whom of all persons in the world she means thereby. “I do not […]

ROSA LEE was dressed in her bridal garments, and as she knelt in all the bloom of her maidenly beauty, angels must have rejoiced over her; for the spirit of the maiden was in a heaven of love, and she knelt in the fulness of her joy, to pour out her gratitude to the Heavenly […]

A hot and sultry summer had passed away, and autumn was verging on toward its cooler months, with their long and quiet evenings. Occasionally a colder day than usual made a fire in the grate necessary and drew closer together the happy family of Mr. Barton in their evening circle. It was pleasant to all, […]

“In trouble again, I find! Ah, Flora! That restless little tongue of yours is a sad transgressor. Why will you not learn to be more careful? Why do you not place a guard upon your lips, as well as upon your actions?” “So I do, aunt, when I think myself in the company of tattlers […]

“Why, Lizzy, dear!” exclaimed Uncle Thomas, to his pretty niece, Miss Walton, as she stepped upon the pavement from her mother’s dwelling, one morning in midwinter–“You are not going in this trim?” “In what trim?” said Lizzy, glancing first at her gloves, then upon her dress, and then placing her hand upon her neck and […]

“I don’t like Mr. Monto at all,” said Mr. Jones. “Nor I,” replied Mrs. Mayberry. “Take him for better or worse,” added Mr. Lee, “and I think he is the strangest and most inconsistent man I ever saw.” “Inconsistent!” resumed Mr. Jones. “He is worse than inconsistent. Inconsistencies may be pardoned, as constitutional defects and […]

Mr. Herriot was sitting in his office, one day, when a lad entered, and handed him a small slip of paper. It was a bill for five dollars, due to his shoemaker, a poor man who lived in the next square. “Tell Mr. Grant that I will settle this soon. It isn’t just convenient to-day.” […]

“I wouldn’t give much for his chance of heaven!” was the remark of a man, whose coarse, well-worn garments contrasted strongly with the dark, rich broadcloth of the person to whom he referred. In the tones of the individual who uttered this sentence was a clearly apparent satisfaction at the thought of his rich neighbour’s […]

“Dick!” “Sir.” “I want a young mocking-bird. Can’t you get me one?” “I d’no, sir.” “Don’t you think you could try?” “I d’no, sir. P’r’aps I might.” “Well, see if you can’t. I’ll give you half a dollar for one.” “Will you? Then I’ll try.” And off Dick started for the woods, without stopping for […]

“What troubles you, William?” said Mrs. Aiken, speaking in a tone of kind concern to her husband, who sat silent and moody, with his eyes now fixed upon the floor, and now following the forms of his plainly-clad children as they sported, full of health and spirits, about the room. It was evening, and Mr. […]