"my child, let us return to it with grateful hearts, but with resignation to God's will under all circumstances. Let us not attach ourselves too much again to home, but be ready to give it up, and more, if called upon to do so."

They reached the house and found Jerome had just awoke from a quiet sleep, during which time patient Kitty had watched every breath. He awoke feeling quite natural, and like himself again, and was so free from pain that he could not realize that he had been suffering several weeks from a nervous fever. They waited till morning to break the good news to him, and then it was done so carefully that Jerome bore it very well. He raised his hands to Heaven and thanked God from his inmost heart, begging that their trials might make them more worthy of His favors.

CHAPTER V.

Two years after the incidents related at the close of the foregoing chapter, one morning before one of our largest churches in the lower part of the city, a long row of carriages were seen waiting for a wedding party in the church.

The bride, it was said, looked beautifully; her pearls, (a beautiful set,) pure as herself, were pre

sented by the groom, who looked to be the happiest man then living. She was dressed in exquisite taste, and nearly covered by a full veil of blonde, fastened in her hair with a wreath of white orange buds and blossoms. She seemed lost in devotion while at the altar, and looked more like an angel of heaven than a creature of earth. The ceremony performed, friends came up to congratulate the happy pair, and first came the mother of Mary, who had given her up cheerfully to Albert, as one worthy of the choice he had made; and his mother and sisters came, and "Aunt Bashy" came, and clasped Mary in her arms. "God bless you, child!" said the good woman; and others came, and then the company dispersed, and in dispersing all praised the beauty of the bride and groom. Who is that handsome groomsman ? Do you not remember Philip? He has returned from a long voyage, and has bitterly repented his folly, for which we can all forgive him. He is talking to Annette, who does not seem displeased, and I heard in the crowd a whisper that "one wedding would soon bring on another."

Susan and Jerome have left the village during the winter months, and reside in the upper part of the city, to be near their darling Mary, who has the most comfortable home your imagination can possibly picture. Philip is very often at Aunt Ba

shy's mansion, and seems very fond of her; but people have been queer enough to suspect that Annette is the attraction.

The little "nest" is still sheltered in the green wood, and its inmates during the summer are as happy again as before their spirits were tried by affliction. Susan's and Jerome's family are now nearly grown, and the sun of their married life and of their old age is likely to set in a cloudless sky. God grant it may.

UNCLE BEN.

PORTRAIT NO. V.

RINGOLD HOPKINS.

WHILE seated in his dark, dusty, uncomfortable back office in Wall street, the bright thought came to the mind of Ringold Hopkins that it was very foolish in him to be such a lone, wretched wanderer as he was, dropping in here and there to pick up the crumbs of comfort that fell from his neighbor's table, and spending hundreds of dollars to buy the good-will of their little rosy cherubs, that were nothing to him after all. It was very foolish; he wondered he'd never thought of it before seriously! Why not have a home and cherubs of his own? To be sure he might; why not? Hopkins cast a glance at his figure, and drew himself up with complacency. I know I'm not young, but then I've money; plenty of money; and that will buy what beauty and youth could not. Thus thought Ringold, as he sat looking intently upon a large ledger that was open before him. The clerks one