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our feasts : remember that, and it will preserve the said feasts from sin and folly. It will make us merry and wise : " we shall refrain from saying or doing what would displease Him. Classic story tells of a statue of Jupiter over the eyes of which a spider had spun its web. Our Master is never blind: all things are open and naked before Him. “He knoweth the way that I take :” may that be such a “way" as shall lead us confidently to say, “ When I am tried, I shall come forth as gold."

Levi's feast was turned to good account. Most adroitly and skilfully did the Divine Guest accomplish this. Without any straining, He made the visible a type of the invisible, and the earthly a symbol of the heavenly. Mark some instances of it. Dress forms no inconspicuous feature in a party : taste and fashion are displayed in the raiment worn on such occasions. And what did Christ say ? “No man patteth a piece of a new garment upon an old.” At Matthew's entertainment there doubtless was wine, and this was pressed into the service of instruction : “And no man putteth new wine into old bottles.” Moreover, just before the feast Jesus had healed the sick of the palsy, and now He makes disease and its care an exposition of man's state and His aid : “ They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.”.

We may do the same. With real advantage we may occasionally moralise to ourselves at our social gatherings. For example, feasts teach us the bounty of God. He “giveth us all things richly to enjoy." Alexander the Great said that he owed as much to his instructor, Aristotle, as to Philip, his father, because, while one gave him being, the other gave him well-being. Transferring this into a far higher region, we may fitly say that God gives us both: being and well-being alike come from Him. What varied benefits do we enjoy at the present period : physical blessings, appetite and its bountiful supply; social blessings, the affection of and communion with kindred and friends ; spiritual blessings, for who can forget the babe whose birth we celebrate and the song which prognosticates "peace on earth, goodwill to men”? Feasts also remind us of life's incompleteness. We speak of "family circles,” but how often is the term a misnomer! Few families have an actual “circle;' it is broken and imperfect. They are like the rainbow, blended attractions but only an arc. Soon are they invaded; the vicissitudes of this mortal state speedily diminish them. Does not this Christmas remind many people of previous ones, when beloved friends were present who are now gone? And such is life. “Unfinished " has to be written on so large a number of things. Not very long ago John Forster published the first volume of his “ Life of Dean Swift." No one will ever read volume the second, for its author died before it was ended. The same author produced the biography of Charles Dickens, who, in his turn, was taken away ere his final romance had reached its climax. “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” is destined to remain a mystery. The lamented Dickens bad

been the enlogist of Thackeray, who, only a few days before his death, showed his friend and comrade in letters the manuscript of a work but partly accomplished.

“Labour with what zeal we will,

Something still remains undone;
Something unaccomplished still

Waits the rising of the sun.” But let us recollect that there is another and brighter aspect in which to regard the losses of which we have been speaking. They are not purposeless. Do they not, for instance, tend to make us less tenacious of life? Have they not a kindly mission to accomplish in rendering us more reconciled to our mortal destiny ? “Earth's children cleave to earth.” “ All that a man hath will be give for his life.” Few of us are as willing to take our departure over the dark river as we should be. And what lessens this repugnance ? One thing that does it is this—the enriching of the other world at the expense of the present. Bereavement does it. Yonder is a family about to emigrate, and it costs them many a bitter pang to leave their fatherland. But they are rendered less unwilling to go abroad because part of the household is there already. As much may be said of death. To thousands the invisible state is vastly more attractive today than it was twelve months ago, and why? Because companions and kindred have been removed thither. When Christian set out on his pilgrimage to the celestial city, his wife and children opposed him and refused to accompany him; but when he was fairly away, and mayhap they had beard fine news of his reception, they wanted to join him and they began their journey also. In this, as in almost every other particular, Bunyan was true to experience. Robert Southey, who had his full share of sorrow, says: “This world is everything to us till we suffer some severe loss, and every such loss is & transfer of so much of our heart and hopes to the next; and they who live long enough to see most of their friends go before them, feel that they have more to recover by death than to lose by it."

Not to linger longer on our theme the pleasant meetings of Christmas may well remind us of another feastthe feast prepared on high. We read of the marriage supper of the Lamb: we are told of a Father's house in which there are many mansions, and in whose mansions we may be sure that there is the best of fare, the choicest of companions, and the merriest of all greetings. Good reader, get ready for that! Don't miss the eternal banquet! - Blessed is he that shall eat meat in the kingdom of God.”

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• THE CRANBERRY SWAMP. “Of course,” said young Doctor “Good-bye!” said Doctor DedDedling, “a man has his own for-ling. tune to look to.

"Good-bye!” responded Judith. “Of course,” said Judith Gray, The next moment she was alone and as she spoke the words a cold with the logs, and the cricket chill seemed to creep, like slowly chirping on the hearth, and the congealing ice, around her whole strange, weird shadows that came heart.

and went on the wainscotted walls. "If you had consulted me as to It was just a month to-night your affairs,” went on the young since they had buried old Miles man, “ instead of taking this very Gray out of sight. Little Judith, extraordinary step, entirely without who had worn herself out by taking advice or counsel - "

care of him, had dropped a few “Yes, I know," hurriedly inter- sincere tears on the cheap coffin posed Judith; “but it's over and that encased his remains, but no past now, so perhaps we had better one else had seemed to grieve. not talk about it."

Mrs. Pytchley, her eldest sister, The red winter sunset was blaz- who was married to a city grocer, ing with sullen fire above the had boldly declared that it was cedar copse in the west; the leaf- high time the old man took himless woods held up their black arms self off the stage of this world, in a sort of wrestling agony toward and had made no secret of her the sky, as the bleak wind tossed disappointment when it was disthem to and fro ; and a solitary covered that two hundred pounds raven uttered his ominous croak in in gold pieces represented all his the woods at the back of the house. hoarded wealth, with the exception

Doctor Dedling shuddered as he of the cranberry swamp, upon looked around him, and glanced whose dreary verge stood the house; out toward the dreary swamp that and this property, by the terms of extended toward the east.

the will, was to be divided between " Such a place," said he, “ for a his two nieces, Judith Gray and woman to select to live in." Maria Pytchley, as they themselves

“It isn't very cheerful,” said might agree. Judith; "but I've lived here all “I'll take the ready money," my life, you know.”

said Mrs. Pytchley, hastily. “What “The more reason for wanting to could I do with three or four miles get out of it now," said the doctor, of cranberry swamp ? " impatiently.

" Or what could Judith do with Judith was silent. She looked at it, either ? " said Hobart Pytchley, the blazing logs on the old-fashioned who sat whittling a pine stick beside hearth, and tried to keep back the the fire. fast-rising tears.

“I dare say she could manage Doctor Dedling rose and took his very nicely,” said Maria. “I've hat.

heard Uncle Miles say that he has “ Then I am to consider that our sold twelve pounds' worth of cranengagement is quite at an end?” berries one year out of the swamp."

* Yes,” said Judith, in a low "Humph!”gruntedMr. Pytchley. tone.

"And that's legal interest on " I shall always wish you well,” more than two hundred pounds, said the doctor affably.

you know," added his wife. “What “I thank you !” said Judith, do you say, Judith ?"

“It makes no difference to me,” | the village, and as he passed the brilsaid Judith quietly.

lant windows of the little hostelry " It does to me, then!” said Mrs. he paused, remembering the bitter Pytchley. “Because, as you know cold of the wintry air, the frosty very well, Hobart's business is in influence of the breeze, the city, and we could do nothing “I may as well go in and warm at all with the swampy land, down myself," he thought. here in the backwoods."

Mine host met him with a cheery So Mrs. Pytchley had taken the air. lion's share of the old man's be “Walk in, doctor — walk in!” quest, and gone back to her city said he. “Not that room,” as home; and young Doctor Dedling, Dedling mechanically laid his hand who had confidently calculated on upon the door-knob of the apart. at least two hundred pounds to ment he usually entered. “The buy instruments and fit up an railway committee is a-sitting office in the village adjoining-two there. This way, please !" hundred pounds as the dowry of " The railway committee ? " his bride-elect-broke his engage- echoed Dedling. " What railway ment in a fit of pique that Judith committee ?" You don't mean should have so deliberately flung that they're actually taking any her fortune away.

steps about that old idea of a rail"A set of harpies !" cried he, way between here and Glassville ?" with disgust.

“Yes, I do," said the landlord. “Stop, Doctor Dedling!” said " It's a committee of rich capitalists Judithi, colouring up. “You forget as are building factories close to that you are speaking of my sister the falls; and they mean to put up and her husband.”

rows of houses all along and lay ." But they have no business to down a line of rails; and don't say impose on you thus !” exclaimed I mentioned it, doctor, because I the doctor.

only caught a snatch here and there, "I agreed to the plan without when I was carrying in the plates, remonstrance."

and setting on the fruits and nuts Doctor Dedling shrugged his and wine. But it's to go right shoulders.'

through old Miles Gray's cranberry *** In that,” said he sharply, “ you swamp, the new railroad is! And show lack of common sense! If the chairman of the committee is you have no regard for yourself, goin' to offer Miss Judith five you might have had some for me!” thousand pounds in good, clean,

.“ Was it for money you wanted hard money for her share of it!" me?" demanded Judith, stung to Doctor Dedling stared. the quick, .

“Five -- thousand -- pounds! ". Doctor Dedling coloured and repeated he slowly. hesitated.

Could it really be a fact? If so, “ A man must take monetary and there seemed very little reason matters into consideration," said for doubting it, what a fatal mis.

take had he made in rejecting a And so it came about that the bride who could bring the rich por, engagement was cancelled, and tion of a “cranberry swamp" as her Judith Gray was sitting there wedded dower! If he had known alone in the wintry twilight, with this half an hour-one little halfclasped hands and head drooped hour-ago! low upon her breast. .

“Don't fret about him, Judith, Doctor Dedling plodded home to I dear; he isn't worth it !" urged

be. .

honest Marmaduke Redfield, who was free from a visitation commonly had stopped on his way to the post-known as the “ heaves." office to bring a message to his “There ain't nobody sick here,” mother. “ He was always a pre- said Julius, the hired man, who was tentional sort of fellow, all for out- splitting wood at the side of the ward show, with a heart like a house, as he eyed the doctor rather stone, and a nature as shallow as suspiciously. Deacon Doler's brook!”

1 "No, I know it, said the doctor : Judith looked up at the clumsy, “but I've called to see Miss Gray.” good-hearted, hard-handed farmer, “Miss Gray ain't noways ailin' and wondered that she had never as I know of," persisted Julius, feelbefore noticed what a true face, and ing at the edge of his axe, and still what clear frank eyes he had. staring hard at the medical repre

“Forget him, Judith !” pleaded sentative of Glassville. Redfield; and she began seriously “I have called,” said Doctor to think that she would at least Dedling, with dignity, "as a friend." make the trial. “Come over to "Oh!” said Julius. our house, and stay with mother. 66 Will you be kind enough to It's too bleak and lonesome for let me in ? " persisted the doctor. you here for the present, at least. «"Tain't no use,” said Julius, Spring will be here time enough for rolling a prodigious pine knot down you to go back to the cranberry from the pile, and preparing him. swamp."

self for a stupendous effort; “there Judith Gray looked around at ain't nobody at home.” the solitary room, and thought of “Nobody at home?" echoed the Mrs. Redfield's big cosy kitchen, doctor, with its bright-coloured rag carpet, “ They've all gone to church," its windows lined with blooming explained Julius. geraniums, and its shrill - voiced 5 To church, man? Why, it's canary bird hanging over the work only Tuesday.” table.

6 Who said it wa’n’t ? ” retorted “Do you think," she hesitated, Julius, They ain't gone to hear “that your mother would be will service -- they is gone to be ing to be troubled with such a married !” visitor as me?"

“Who ?” demanded the doctor. Duke Redfield's face grew “ Our Marmaduke and Miss radiant.

Judith! " “ Only try her,” said he. “Dear And down came the axe upon Judith, you'd be as welcome as the pine knot, with a crash that flowers in May!”

made the man of medicine start And the next day Mrs. Redfield back. came over in the old farm carryall The new railroad was duly conto claim her guest, and the Swamp structed, directly across the boggy House was left to its own dreary depth of Miles Gray's cranberry desolation and the driving snows of swamp,and the five thousand pounds January

was placed to Mrs. Marmaduke Scarcely three weeks had elapsed Redfield's account in the nearest when young Dootor Dedling came bank; and Mrs. Pytchley thinks to the Redfield farm in his own that she has made a mistake in gig, with the old roan horse, that taking the gold sovereigns instead really made quite a good appear of the cranberry swamp-but young ance when you didn't hurry, and Doctor Dedling thinks his mistake the road was tolerably good, and he was greater still.

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