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them, on a scale beyond anything I ever in her cheeks, and that curious set look about heard of!

her mouth she always has when she is going Our fair lasted a whole week. Poor John to do something that is hard to do, and going didn't have one of his favorite little pud- to do it well. She looked just exactly as she dings for a month. I always do my nice did that night so many years ago, when we cooking myself. Of course the girl had all girls gave the First Regiment of Blanktown she could attend to with Johnnie to look volunteers who left for the war, a silk flag, after, and everything to see to while I was and she made the presentation speech. She away so much on this fair business.

was Mary Noble then, and although we But John is the best man in the world. younger girls didn't know it, was engaged to He never said one complaining word till the Colonel Lesley. very last day, as I sipped my coffee at the Mrs. Gray pretended that she disliked the breakfast table—I was too tired to eat a publicity of this formal presentation. I morsel-he

says, Kitty, is this the last day overheard her telling her most intimate of the fair?"

friend that "it tried her beyond description “Yes said I, “thank Heaven! I believe to have her dear sister so willing to make an another day would kill me."

address before a promiscuous audience. She “Well,” he returned, “I am not quite did not consider it quite womanly.” clear about Johnnie's mother having a right But for the life of me I could not see that to kill herself over a fair. And I shall not it was any more public to make a speech be sorry to have a wife once more, of an than to march around our largest hall, evening, myself.”

dressed in old style, before almost our whole I was so tired and nervous I burst right out town, as we did at the Centennial Tea-Party, crying at that. And John tried to comfort and Mrs. Gray, who was President of the me, bless his heart! He said he didn't mean Ladies' Centennial Committee, led that herto blame me, and was just as good as he self, dressed magnificently as Martha Washalways is when I have been doing and doing ington. Mrs. Lesley would not take part in until I'm all worn out.

that at all. She said it was putting our perI was not the only tired woman in Blank- sonal charms on exhibition, before all sorts town I can tell you! You never saw such a of people, and she was doubtful of its projaded looking set of table-tenders as we priety. I, you see, am not so particular as were that last evening, in your life; and either of them. I am always glad and proud cross-my patience! Even Mrs. Lesley, who to have Mrs. Lesley make a speech, and I is generally too sweet-tempered, and Mrs. enjoyed that Centennial Tea Party to the Gray, who is generally too lady-like, to be last degree. I went as Priscilla, and John outwardly ruffled, spoke to each other in said I looked the sweetest of any woman what I should call rather a snappish manner, there, if I wasn't so dashing and elegant as if they were not of the aristocracy.

Mrs. Gray. But I shall never get this story Mrs. Lesley looked sick, and I was real told. anxious about her. You see we were going We had sold off nearly everything at nine to close with a little public meeting. The o'clock. We made an auction with the leavgentlemen who were to receive our money ings, and they got my John, who is just as were to make speeches, and our President witty as he can be, to sell; and he made a was to make a statement of our work. Of world of fun. course she must not give out till that was At half past nine, Mr. Lesley, who is over, and I insisted on her going home to President of the men's society, of which rest in the afternoon. I thought then that ours is auxiliary, led his wife up to her seat the worst of her weariness came from her on the stage. Of course, we had made the feeling so badly over what seemed to her platform lovely with flowering plants and violation of principle in our fair.

bouquets. Well, she came back with her eyes as Then we had some long, tiresome speeches bright as could be, and two little red spots from the men, full of compliments on our

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energy and management. I was sick of it together of the terribly hard times which before they stopped. For, if I am not very had threatened them with ruin all the past wise, I know when anybody praises me just months, and of how much they had dependfor the sake of what they are going to get! ed on the holiday trade to keep their heads

Well, finally Mrs. Lesley's turn came. She above water this winter. And now, they stepped forward gracefully, and stood at the said, these women, who lived in elegant leifront of the platform. She must have -(I whispered to John, “ That don't looked just like a pink between those high, apply to the Treasurer of the Society, goodgreen, leaf-plants. She is not handsome ness knows !”)— these women, who didn't like her sister-in-law, but she has the sweet- know the value of money any more than est expression!

children, had gotten up this grand fair, I would give anything to be able to repeat They had, the young men said, begged quanher speech, word for word. But, dear me! tities of goods outright of all the dealers, I might just as well undertake to paint a and had got quantities more at wholesale sunset! I can only give you an idea of it. price, and then sold their splendid and varied

She began, “Mr. President”-it was her assortment below what any retail dealer in own husband, you know—“ it now becomes town could afford. “Of course," these my duty to render an account of the efforts young merchants said, bitterly, “ we cannot of the Ladies' Auxiliary in behalf of our compete with fascinating, brilliant women, common and well-beloved cause; and to and bewitching young ladies, who give their deliver into your hands the substantial re- services, and sell lower than we can import. sults of those labors. I had hoped to do The consequence of this fair is that the holthis with pride and joy. But, although the iday trade we counted on for food and clothpecuniary gain of this fair is unprecedented ing for our families and for business security in our town, and the sum of money I am is gone out of sight.” commissioned to present to you is larger * My friends,” said Mrs. Lesley, than I had even dreamed it could be, I dis- President of this Association, and hence charge this crowning obligation of my offi- responsible, I beg your pardon for the injuscial position with shame and distress ! ” tice we have shown you. It was thought

I could hardly believe my ears! I glanced lessness; but I am humiliated that women over at Mrs. Gray, and I never saw such a of mature years should need to plead a look of astonishment as there was on her child's excuse.” face.

Then she went on to say that although it Mrs. Lesley went on, her voice getting would seem at first sight that no such objecfull of tears, though her eyes were as dry tion could be raised against the sale of and bright as her diamonds. She said,-in articles made by the ladies themselves, there substance, you know, as the reporters say,-- was one similar, and nearly as strong. She that the cause of her shame and distress was said she knew two or three women whose her conviction that our fair had been a pos- livelihood was gained by the manufacture itive injury to the morals of our town. She and sale of fancy trifles. “ If,” she went on, said it had trained young, modest girls in “ we sold our goods for prices they could bold importunity of men whom they had make a fair profit on, we should have a never met before; it had cultivated in young right to compete with them. But we beg men that love of games of chance which was the materials from our husbands, give our filling our gambling saloons with the very own work, and then undersell every one in flower of our youth. She said, too, that she the trade who does not have our immense was convinced that she and her co-laborers advantages to start with.” had been treating the regular trades-people Then she spoke of the time and strength unfairly. She had overheard one night a we women had put into this fair ; how some conversation between two young men, who of us had injured our health, and seriously had started in the fancy goods business defrauded our homes of what was due from within the last five years. They had spoken wives and mothers. My conscience smote

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me at that, for I couldn't help thinking how “Gentlemen,” she said, turning and bowI hadn't read aloud to John for three ing to the Executive Committee of men, as months, and had pushed Johnnie one side she handed her husband the package of till he was getting to be real troublesome, money, (it was in a lovely silk case I made and to talk just like my girl. I sat there myself,) “Gentlemen, here is the fruit of with every bone aching and every nerve our labors. That unknown portion which trembling with weariness, and knew that I would have been ours to give if we had had had almost, if not quite, unfitted myself for no fair, but gone about and begged, in a my winter's work for my dear ones by my quiet, dignified way from those able and labor for this fair.

willing to aid our worthy object, I present Well, I can't tell you all she said; but I you with pride, as the result of our honornever heard such an eloquent speech, one so able efforts. That other unknown, and I simple, and sad, and truthful. Her husband fear much larger portion, which we have won never took his eyes from her face. He could through disobedience to both physical and just see her profile from where he sat. moral laws, I present you with shame, as

Before she closed she said that all this the result of our dishonorable labors. I over-work on the part of us women; all this pray you gentlemen, praise us no more ! unfair competition with the regular trade; We are yet your superiors if you can truthall this gambling; all this unwomanly bold- fully commend us for acts which we ourness of appeal ; all these questionable ways selves despise.” of getting money from people who would Well, I tell you, I never heard so still a never contribute to our cause of their own stillness as there was in that hall while that free will — all were justified, and even brave woman was speaking. Even the boys, praised, on the ground of our object being a who had crowded in because we put the good one. It was that sophistry which had admission down low for the last night, kept beguiled us.

as quiet as could be. • But,” she said I remember the very You may imagine there was a sensation, words she closed with—“I acknowledge with though! Some of the women were crying shame unspeakable, the utter folly of such and some were just as angry with Mrs. justification. Can we do clean work with Lesley as they could be. Mrs. Gray had on unclean hands? Can we benefit virtue by her most haughty and disgusted look. I the same process which tears it down ? Can believe she would have left the hall if it we get a grand result from despicable ways hadn't been her own brother's wife, and and means? Oh, my sister women, who she knew he would never forgive her if she are so ready to spend and be spent for did. others' good, let us leave to men the max- But I'll tell you how I felt about it. I ims of worldly-wise policy, and selfish com- thought we were all real mean to sit still passing of good ends! We who have had and let our President take on her own shoulmotherhood to teach us that the little duties ders what she considered so wrong, when and the constant spirit are of more import- she wasn't responsible for it in the least, ance than noisy deeds and occasional ex- and had tried in every way to prevent it. ploits—we should know better! I believe And, if you will believe it, I, who never that it is of greater moral moment to soci- made a speech in my life, and could not if ety that each human being keep his or her my life depended on it,-I just rushed forseparate channels of influence pure and ward in the dead, awful pause that followed noble all the time, than that any great Mrs. Lesley's last words, and I didn't stop 'cause' be aided. Better every benevolent to say “ Ladies and gentlemen,” or public enterprise be retarded in its external President,” or anything; but I broke out growth for lack of money till our children just as if I had been all alone in our parlor take our places, than that we defraud those with John and the canary bird, and said: children of a soul-inheritance of faithfulness “ I'm not going to let our President blame to justice and honor in daily life.”

herself in public for what isn't her fault.

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She has done everything she could all the ladies wouldn't blame themselves too severely way along to make the rest of us do right. for a fault which they were led into by their I know she would have resigned her office zeal for the cause, and which had been so when she saw how things were going, if it frankly confessed. had not seemed unkind to leave us to do Then we had a kind of stiff breaking up. what we had planned for her share. I Mrs. Gray left the very first one; she believe just as she does about the gambling couldn't trust herself to speak to “her dear part, and I don't know but I do all the rest. sister," I know. She will be just as mad But I was more anxious to make money with me, too, I suppose ; but she'll come than to make it in the most just and honest round again before spring, I'm sure. For way. And that's the way with all of us if I am in what she calls “very limited cirexcept Mrs. Lesley. Now we are all through, cumstances," I have some nice little garden I am as much ashamed of some things as parties in summer that she doesn't like to she is. But nobody need blame her for any

miss. thing that has gone wrong!”

Mrs. Lesley came up to me as I was lookYou ought to have heard the cheering as ing up my china dishes, and said with tears I sat down. I was frightened almost into in her eyes : “ Dear Mrs. Busybody, I shall hysterics after I found that I really had never forget it.” spoken in public. John whispered, “ You're Going home John said: “What a magni. a brave little cat!”

ficent woman that Mrs. Lesley is, Kitty! I didn't dare to look at him, for I was But I should think it would be a good deal just as near crying as could be. And I like climbing up Mount Washington all the couldn't help thinking what a spectacle I time to have her for a wife. I'd rather have should make of myself sobbing on the plat- a little Kitty like you for a steady diet.” form till my eyes and nose were red and “Yes,” I said, “ John, I know you would; swollen, and with nothing but my best lace and I am very glad of that. But I feel like pocket-handkerchief! I never could cry as a very insignificant valley beside her.” the heroines of novels do and look in- “ Never mind, Puss; 'Love is of the valteresting all the while. My tears always ley,'” quoted John. make me resemble a boiled lobster.

Tired as I was I had to laugh at that. Well, the end of it all was, Mr. Lesley, For John is so matter-of-fact and prosy whose place it was to respond, and who that I have never been able to make him hadn't known, it seems, what his wife was remember any poem but Tennyson's “Pringoing to say, couldn't get up any kind of a cess;" and the only reason he has kept that speech. He just said he could not help in mind enough to quote from it is because agreeing with the President of the Ladies' I read it to him that summer when he-well, Auxiliary in most of her estimate of the the year before we were married. influences of the fair, but he hoped the

Anna C. Garlin.

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REMINISCENCES OF WASHINGTON ALLSTON.

In 1831–2 I was residing at Cambridge, Of his letters to me I have on my table to pursuing some special studies there, and day one hundred and fifty; the last written finding a kind home in the family of Mr. in the tremulous hand of one who had enRichard Henry Dana, between whom and tered on his ninety-first year. It was through myself--though he was my elder by nearly him that I became acquainted with Mr. Alltwice ten years—a friendship grew up that ston, who had left Boston and came to reside has lasted on unbroken for forty-seven years. in Cambridgeport in 1830soon after his marriage with a sister of Mr. Dana. Not graphic record of the talk of those evenings. far from the house he lived in he had built But I kept no notes or memoranda. himself a painting room fitted to receive the Of the stories he used to tell I remember canvas of his large picture of Belshazzar's only two or three. One of these was his Feast.

“Canada Ghost Story," which I have printMr. Allston at that time was about fifty ed in a disquisition on Dreams, Presentiyears of age; nearly twice as old as myself. ments and Visions in a recent volume of EsBut disparity of years did not prevent our says and Sketches. It is there related subbecoming friends. Not a week went by stantially as I had it from him ; and he himwithout my going to see him; nearly always self told it to so many others besides myself in company with Mr. Dana. We knew his and they undoubtedly again to others, that way of living. It was not a good one for I presume it must be familiar to a good vigorous health and a prolonged old age. many persons. Still it may be agreeable to He took no exercise; neither walked nor some of my present readers if I reproduce rode. He paid no visits and rarely went it here. from home save to church on Sundays, Allston had it from the late Sir George stopping for a little while after service at Beaumont, who received it from Barrington Mr. Dana's. On week days, after breakfast, the artist, who heard it at Boswell's table it was his wont to get into his studio where as told there by a certain General Wyndham seldom any one ever found admittance. (I think that is the name), who some years There all day long he painted and smoked before had been in command of a fortress in until the last gleam of daylight was gone, Canada. He was sitting one day at his dinnerwhen he went home to his dinner. That table with his back towards the door of the over, he set himself to reading or writing ante-room. Sir John Sherbrooke, a friend till deep into night-still smoking his sem- of his, sat at the other end of the table with piternal cigar. He was always, I believe, his face towards the ante-room door. Situnaffectedly glad to see us. I have his im- ting thus Sir John saw a person in a miliage vividly before my mind's eye : his face, tary undress enter and pass up the diningwith its peculiar and I had almost said its room, going towards a bedroom beyond, wonderful benignity of expression, his voice which had no door but the one communiand its tones so singularly mellifluous, cating with the dining-room, and the winand the clearness and simplicity, the floss- dows of which opened upon a perpendicusilk-like delicacy and exquisite unconscious lar descent of seventy feet sheer. General choiceness of his language and style of Wyndham, meantime, from his position expression ;—these things made him one could not see the person until he passed up of the most charming talkers I ever lis- the dining-room so far as to come within tened to. Ah, those nights! No wonder the range of his eye; then he suddenly they were so often protracted far beyond sprang up exclaiming, “My God! there's the “ wicked hour of night” as he was my brother!” Wyndham and his friend wont to call it. Sometimes he would read both followed into the bedroom. No one to us things he had been writing when was in the room! [And the notion of any we went in. Sometimes too he told us sto- exit from it through the window was not to ries about himself and others, and number- be entertained.] A memorandum was made less anecdotes about the great artists, poets of the time of this appearance. Six months and thinkers and men of letters in England afterwards General Wyndham received inthat he lived so much with when there- telligence of the death of his brother in West and Reynolds, Wordsworth, Southey, India. The time of his death was found to Sir George Beaumont, Fuseli, Charles Lamb tally to a moment with that of the appearand Coleridge. He took also a lively inter- ance in Canada. est in the discussion of all subjects of art There is a second part to this story related and literature, and all questions of philoso- by a Scottish lady, a Mrs. Stewart (I think phy and religion. I wish I had a phono was the name), who said she knew Sir John