M

LIGHTS AND SHADES.

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hour which they spent together, after their long, sad separation, others were not made gloomy by their lack of cheerfulness, or burdened with their grief. They wisely sought the sunny side, rather than the shade in their way of life.

"It looks like you were going to whitewash, Ellen," Jacob remarked,

ANY annoyances and some delays occurred to the company of emigrating Saints, in which Jacob Howe and Edward Grange were teamsters, while traveling across the plains from "the Bluffs" to Utah. Autumn winds and cold storms were in operation | glancing about the room as they sat at when the young men reached their homes in F., but they found warm hearts awaiting them, and appreciated the good, substantial hot meal which had been prepared for their reception at Sister Ellen's house.

Chloe was there, and first to greet the tired travelers, with her brightly beaming face and with cheery, restful words of welcome. But Gwyn's heart was too full, because of her empty arms, to admit of her meeting the father of her departed lamb in the presence of others. As soon as Jacob had received his mother's welcome, and he and his sister had warmly embraced and kissed each other, she led him to her bedroom door, which he entered and found himself alone with Gwyn.

Ellen softly closed the door, and we will not intrude upon the young husband and wife in their reclusion. Such interviews are too sacred for public criticism or observation.

dinner.

"Not this fall," answered Mrs. Hillon. "It is not for that purpose that all our things are taken down and the house so empty."

"Don't you know, boys," asked Brother Hillon, "that this reception of yours is our farewell dinner in F-?"

Both Jacob and Edward expressed surprise at this announcement from Walter, although they had heard of his being called to remove south; they had no thought that the removal was to take place so soon.

Two days later found Walter Hillon and his family bidding adieu to their old home and friends, and starting on their southern journey. It was late in the season for such a move, but through the blessings of God and their own frugal industry they were well prepared for the trip, and were not likely to suffer any great inconvenience from it.

"If you were only going with me, mother," Ellen said, at the last staying to kiss her mother yet again.

"Yes, my daughter," Mrs. Howe answered, "if we could always have our loved ones near us we should not find many trials in life worth naming."

The fact that other people have suffered, or that others do suffer, does not render the pangs of a wounded, sorrowing heart less severe. The shades which gathered now over the blended lives of Jacob and Gwyn seemed to them as dark as if the death of their child had been the first ever chronicled in the world's great history, or in angel records. But they were both brave and hopeful; and after the first | little ones, while some of the older

And Willie, who had now grown such a large, manly boy, that he was going to drive team for his mother and the

children would ride in the other wagon
with their father, put his head out at
the front, and quoted to his mother
and [grandmother a rhyme he had
learned:

"If the way of life were only,
Always bright and never lonely,
Always light, without a shade,
Who would ever be afraid?
Ah! who then could write his name,
In the hero's book of fame?"

"Come, mother," he continued, "father is getting away ahead of us. Good bye, grandma; I'll come and take you to our new home for a visit, when we get it made comfortable."

Mr. Lee, Chloe's father, being a large-hearted man, had aided the Hillons materially in getting their comfortable fit out, by purchasing the home they were leaving for his daughter. For although both he and his

wife still felt dissatisfied with the mar

riage which would soon take place between their daughter and Edward Grange, they had given consent to it, and had wisely concluded to do all they could for Chloe's happiness, the same as they did for their other children.

Christmas found the young couple newly wedded and cosily settled in the home which Walter and Ellen had vacated, and which would be their own when Edward should have paid his father-in-law for it. And that would not apparently be long, for the young man was a strong and able workman, and a careful financier; and Chloe was as willing and'ambitious to do her part

as he could wish her to be.'

mas, Gwyn?" Chloe asked, as they watched several other ladies who were making purchases of toys and sweetmeats, such as were to be had in those times, and chattering gaily over the strange, bright sayings which would be heard from their children, when this and that article would be discovered in the early Christmas morning.

"Not anything," Gwyn answered sorrowfully. "I don't know why I came down here, only Jacob thought I should be interested in the new goods. I have knitted him a pair of gloves and made a case for him to lay them in, so they need not be tossed on to when he comes in, and he is the only the mantlepiece or down in the corner one I have to make a present to."

There was such a touch of sadness in Gwyn's voice, that Chloe's sympathetic heart was moved, and in spite of the around her little friend and drew her gaiety around them, she put her arm close to her side, whispering gently some soothing, comforting words.

"Maybe this is what you came for, Sister Gwyn," said Ikey Smith, the the mail, holding up a letter addressed bishop's brother, who was sorting over to Jacob Howe.

"Yes, it must be so," said Gwyn, brightening up a little as the letter was passed to her. "It is from Walter

and Ellen. I'll go right home with it and learn how they are."

It was Saturday evening; the follow ing Monday would be Christmas. Gwyn and Chloe stood together in one of the public buildings of F-, a combined store and postoffice.

How much real good a letter sometimes does one whose heart is overburdened with a sorrow it cannot forthat so small a matter as writing a get nor get away from! Why is it letter is so often deferred by friends who would not hesitate to undertake the most arduous task for the sake of "What are going to get for Christ- | and anxiously for that small token of the dear one who watches longingly

Savior had not brought about the resurrection, and our redemption, through that greatest of all sacrifices, we might never hope to behold again that beauteous form of our buried baby, the dear faces of my parents or any of our loved ones who have passed away; and you and I would be nothing to each other after we are dead."

Jacob's reply was interrupted by a knock at the door.

He arose and opened it, and one of Bishop Smith's little girls stood on the step.

She was shy and declined the invitation to walk in and sit down; but glancing past Jacob to Gwyn, she said very softly,

"Please, Sister Gwyn, if you and Brother Howe are not going away from home on Christmas, nor expecting company, mother would be glad to have you spend the day and evening at our house."

This pleasant invitation was gratefully accepted by the childless, young parents, who felt it was in consideration of their lonely condition that it came.

The little girl received their thanks with a smile and darted away.

we can again claim our little dead darling when we go where he is."

Then Gwyn prepared supper while Jacob chopped and brought in wood and kindling to last over Sunday and Christmas. And after supper she cleared off the table and washed the dishes, while he fed and milked the

cow.

"What are you doing now, Gwyn? What do you want nails pounded there for?" Jacob asked, good naturedly, as he came in with the milk and found his wife driving a nail into the wall under the little kitchen shelf where they kept their clothes-brush and box for toilet soap.

"I'm going to hang my kitchen apron here," answered the little wife. "Don't you like the small rack I made you for such articles?" Jacob inquired, taking the hammer from Gwyn to finish driving the nail.

"Yes," answered Gwyn, "I like it very much; it's as handy as anything can be; but I thought I would have a nail here and hang my apron on it, just to see how it would be."

"All right," said Jacob, striking the nail gently but steadily, and giving it a firm fastening in the log; but although he said nothing more aloud, he reasoned mentally,

"What strange notions women do have! You couldn't provide one with shelves and racks and cupboards and brackets enough, so but that she would want nails driven into the house somewhere for some purpose."

"Before we go about the chores, Gwyn," Jacob remarked as he closed the door, "I want to tell you how much I feel to thank you and the Bishop for leading me to do right on that first day of our love and betrothal. Had you tamely yielded to my persuasions, we would have been married by the Bishop, and we know not what circumstances inight have transpired to prevent our going to the city and being properly united afterwards. And unless we had been sealed by one hold ing the authority 'to seal on earth and At the breakfast table Gwyn found it shall be sealed in heaven,' we could a new hymn book slipped under her not now feel that through faithfulness | plate; and as it was the very thing she

Gwyn hung her apron on the nail and it remained there, as far as Jacob noticed, until Christmas morning, without being touched.

wanted, she arose to kiss and thank her husband; but before doing so, while she knew he was watching her, she removed the apron from the nail, disclosing something hanging there, which Jacob immediately stepped forward to examine.

He found it to be a wall-case, made of a paste-board box, cut in a neat shape, and covered with a piece of home-made, red flannel, upon the front of which was worked in plain, print letters, with white woolen yarn,

"To hold the glove
For the hand I love."

Inside the case he found a pair of warm, nicely-fitting woolen gloves which Gwyn had knitted for him.

Then followed a genuine, lover-like episode of kissing and embracing, of thanks and explanations and tender expressions. It did not require much to make hearts glad and grateful in Utah, then.

Two hours later, Jacob and Gwyn entered the Bishop's house where they were kindly greeted, not only by members of the family, but by other invited guests, who were there before them.

subject. The Bishop told him to find Section Twenty, and read the forepart of the first paragraph.

Edward opened the book and read aloud as follows:

"The rise of the Church of Christ in these last days, being one thousand eight hundred and thirty years since the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the flesh, it being regularly organized and established agreeably to the laws of our country, by the will and commandments of God, in the fourth month and on the sixth day of the month which is called April."

"There," said the Bishop, "you see it gives positively the year of our Savior's birth; and although it does not say, decisively, that this Church was organized on the very day of His birth, I think as Brother Pratt does, it points to that."

Gwyn was much interested, and felt a little sorry that Sister Fanny sent word just then by one of the children that she would like to see her in the kitchen. But she went, nevertheless, and Sister Fanny met her with a warm, bright smile and presented her with a new plaid cape, which was off from a piece of flannel made by some of the

ley."

Bishop Smith was explaining to some of the brethren that Apostle Bishop's relatives in "the other valOrson Pratt had very clearly demonstrated the fact that our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, was born on the 6th of April, instead of the 25th of December. And that the Book of Doctrine and Covenants also made such a statement, which appeared very clear to him, though it might not seem so to others.

"Sister Ida cut it by her circular, and made it for you, so it is partly her present," explained Sister Fanny when Gwyn thanked her and kissed her. So Ida, who was chopping up cabbage, was duly thanked and kissed.

"Now you may go back to the company," said Fanny. But Gwyn begged to stay in the kitchen and help with the dinner.

Edward Grange, who was seated near a hanging book-shelf, reached the book referred to, and said he "Let her stay if she wants to," said would like to see the paragraph on the | Ida. "There's nothing for her to do,