et herself, she added rather abruptly,--

"I hear you think of giving your Adam a mate,--have you begun yet?"

"Yes, my design is finished, all but the face."

"I should think you could image Eve's beauty, since you have succeeded
so well with Adam's."

"The features perhaps, but not the expression. That is the charm of
feminine faces, a charm so subtile that few can catch and keep it. I
want a truly womanly face, one that shall be sweet and strong without
being either weak or hard. A hopeful, loving, earnest face with a
tender touch of motherliness in it, and perhaps the shadow of a grief
that has softened but not saddened it."

"It will be hard to find a face like that."

"I don't expect to find it in perfection; but one sometimes sees faces
which suggest all this, and in rare moments give glimpses of a lovely
possibility."

"I sincerely hope you will find one then," said Psyche, thinking of
the dinner.

"Thank you; _I_ think I have."

Now, in order that every one may be suited, we will stop here, and
leave our readers to finish the story as they like. Those who prefer
the good old fashion may believe that the hero and heroine fell in
love, were married, and lived happily ever afterward. But those who
can conceive of a world outside of a wedding-ring may believe that the
friends remained faithful friends all their lives, while Paul won fame
and fortune, and Psyche grew beautiful with the beauty of a serene and
sunny nature, happy in duties which became pleasures, rich in the art
which made life lovely to herself and others, and brought rewards in
time.

A COUNTRY CHRISTMAS

"A handful of good life is worth a bushel of learning."

"Dear Emily,--I have a brilliant idea, and at once hasten to share it
with you. Three weeks ago I came up here to the wilds of Vermont to
visit my old aunt, also to get a little quiet and distance in which
to survey certain new prospects which have opened before me, and to
decide whether I will marry a millionnaire and become a queen of
society, or remain 'the charming Miss Vaughan' and wait till the
conquering hero comes.

"Aunt Plumy begs me to stay over Christmas, and I have consented, as I
always dread the formal dinner with which my guardian celebrates the
day.

"My brilliant idea is this. I'm going to make it a real old-fashioned
frolic, and won't you come and help me? You will enjoy it immensely I
am sure, for Aunt is a character. Cousin Saul worth seeing, an