gladly improve every opportunity offered me for the welfare of your
little Jennie. Bella used often to walk with me," continued he, taking
the hand of the little girl, "will you sometimes join me as I ramble
about these woods and hills? Perhaps we can find some pleasant things to
tell each other when we are better acquainted."

Jennie's dark eyes sparkled, as she looked to her mother for her assent
to the kind minister's proposition, and as Mrs. Dunmore willingly agreed
to it, she sprang with a glad step to meet old Nannie, who had come to
call them to lunch. Mr. Colbert declined joining them on the plea of
extending his walk, and bidding them good morning, soon disappeared amid
the trees.

One moment he lingered by the little grave, and gathering from it a
bunch of violets, he followed the path through the woods to the road,
and then turned toward his home. His way led through an avenue of
maples, whose dense foliage quite obscured the sky above his head. On
either side, stretched green meadows, enameled with the fresh spring
flowers; and beyond him, in the distance, the avenue seemed to open into
the pure blue heavens, athwart which the fleecy clouds were ever and
anon flitting like angels busied in doing their Master's will. The scene
was rich and hallowed, and called forth the sweetest and purest
emotions. "If the pathway through life was ever thus tranquil and
serene," thought he, "and if the eye caught only such visions of beauty
and grace as are now before me, how like Paradise would this earth
seem! But it can not be; I must tread a rough and sometimes disagreeable
road, and engage in fierce and bitter conflicts, ere I can emerge into
the glories of that better land of which the beauteous scene I now
survey always reminds me!" and, as he mused, he reached the top of the
hill, and leaving the silent avenue, seated himself upon a rustic bench
that was placed beneath an old maple near his home. The quaint old
mansion stood alone upon a slight eminence, and on every side luxurious
meadows, and orchards spread themselves out, until they reached the
mountains. From various points three lovely lakes were visible--one,
half hidden by its green belt of forest trees, another glistening in the
broad sunlight, and a third lying in calm and placid beauty.

All about, in the rich pastures, cattle were quietly grazing, or resting
beneath the shadows of the old trees, or frisking in the glad
spring-time. The light and shade p