gnized him as her head and master, as the pole-star to
which she must turn, compelled by laws of adamant. Worthy or
unworthy, he was all that she expected, all that she desired, bone of
her bone, flesh of her flesh, the father of her bairns, the lord of
her bosom, the staff of her maintenance, the prop of her house.

And what man was ever worthy, perfectly worthy, of a pure, true, and
honest girl? Man's life admits not of such purity and honesty; rarely
of such truth. But one would not choose that such flowers should
remain unplucked because no hands are fit to touch them.

As to the future life of the vicar of Hurst Staple and his wife, it
is surely unnecessary to say much--or perhaps anything. It cannot be
told that they became suddenly rich. No prime minister, won by her
beauty or virtue, placed him upon the bench, or even offered him a
deanery. Vicar of Hurst Staple he is still, and he still pays the old
allowance out of his well-earned income to his mother, who lives with
her daughters at Littlebath. One young lad after another, or
generally two at a time, share the frugal meals at the parsonage; and
our friend is sometimes heard to boast that none of these guests of
his have as yet been plucked. Of the good things of the world, there
is quite enough for her; and we may perhaps say nearly enough for
him. Who, then, shall croak that they are poor?

And now and then they walk along the river to West Putford; for among
their choicest blessings is that of having a good neighbour in the
old rectory. And walking there, how can they but think of old sorrows
and present joys?

"Ah!" she whispered to him one day, as they crept along the reedy
margin in the summer evening, not long after their marriage. "Ah!
dearest, it is better now than it was when you came here once."

"Is it, love?"

"Is it not? But you misbehaved then--you know you did. You would not
trust me then."

"I could not trust myself."

"I should have trusted you in all things, in everything. As I do
now."

And then he cut at the rushes with his walking-stick, as he had done
before; and bethought himself that in those days he had been an ass.

And so we will leave them. May they walk in those quiet paths for
long days yet to come; and may he learn to know that God has given
him an angel to watch at his side!

Of the rosy Miss Todd, there is nothing to be said but this, that she
is still Miss Todd, and still rosy. Whether she be now at Littlebath,