short walk through the woods to the edge of the extensive lawns that surrounded the Lewis estate, and before long the three half-frozen victims were being blanketed and put to bed with hot water bags and many fiery internal doses.

It was three weeks before either one of the trio stirred from bed. Ray had taken a severe cold, and so had young Oliver Lewis, but Elsie had once more fallen a victim to the dreaded rheumatism, and no coertion of the white-capped nurse who presided over the sickrooms in the motherless household would per

toward Oliver Ray, and her large dark eyes met his with a different expression in their melting depths. Slowly they wandered over his face, at first wonderingly and then gladly, and at last, as if conscious that she was betraying her pleasure in his exceeding good looks, she blushed and turned her head away, but her hand remained in his.

"She can see!" uttered Oliver incredulously, and Mr. Lewis chuckled assent, and his son turned an ecstatic handspring on the rug, crying: "It was the shock of the icy water. The doctor says it can cure rheumatism all right, but

mit the girl to receive a visit from either of the other convalescents. Then at last came the day when Oliver Ray was to take farewell and rejoin his party of surveyors.

Mr. Lewis, who had become warmly attached to the young man, invited him into the library to say farewell to Elsie, who was now sitting up. At her feet sat young Oliver, brimming over with the joy of renewed health.

"Here is your rescuer, Elsie," said her father. "Mr. Ray is leaving us now, and perhaps you had better tell him the good news."

Elsie turned her head very slowly

he's forbidden sis to skate any more."

"I don't care," smiled Elsie radiantly. "I shall always love that pool. If it had not taken away my sight I would not have known the blessedness of its restoration."

"And if God had not sent Mr. Ray to the pond I might now be childless," said Mr. Lewis with emotion.

Oliver Ray went away with a dizzy light in his eyes and a recollection of the happiest three weeks he had ever spent. Today had been his crown of joy. He walked through the woods past the pool, which had melted now and lay dark under the afternoon sky. As he stood here

looking down into its green depths thinking of the blessed Providence that had sent him to the skating place that wintry day there came to him also the thought of how the pool would look in June, when the forget-me-nots fringed its borders and when the love notes of the woodthrush broke the exquisite silence.

There was another in the picture-Elsie, with love light in her eyes for him.

St. Valentine's Day.

It has become the custom during the last few years to celebrate St. Valentine's day by giving a card party or other entertainment, rather than by sending cards or valentines to one's friends; and for this purpose the old game of hearts has been revived, and, if well carried out, is most entertaining. Four or six persons may be seated at each table and the two who have received the highest marks advance to the next table, just as is done in progressive euchre. The prizes should rather take the form of souvenirs than valuable gifts; three for men and three for ladies is the customary number. Violets are much used as decorations, and, if combined with jonquils or daffodils, the effect is particularly good.

Refreshments may be served, either from one large table or from the smal. tables that have been in use during the game. Should the large table be preferred, place in the center a flat mirror of good size, such as is used for decorative purposes, and surround it with a wreath of violets and jonquils, while in the center a deep cut-glass bowl should be placed filled with the long-stemmed jonquils. The effect of the yellow and purple is most artistic. All the cakes, ices, jellies, etc., that are moulded should be in the form of hearts, and, so far as it is possible, the colors of the decorations should be carried out. Much sport may be had at supper time by having a large cake on the table with as many candles around it as there are guests, each candle a different color. The cake is passed last. The guests each take a candle and a piece of cake, choosing whatever color pleases their fancy. As they do so some one reads:

He who takes the candle blue,
Will find his sweetheart ever true.

The pink, the sweetest of them all.
Will wed a fellow six feet tall.
Alas, for yellow, bright to see,
Your lover e'er will jealous be,
Happy she who orange takes:
Now begin your wedding cakes,
Hopeless, homeless, bachelor he,
If white candle his should be.

The hostess may evolve some other pleasant and clever couplets to finish the list. The candles come in play later, when each tries his or her fate. All candles lighted, each holds his at arm's length, and blows three times; should the candle go out the first time he will be married that year; if the second, in two years; if the third, three years.

The Ground-hog's Indisposition.

ADA A. FISHER.

The ground-hog woke from his snooze with a start,
And said to himself, "Well, isn't this smart!
Here this is the day I should let the world know
If there is to be a whole lot of snow
To make people shiver for six weeks more,
Or whether an early, long spring is in store.
"Yet here I am down with this beastly old grip
That racks every bone from my head to the tip
Of my tail. And to save me I can't crawl around,
To cast any shadow at all on the ground.
There's only one way I can keep up my fame:
I will jolly Old Sol into taking the blame."
So he sent a "Marconi" at once to the sun,
Suggesting that gentleman might have some fun,
If he would agree to a frolicsome plan
To flim-flam the animal known as man.
Would Solly be willing to play "I spy"
Through the whole of the day with the clouds in
the sky?

That he might have a lark and the fact not disclose
Of the ground-hog's quaking in pitiful throes.
The sun responded a gleeful "Yes,
I'll give those bumpkins a chance to guess,
And if they don't fancy the way we do,
They may file their exceptions 'p. d. q.'"
The ground-hog curled up again, fairly content.
To continue his nap to the middle of Lent.
Mr. Sun earned the title of being quite "fast."
For he kissed every cloud as it fluttered past.
He hid his red head in the folds of their gowns
Till they blushed like a rose from their toes to their

crowns.

Out he darted from one, like a huge firefly,

But to dodge 'neath the next that went hurrying by;

Yet never for once did he show his round face
But a moment in any particular place.
He wouldn't stay in, and he wouldn't stay out,
And no one could tell what Old Sol was about.

Thus jumbled reports you will frequently hear
Of cold to remain, or that springtime draws near.
The sun's ruddy face wears a quizzical smile.
And the wink of his optic betokens much guile,
As he thinks of his antics, and murmurs, "Ah,
well.

'Twill keep folks a-guessing. Time must tell." -Selected.

Escaped by His Wits.

BY OSCAR COX.

(Copyright, 1911, by American Press Association.)

"Well, I declare!"
"What's the matter now?"

"Matter? Matter enough. Oh, dear, why did I ever engage myself to you?" "Polly, will you be good enough to tell me what I have done?"

"To think that you could not be true to me for a single week!"

"How in the world have I been untrue?"

"It was only what was to have been expected, considering your reputation." "My reputation? What's the matter with that?"

"I was warned that you couldn't be

Thos. F. Carroll.

-Courtesy Bro. E. W. Grant, S.-T. Div. 66.

with any girl five minutes without making love to her."

"Polly, this is becoming unbearable. Have a care. There is a limit to the endurance of an innocent man wrongfully accused."

"Haven't you just come out of that room?"

"Certainly."

"And left there Lena Brittan?" "Yes."

"And has she not worn all this day a bit of court-plaster on her chin?" "Suppose she has."

"Go and look in the glass."

He went to a mirror, glanced at his chin and saw a bit of court-plaster there.

"Very well; I have looked at my chin. What next?"

"Are you not convicted?" "Convicted of what?"

"You have kissed Lena Brittan, and the plaster she has been wearing came off and stuck to your chin. How are you going to explain that?”

"I'm not going to explain it." "I should say not. You can't."

"I said I would not. It is you who says I can't, not I."

"If you can, why don't you?"

"We have been engaged a week. You have become suspicious and have accused me without good reason-indeed on an absurdity. If this is the beginning of such accusations, what is going to be the end? If you should happen to find a hair on my shoulder-a long hair of a different shade from your own-you would assume that some girl's head had rested there."

"What's that?" She made a dive for his shoulder and caught just such a hair as he had described.

"Oh, that I should receive such brutal treatment!"

"It is I who have been treated brutally."

"You! What do you mean?"

"Have you not accused me of the most dishonorable conduct?"

"And are you not guilty?"

"Be it so. If I am guilty surely you have no further use for me. Farewell!"' He strode to the door through which he had recently entered.

"Are you going back to her?” "Who?"

"The girl from whom you got the courtplaster."

"No. I have no interest in the girl from whom I bought it.' "Bought it?"

"Yes; in a drug store.' "Do you mean"

"When a man is married must he explain every time he cuts his chin shaving from whom he got his court-plaster?" "Oh, Edward!"

"Now do you blame me for accepting my dis nissal?"

"But the hair?" "It is your own.

"Mine? My head has not rested there since-let me see-the night after we came home from the opera, more than a month ago.

"And I have not had on this evening dress-suit since then."

"And I wore gold powder in my hair that night, didn't I?"

"You are convicted by your own words."

"Forgive me.

"Suppose I forgive you today, shall I not have to forgive you tomorrow and the next day and the next?"

There was no reply to this, but a sign of coming tears. He went to her and put his arms around her. She looked up with a pathetic appeal. He kissed her. There were some tender words and more kisses. Presently he saw sticking to her chin the bit of court-plaster that had made all the trouble. Conscious of the fact that there was no cut on the spot from which it had been removed, he knew that a new danger confronted him. Instantly he placed his lips on hers and

Darina and the Agents.

BY MILDRED STEVENS.

(Copyright, 1911, by American Press Association,)

Miss Charity Decker tied a knitted fascinator over her scanty hair, bundled herself into a long, warm çape and drew on thick woolen mittens.

"Darina!" she called shrilly, and when a girl's slender form had appeared in the kitchen doorway she continued: "I'm going now. Hannibal's been waiting for ten minutes, and I expect that old horse's hoofs are most froze off. I know

"There, Aunt Charity; if you stop and talk much longer the horse's hoofs will freeze off, and Hannibal is looking so impatiently at the door. I won't forget to put the bread in the oven at 11 o'clock, and I'll water the plants and put Toby in the woodshed before I go over to Cousin Sarah's to sleep. And I'll expect you home on the 3 o'clock train tomorrow afternoon without fail-there!"

Miss Charity was on the porch by this time and waving a mittened hand to Hannibal Jones, the stage driver. "I'll be there in a jiffy, Hannibal. I've