The Duvenger Curse.

it , had rolled off the marble steps and down , down , somewhere ; we thought it never was going to stop— -it woke the echoes all through the house . . " What a noise for the dead of night ! " said I . " Bloriiing-rather" rejoined . Mr . Fairfax

, , consulting his watch ; ' it is four o ' clock . " " Oh , girls , come ! " exclaimed Isabel ; " BIme . Duvenger would be scandalized . " " I suppose it is bed time , " said Nip , gravely . " Do you think the noise awoke the whole house 1 "

" Oh , no , the } ' are used to all sorts of noises here , " said Mr . Fairfax . " Do you think you can find your room 1 I'll go with you to the door , and then come back and put out these lights . They don ' t have breakfast until ten o ' clock , so you can sieep in the morning . "

When we were back in our own apartments , Nip said Mr . Fairfax was splendid ; she had a mind to set her cap for him . A little time afterwards she appeared at the door -.

" Don ' t forget to say your prayers , you ' ve been wicked , sitting up all night , " and she vanished . So ended our first night at St . Philippe . We found , in the morning-, no one knew how it had been spentand we kept the

, secret . Nip asked BIr . Fairfax , in a whisper , if he found the billiard ball ; he nodded a laughing assent , and the subject was dropped . We drove around that da 3 ' , admiring and woudering at the quaint old town . In the afternoon there was an

accession to our party—Louis , with his wife and bab 3 ' , and BIr . Maurice Hathaway . There was a blue flash from Nip ' s eyes as she held out her hand to Louis ; then she dropped them , demurely , when presented to his wife . As for Mr . Ha . th . awaj , he had something appropriate to say to each

one—a few low words in French for Mine . LeFeu-e ' s ear ; a sudden li ghting up of his dark handsome face as he saw Isabel , and all with a careless grace which seemed unstudied . Nip took my arm and we passed down the long salon . ( To be continued . )

The Past.

THE PAST .

Dreams of time departed , Memories of old ways ,

Blake me tender-hearted , As I muse on other days ; Those scent-laden hours , Ga \ relics of the past , Tell me of graceful flowers , All too fair to last !

Pleasant , pleasant faces , A rise before me now , Glad smiles and glowing graces , Light up this careworn brow ; In that distant far away , All is brave and bright , In fond memories b 3 ' day , In the visions of the night .

Naught has tinged with sorrow , The welcome joys of youth , No dark waking on the morrow To vanished right and truth ! But loyal heart and trust , Shed gracefulness around , No wither'd hopes , no blinding dust , No ruins strew the ground !

Happy , happy season , "Which even now can fling , Upon our colder reason , The fvagraucy of spring ; Which now can lengthen out , Life ' s fast waning hours ,

And take us back to the jest aud shout , To the songs of festive bow ' rs .

Life is fresh and stately , All is soft and fair ; We hope and long so greatly , BVe boldly do and dare We reck not of the storm , Nor e'en of cross or care , No gloomy phantoms can deform , For innocence is there .

Poor heart , alas ! too fast , 'Midst : i : any blinding tears , Will come a shatter'd past , Of long and weary years . Recollection grieving , Recalls with p iteous sigh , As well this world ' s deceiving , As a past long gone bye !

All is chang'd and changing , Hope and trust depart , And memory backward ranging , Sings the requiem of the hein-t .