Miscellany [pp. 564-569]

564 M?:~ccllai~~
of hearts so long; of fears that had ed, and it is Chnstmas eve. Outside I
assailed her when she grew conscious hear a group of merry boys, battling
of it; of a hope in the future and its with the hitter wind and laughing at
unborn possibilities that had filled her its fierceness. Frost glitters on the
soul when she seemed most indifferent window-panes and chills the air toand cold; of prayers that from their night; and blazing fires roar up the
fervency had been heard and an- chimneys, pouring forth a wdcome as
swered. they go. Here, in this quiet room,
"I knew you would come back to there is an atmosphere of peace and
me," she said; "I knew that God would calm content that almost fills me with
do great things for you. And even if a reverential fear lest the sweet spell
you had not come; if some one else should float away and leave me deshad taken my place, or some ambition olate.
occupied your heart, it would have I can watd~ her all unnoticed as
been the same in the end, ~nearly so. she sits in the deep shadow of the fireI il~ink I could be contented to love light, the angel of my hearth and
you silently all my life long, if I knew home. The face is perhaps a shade
you to be in thought and purpose more thoughtful than of old; but the
what I had so longed to have you; if bright head, golden brown, has still the
I felt that my prayers for you were same graceful poise and movement;
heard and answered." the truthful eyes are still as kind and
0 wonderful unselfishness of wo- tender as of yore.
man's love! 0 marvellous constancy And as she sits there musing, I lay
Qf woman's faith! How often do ye down my busy pen, and my full heart
burn and die away unheeded and un- throbs with gratitude and thankfulprized on hollow altars! ness, as I think how lonely life would
be without her this happy Chnstmas
Three short bright years have pass- Eve.
MISCELLANY.
THE Cou~ci~.-1t is said that the remark in the letters of correspondents.
Cardinals de Reisach and Cullen, and The Archbishop of Lima, who is ninetythe Archbishops Manning and Spalding, four years of age, being unable to attend
have been appointed on the commission the council, has sent to the Pope a pasfor treating with those Protestants who toral staff of gold valued at two thoumay come to the council for that purpose. sand pounds. The students of Quito
Bishops and priests speaking twenty- University have sent him all their gold
eight different languages had applied and silver medals of honor, and the
to the cardinal vicar for permission to President of the Republic of Ecuador
say mass, and confessionals for confes- has sent a jewelled medal given him by
sors speaking eighteen languages are the state as an official decoration. An
provided in St. Peter's. The great Italian priest, D. Mariano Matteini, has
variety of complexions and costumes himself designed and made a small bell
aiow to be seen in Rome excites much for the Pope's use during the council,