as the floating breeze of evening, trusting as true-hearted woman
ever is, lovely, amiable, and beautiful, she was just one to win a
strong man's love; for there is something grateful to a proud man in
having a delicate, gentle, confiding girl place all her love and
trust in him and making all her happiness derivable from his will
and wish. Heaven's blessing rest upon him who fulfils faithfully
that trust reposed in him, but woe be unto him who remembers not his
vows to love and to cherish!

The marriage service over, the friends of Ellen pressed eagerly
around her, offering their many wishes for her long life and
happiness. The gray-haired man, and aged mother in Israel, laid
their hands on the young bride's fair head, and fervently prayed
"God bless thee;" and not a few there were who gave glances upward
to Frederic Gorton, and impressively said,

"Love as we have loved the treasure God transfers to thee."

The widowed mother of Ellen gazed upon the scene with mingled
emotions. Ellen was her eldest child, and had been her pride, her
joy, and delight since the death of her husband, many years before.
She was giving her to a stranger, whose reputation as a man of
talent, of worth, and honourable position in the world was
unquestioned; but of whose private character she had no means of
acquiring a knowledge. It was all uncertainty if a stern, business
man of the world, should supply the tenderness and devoted love of a
fond mother, to her whose wish had been hitherto scarcely ever
disregarded. Yet it might be--she could only hope, and her trust was
in "Him who doeth all things well."