What in the world could we do without her? Hope spiritualizes the
earth; Hope makes it always new; and, even in the earth's best and
brightest aspect, Hope shows it to be only the shadow of an infinite
bliss hereafter!



TANGLEWOOD PLAY-ROOM.

AFTER THE STORY.

"Primrose," asked Eustace, pinching her ear, "how do you like my little
Pandora? Don't you think her the exact picture of yourself? But you
would not have hesitated half so long about opening the box."

"Then I should have been well punished for my naughtiness," retorted
Primrose, smartly; "for the first thing to pop out, after the lid was
lifted, would have been Mr. Eustace Bright, in the shape of a Trouble."

"Cousin Eustace," said Sweet Fern, "did the box hold all the trouble
that has ever come into the world?"

"Every mite of it!" answered Eustace. "This very snow-storm, which has
spoiled my skating, was packed up there."

"And how big was the box?" asked Sweet Fern. "Why, perhaps three feet
long," said Eustace, "two feet wide, and two feet and a half high."

"Ah," said the child, "you are making fun of me, Cousin Eustace! I know
there is not trouble enough in the world to fill such a great box as