Interrupted

e suggested by the two churches which persiste

ict's daughter? A fact which of itself gave her place and power in all the do

usic-teacher in an obscure boarding and day school; an object to

t with a thrill, that his freed soul was in Heaven. What did that mean? she wondered. In vain her imagination tried to paint the contrast. There had been times since his going when she had longed with all the passion of her intense nature to know by actual experience just what Hea

he did not half understand why this was so. She could not know what a rare bit of beauty

nough in this outer circle of society to understand that there are different degre

nnaire's daughter, had remarked only last winter that it had served its time and must be supplanted by a new o

d she be expected to have any conception of the effect of her toilet on the country people by whom she was surrounded. Her world had been so

not allow them to add thus heavily to their expenses. Indeed, to have dressed in such mourning as would have alone appeared suitable to them, would have been impossible. The mother had not seemed to feel this much. "It doesn't matter, children," she had said gently; "they know w

indeed, those who do not know the capabilities for torture that some of those instruments have, are fortunate. Claire Benedict set her teeth firmly. This was a

hat a tremendous bass it was! How fearfully the leading soprano "sang through her nose," in common parlance, though almost everybody understands that we m

aire, as it had been with her father; but a

gates, I lo

adorned w

a palace b

his mild

en, to turn from her surroundings and lose herself in

a palace b

rdly keep her sad lips from curling into a sarcastic smile, as she thought o

disdain, almost in disgust. "It isn't a de

race? She had seen at least the outside of several of the homes in South Plains, and nothing like the disorder and desolation which reigned here, was permitted about those homes. How

ed head and throbbing heart, she tried, during the pr

weary and nearly fruitless struggle with wayward thoughts. What was

thought poor Claire, "except the sin of calling it the gospel, and reading it of

d to rouse herself to a little interest in him, to wonder whether he were a down-hearted

f the things she thought while

er mamma and Dora missed him as much as she did; whether he looked over occasionally to their vacant seat and missed all the absent ones, papa most of all. But the seat was not vacant, probably; already somebody sat at the head of the pew in papa's place, and somebody's daughters, or s

ow that he had entered into the church triumphant? He might love it still, but there must be a little pity mingled with the love, and a wi

ciplined heart was too much for her, and constantly she wandered ba

from the dreary church to the privacy of her small, plain room in the academy, and

most sullen. She allowed herself to go over, in imagination, the Sund

ion of horrors. It seemed to her that she could not endure to sit under them, no, not for another Sabbath; and here was a long winter and spring stretching out before her! She was not even to go home for the spring vacation; her poor, ruined purse

e of the necessity of seeing to her expiring fire. She was shivering with the cold; but as she struggled with the damp wood, trying to blow the perverse smoke

ould be as few as possible. Of course, she must attend the morning

s toward it; I shall just keep away from it and from contact with the people here, as much as possible. It is enough for me if I do my duty toward those giggling girls who think they are to become musicians under my tuition. I will do my best for them, and I shall certainly earn all the salary I am offered here; then my work in this place

he strong, bright, willing spirit with which she had been wont to take hold of life? Energetic she had always been called; "self-reliant," she had heard that word applied to herself almost from child

rk in the world was done. Not by any intention of hers, she told herself drearily; she had been willing and glad to work; she had rejoiced in it, and had planned for a vigorous and aggressive future, having to do with the best interests of the church. Only think how full of work her hours had been, that day when the clouds shut down on her and set her aside! There

at least her responsibility was over. She did not say in words-"God has taken away all my chances, and he must just be willing to bear the consequences of my enforced idleness;" she would have been shocked had she supposed that such