A Genuine Love Story.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 5477, 7 February 1885, Page 3

A Genuine Love Story.

A tocno clergyman and hia brido wore invited guests at a largo party given by a wealthy parishioner. In all tho freshness and ologonco of hor bridal wardrobe, tho young wlfo shono among tho throng, distinguished by hor oomolinosa, vivacity, and rich nttire; and whon during tho evening her huaband drow hor asido and whispered to hor that eho was tho most beautiful women in all tho company, and that his heart was bursting with pride and love for hor, she thought herself the happiest woman in tho world. Ten years later the same husband and his wife were guosts at the samo house, whoro was gathered a similar gay company. The wifo of 10 years wore the same dress sho had worn on the previous occasion : of course, it had been made over, and waß old-fashioned and almost shabby. Toil and caro and mothorhood and pinched circumstances had taken the rosea out of her chocks, and tho lltho spirit out of hor form. She sat apart from <ho crowd, looking careworn and preoccupied. Hor email hands, roughonod with coarao toil, were ungloved, for tho minister's salary was painfullly small.

A littlo apart, tho ton years husband stood and looked at his wifo, and as ho observed her faded dress and woary attitude, a groat sense of all her patient, loving faithfulness camo over his heart. Looking up sbo caught his earnest gaze and noticed that his oyes were filled with tears. She roso and went to him, her questioning eyos mutoly asking an explanation of his emotion; and when he tenderly took her hand and placing it on his arm, led her away from the crowd and told her how he had been thinking of her as she looked ten years before when she was a bride, and how much more precious she was to him now, and how much more beautiful for all her shabby dress and roughened hands, and how he appreciated all nor sacrifices and patient toil for him and thoir children, a great wave of happiness filled her heart, a light shone in her face that gave it moro than its youthful beauty, and in all this company there was not so happy a couple as this husband and wife, their hearts and faces aglow from the flaming up of a pure sentiment that transfigured and ennobled and glorified all the toils and privations they had endured.