LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2275, 18 July 1881, Page 4

LITERATURE.

HER MISSION. By Annabel Dwight. Eloiee Preston was twenty years old when she discovered, or thought she discovered, what har true mission was. Eloine's life had been a busy one, not over ■pleaiint. She waa accustomed to selfsacrifice — so thoroughly accustomed that she nover realised her own unselfishness. Her own mother dibd at her birth, and in a few years her father took for a second wife a bustling, energetic woman, who bore him sis children. E.'oise grew inti a strong, healthy girl, upon whom mojt of the care of her stepbrothers and uisters devolved ; and as they were a noisy, boisterous set of young cubs, thtj"girl's taijk waa no light one. Mrs Jfroston was a worthy, good-hearted woman, though a trifle narrow-minded. Eloise was of a quiet temperament, and the noisy, scrubbing, rattling existence in which her step mother delighted was not congenial to her. Kot that she ever put such a thought into words; she worked cheerfully at the duties nearest her hands. She would have laughed in amused surprise had anyone told her Bhe was making a martyr of herself for those harum-scarum children. But she drew a long breath of satisfaction when, after receiving an offer of a good situation in the city and expressing a desire to accept it, her father had given his consent.

' You've been a good daughter to üb, Eloise, but now that Maggie and Charlotte are growing into saoh great girls, I guess mother can get along with their help.' 'La, you!' said Mis Preston; 'we Bhall m-uiago nicely. Though, as your father ssya, you have bean a good daughter—l don't think there's one more faithful in the country.' 5?o Eloise, in a little glow of surprise and pleasure at the encomium from her stepmother, who was not at all given to sentiment, packed up her modest wardrobe and was carried into the city a dozen miles away. Her new situation was thst of a companion and attendant to a queer, wealthy old lady, who had known her dead mother. Mrs Giles had aiways cherished a secret liking for the girl, henoe this offer of employment, at a generous salary, which Eloise gladly ncoepted. Of the big stone mansion, the only Inmates beside Eloise were Mrs Giles, a maid-servant, man-servant, and a green parrot, whose acuteness was something fearful and wonderful.

After Eloise entered upon her new life she attended church more regularly than before. She waa tco buy and too much hurried of a Sunday at home to prepare herself always for the morning service, whioh wivi something of a trial to her, as she had a natural religious tendency. Here she was at liberty to follow her inclinations. There was, that winter, a great excitoment over the question of Foreign Mission. Rev. Hiram Stevens, a long-haired, sallowfaced, thin-faced young clergyman, gave a number of lectures in the vestry of the church, which Eloise attended, previous to his departure for India, where he was going to convert the heathen. He was an enthusiast.

It was impossible to listen to him and watch his thin face lighten, and his great bltck eyes, glow as he warmed over his subject, without being more ar less affected. Bloise received an introduction to him, and in this quiet-voiced, earnest-eyed young woman the Her. Hiram recognised a kindred spirit; while my pious little heroine began to think that there was no nobler work in life than that which the young divine had planned far himself. He called upon her before his departure, much to the amusement of Mrs Giles and the disgust of the green parrot who flattered across the floor to peck at the missionary's toes, and croaked horsely- ' Oh, law! Go 'way I'*"*' ' I am glad that your revered admirer aails for India to-morrow, Bloise,' quoth the old lady grimly, when Bloise had returned from ushering him to the door ; ' because I should be afraid of his inveigling you into accompanying bim.' Bloise made no reply, beyond a little, embarrassed laugh, and there the matter dropped. Late in February, however, the postman left a letter for Eiolse—a letter bearing a foreign postmark, and addressed in a heavy, sprawling hand that Mrs Giles declared looked like the Rev Hiram Stevens himself just as black and ungainly, She was quite unprepared, however, for the request which Kloise made when, after a day and a night of earnest consideration, the girl entered the chamber of her mistress.

The missionary hsd written that he needed a wife—a woman to aid him in his glorious work. He believed that Eiolse Preston was that woman, ordained by God to stand b ■;- aide and wage war against ignorance and superstition, and to bring into the down trodden, darkened hearts of the people about him the light of the Spirit. There was no word of love in the letter; it was like a trumpet peal calling one to battle. The girl's heart thrilled with ardent impulse as she read it. Here, she believed, was her true mission. The writer had collected a part of the sum necessary to defray the expense of her passage, and had enclosed a chock for the amount. Would she make up the balance and join him soon in India ? He felt that she was made of the stuff to do and to die, for this noble cause. This and much more.

And Eloise requested Mrs Giles to advance her the amount required. ' Money—to go oat there and be eaten up by the cannibals—never! Let 'em eat the Severend Mr What's-his-name. Pretty tough eating he'd make, though, with his bony limbs and his lone black hat !' And she chuckled grimly at her own wit ' But they are not cannibals,' began Eloise, rather hotly. 'Oh, fiddlesticks!' shrieked the parrot, who was fastened into his cage. ' Gimme some sugar! Let Polly oat 1* Mrs Giles laughed outright. ' I don't oare what they are, my dear. I will never furnish the means for you to put your head into a noose from which, like Polly here, you will ba crying directly to be let out.'

Eloise left the room with tears of mortiiltion and disappointment in her eyes. Down in the parlor a gentleman was standing before the fire. It was Doctor Chandos, who called every day on Mrs Giles, and who had fallen deeply and tenderly in love with Eloise, who was innocently unconscious of his feeling for her. She looked upon him as a kind and wise friend ; therefore, when seeing her tearful eyes as she entered the parlor, the dootor advanced with solicitous inquiries, it seemed very natural to confide in him. Doctor Chandos listened to her story with a strange look gathering in his dark gray eyes as they rented gravely on her face.

'Eloise, do you honestly feel that your place ia by this man's Bide?' ' It is the sincere desire of my heart to be there, and to work with him,' she replied earnestly. The doctor marched, thoughtfully, the whole length of the room, turned and came back, pausing before her. ' If you really wish to go to India I will give you tho necessary funds.' Elotsa caught his hand to her lips in grateful surprise, but the doctor freed himself rather abruptly, and proceeded upstairs to pay his morning visit to Mrs Giles. Great was that lady's indignation when she learned what he had promised. ' I did give you credit for possessing a little common senpe, Godfrey Cbandos!' she said sharply, ' Can't ycu see that the girl is simply infatuated with the idea of a mission)? A mission, indeed ! Her miaaion ia to stay at home and bo a nice little wife and mother—and I declare, Godfrey Chandos, you haven't any more sense than a stick of wood!'

At which extraordinary speech the doctor smiled calmly, with his fingers on the wrinkled wrist of the little old lady, and his eyes on the face of the gold repeater. 1 It's of no use, my dear frieDd,' he said, 1 she hasn't a thought of me. I am too old.' • Old 1' fniffed Madam Giles, contemptuously as she glanced at the dootor's handsome bearded face, clear eyes and broad shoulders. ' Old ! Why that black-a-moor of a missionary looks ten years older than you, with his narrow shoulders, oadaverous cheeks and hollow eyes ! Elolae Preston is one of the biggest geese In existence, and you are another, to rend the girl you love out to a crazy misaionaay for whom she has no more affection than she haß for the man in the moon—not a bit more ! and Mrs Giles

turned her back upon the doctor, who, being familiar with the old lady's oddities, waa in no way disturbed. There followed a month of preparation, during which Doctor Chandos was so kind and helpful and sympathetic that Eloise could not fail to appreciate his goodness. When at last he had escorted her safely aboard the steamer which would sail on the following morning, and had loft her with a lingering hand clasp and many kind wishes, Eloise, in a lonely portion of the deck, sat with her veil drawn over two tearful eyes, and a great fear, and dread and sorrow in her heart. A union with Hiram Stevens almost hateful to her now. Her religious enthusiasm had abated. In the last month —how weak of her—she had grown to think far too much of Dootor Chandos, whom she was never again to look upon. A little uncontrollable sob burst from her lips. She started, as a warm hand closed over her own. ' Eloise —dear child.' whispered a familiar voice, and then Dootor Chandos seated himself beside her. • I find It impossible to let you go from me until I tell you how dearly I love you, and until you assure me that Hiram Stevens has the first place in your affoction. Will you leave me. sweetheart, or will Btay ?' What would you have done, dear reader ? Eloise broke down utterly, and shed tears of mirgled shame and rapture behind her veil. The doctcr transported her and her baggage b6ck to Mrs Giles' in triumph, and the next mail to India carried a letter of explanation to Mr Stevens, enclosing a bank cheque for a generous amount, to be spent in the cause for whioh he was laboring. When Mrs Giles died, two years later, she had bequeathed to Eloise, Doctor Chandos' wife, ten thousand dollars and the green parrot. .