| Vol. VIII.—No. 353. | OCTOBER 2, 1886. | Price One Penny. |
[Transcriber's Note: This Table of Contents was not present in the original.]
MERLE'S CRUSADE: Chapter 1.
THE AMATEUR CHURCH ORGANIST.
EVERY GIRL A BUSINESS WOMAN: Part 1.
VARIETIES.
THE SHEPHERD'S FAIRY: Chapter 1.
FASHIONABLE EMBROIDERY.
ROMANCE.
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.
AUTUMN.
MERLE'S CRUSADE.
By ROSA NOUCHETTE CAREY, Author of "Aunt Diana," "For Lilias," etc.
"'WHAT A PITY YOU STOPPED ME JUST THEN.'"CHAPTER I.
THE VALLEY OF HUMILIATION.
erle, I maybe a little old-fashionedinmy notions;middle-agedpeople neveradjust theirideas quite inharmony withyou youngfolk, but in myday we neverpaused tocount fifty ata full stop."
Aunt Agatha'svoicestartled mewith its reproachfulirritability.Well, I haddeserved thatlittle sarcasmfor I mustconfess that I had been reading verycarelessly. My favourite motto was ringingin my ears, "Laborare est orare."
Somehow the words had set themselvesto resonant music in my brain;it seemed as though I were chantingthem inwardly all the time I was climbingdown the steep hill with Christianaand her boys. Laborare est orare.And this is what I was reading on thatstill, snowy Sunday afternoon: "But wewill come again to this Valley of Humiliation.It is the best and most fruitfulpiece of ground in all these parts.It is a fat ground, and, as you see,consisteth much in meadows, and if aman was to come here in the summertimeas we do now, if he knew not anythingbefore thereof, and if he delightedhimself in the sight of his eyes, he mightsee that which would be delightful tohim. Behold how green this valley is,also how beautiful with lilies! I haveknown many labouring men that havegot good estates in this Valley of Humiliation."
"Merle,