THE NORTHCROFT LILIES.

 Northcroft, had made the air fragrant with their balmy
 breath. Softer still, and fainter and fainter died away
 the echoes of the last Amen;" and as Gertrude came
 out with her father at the beautiful south door, and
 caught a slanting glimpse of the western sun as it
 touched the irregular roofs of the old city, she could
 not say anything-it had been too beautiful-and she
 walked to the station almost in silence.
 But once in the train her tongue began to move
 again-that busy little tongue! never quiet for very
 long together; and Mr. Layton felt that though Effie
 might be better able to go into the architectural
 details of the Cathedral, and was more fully acquainted
 with the use of each different part, his little Gertrude
 had entered far more truly into the spirit of the grand
 Cathedral's beauty, and had had her soul uplifted by
 that quiet afternoon there.
 His precious little Gertrude with her sensitive
nature and warm, feeling heart-how was it that, as
he felt her confiding hand in his, and listened to her
bright tones so full of happiness, there came to him a
remembrance of the lilies she had gathered last spring ?
And, as if in answer to a half-uttered feeling of anxiety
for her, there floated through his mind words he had
heard chanted that afternoon, C Oh, cast thy burden on
the Lord." Yes only if he felt her safe in that
heavenly Father's keeping, the world's storms might
rage around her, and sharp sorrows pierce her loving
nature: but they could not hurt her, for, like an echo
to his former memory, there came into his mind the
words, Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose
mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in
Thee."
 And so the year waned, and Christmas came-a
true, old-fashioned Christmas with snow lying thick,