A BOAT ON THE RIVER.

Up the river a little way, sheltered by some overhanging trees, a bark canoe was rocking on the water close by the shore. Its occupant, a young girl, stood up in it, gathering green grapes from a vine that crept over the shrubbery which formed a hedge-row just there, and fell like a torn curtain toward the water. As the first strains of that heavenly music reached her, Dora stood motionless with her hand on a cluster of fruit, and her head bent listening.

Then she dropped to her seat in the canoe, and taking up the oars, allowed them to drag with the current, which bore her gently down stream.

Dora made no noise, indeed scarcely breathed, for the music grew more distinct and clear as she approached the group of elm-trees; and she listened, entranced, wondering how the thrilling sounds were produced. The current at last swept her canoe close to the shore; the wind lifted the foliage for a moment, and she saw a young boy sitting upon the bank, beautiful as anything Raphael ever painted. His flushed cheek was resting against the violin, from which his delicate fingers was charming the music she had heard.

Dora seized a branch, which stretched over the water, and sprang ashore. She knew the lad, and her heart leaped with joy at the sight of him.

"Luke!—Luke! you dear, dear boy, how came you in this far-off place."

Luke Weeks dropped his Cremona to the ground, where it gave out a faint wail, as if the fall had wounded it. All the hot scarlet died out from his face, and he began to tremble from head to foot, as if an angel had just appeared before him. Then the breath came back to his lips; his eyes filled with tender joy, and, clasping his hands in an ecstasy of thanksgiving, he cried out,

"It is she!—it is she! I knew this was home!"

"Are you ill? How pale you look! I hope—I do hope it is nothing serious," said Dora, sitting down, and putting her hand on the lad's shoulder. "How you tremble! Did I frighten you like that?"

"Frighten me, sweet lady! Oh! no; if I tremble, it is because—because I am so thankful to the good God."

Dora picked up the violin from the grass.

"Have you broken it?" she questioned. "I hope not."

Luke took the instrument from her lap. Next to the young creature by his side, it was the dearest thing to him in all the world. He swept his hand lightly over the strings, and smiled when they gave forth the usual sounds.

That smile, so light and tender, brought the dimples around Dora's mouth. She took the little hand from its loving caress of the instrument, and held in her own.

"Why, how frightened you must have been! This poor hand quivers like a bird. Or is it that you are so very ill?"

"Ah! I am well, now; well, and so happy."

Dora stole her arm around the shadowy form, and then drew him close to her. He seemed scarcely more than a child, to her; for sickness had given him back all the delicacy of infancy. He laid his head upon her shoulder, and the healthy bloom of her cheek touched the burning glow of his. The boy sighed sadly, and closed his eyes.

"Are you tired, Luke?"

He attempted to say "No," but the word died on his lips, in a smile of ineffable happiness.

"By-and-by," she said, very quietly "you will tell me how it happened that I found you here. It seems so strange!"

"Not strange to me!—not to me! God does these things, I do believe. He listens when we pray!"

Dora grew quiet, and almost solemn, as she listened. It seemed as if some angel had folded his wings, and nestled close to her, on his way to heaven.

"We have been traveling a long time," said the boy; "months and months, but could find no trace of any one we wanted. But we are here, at last—and this is rest."

"You were looking for Mrs. Holt. She used to talk of you so much," said Dora.

"Did she? Rhoda loves her so! She never was happy till we came in search of our best friends."

"You mean her son, Mr. Sterling," said Dora, blushing like a rose.

"Yes; he was always kind to us. How strong and well he looks."

"Ah! that is the fresh prairie breezes! You will soon get well under them, and be like the rest of us."

A faint expression of denial came to the boy's face, but he said nothing. After awhile he sat upright, and was astonished at the strength within him.

"How beautiful everything is," he said. "I did not mind it so much before! The sunlight, there, upon the water, is like a silver flame!"