"EVENING STAR" SATURDAY SUPPLEMENT OF ENTERTAINING READING.

AUCKLAND, SATURDAY, JANUARY 15, 1876

[Price.- ONE PENNY.

No. 9.]

THE RAINBOW.

BY JOHN BLACKMAN.

__t rain hath passed over the hill-bounded scene md Nature smiles forth with an aspect serene, fhe leaves gparkle brightly and each summer flow"r tooka up h> it' beauty, refreshed by the shower. Tho ioyons birds singfrom.the tops of the trees, And IlUry-ilke whispers bring health in the breeze; The landscape now wears an inspiriting glow, Ind over the earth shines the covenant bow. In hnes most enchanting the rainbow appears, And ipeais to tha heart through a forest of tears, of ihe promise we see in its colours unfurled, To Noah once made in the youth of the world. KiOA beautiful sign of the goodness and leve That beams, full of peace, from the Ruler above; Whene'er life's dim shadows our spirits enshroud, Way we ever behold Heaven's bow o'er the cloud.

What it Cost.

'AST) if I should prove false to you ?' Her eyes sparkled with all the per vfersity of the spoiled beauty ttafc she WBB . A sudden pallor overspread Albert Holden's face, and he drew Grace Thornleigh into his arms, as if life heart were smote with the fear that e*en bow some untoward fate might despoil it of its one jewel. Don't speak so, pet/ he said. 'It makes me dizzy to even think of such a contingency.' 1 Oh you foolish Bertie,' laughed his sweetheart, ' How could I care for anybody after having loved you ? But I suppose I have been such an awful flirt that you are afraid—, •Of nothing!' interrupted her lover.

'And you can trust me, notwith standing the force of habit ?' 'Trust you? —with my life —aye, more than that, with my honor !'

(Jrace gazed into the earnest face that bent over hers, and thought what a strong nature was there, and what a power to move it lay in her hands. Presently she said, with a sort of wondering look in her eyes: 'Bertie, did you ever care for any one before you knew me ?'

'0 yes,' he said, patting her cheek, 'lahaveI a have 'cared' for a great many people.' 'But did you ever love any other woman—just a little bit ?' she persisted.

He smiled at her way of putting it, and then his face grew grave, and he replied: 'My life has not been without its friendships for both men and women ; lrat, until you taught me, I never knew what it was to love.'

The earnest tenderness with which he uttered the last words put to rest Bhethen supposed for ever, any lurking, question there may have been in her mind as to her possessing his first and undivided love.

One day she said to him : ' Bertie, why did you start so to-day at the mention of Mr. Hildreth's name'-1 and I thought you looked vexed. Do you know him ?' 'Yes, I have met him,' answered Albert, in a manner that showed that the subject was distasteful to him. 'Who is he?' asked Grace, with awakening curiosity

'A gentleman whom I would not careto see associated with one in whom I had an interest. How beautiful tbe sunset is becoming,' was the evasive answer.

' But why, Bertie ?' persisted Grace, ignoring his last remark. He turned his eyes upon her, with a look of quiet surprise, and said : ' Cannot we select a more interesting topic of conversation ?' 'I thought it sufficiently interesting, 'or I should not have questioned you,' fihe said, with a pretty pout of her lips. ' But I suppose I must learn not to pry into your secrets.' A slight flush tinged hi* cheek at ler perversity, but ho replied: 'It is no secret. T sought to avoid the subject only because it is a painful •one.'

He paused, but she twirled her fan andjjlooked off at the sunset in a way that showed that she was not at all satisfied, and after a slight struggle he resumed:

'The person 'to whom you have referred has proved himself unworthy the respect of an honest man by his— his infamy!' flis flashing eye and the cade ace of deep feeling in his: voice smote Grace with a little pang of remorse.^ ' Forgive me, Bertie,'she said, throw ing her arms about his neck. 'It was foolish in me to insist upon having my own way and to pain you so. tjf course the matter is of no importance feme,'

Why did he not explain then ? It would have been so easy, when the subject was fully broached; and what wretchedness might it not have pre vented, had the matter been cleaned up. Indeed, he was on the point of continuing, when she stopped his lips with a kiss.

'.Not another word,' she said. ' Show that you love me by again yielding to my wishes.' And he said no more.

We next see our heroine on the eve of her departure for a fashionable watering-place. She and Albert; stood on the verandah, looking out on the moon-lit lawn.

'I wish you were going with us, Bertie she said, wistfully, with her hand on his shoulder.

'Business before pleasure, m petite,' he replied, smiling. ' They that toil and spin can't always givo the rein to their inclinations. But then, dearest, we shall be within a day of each other; and you must write me long, loving letters—will you ? Aid I will run down to you, for a week or two, at the end of the season '

' I vote business a bore,' she Said, a little pettishly.

' Business is to the lilies of our oeart like sunlight to the lilies of the field,' he replied.

t*he looked up into his face with a sudden gleam of tenderness, as she thought all this toil and sacrifice of pleasure was for her. Then she pressed her cheek to his arm in a mute expression of gratefulness. In the quiet and moonlight a gentle influence stole over them, and their hearts were drawn nearer each other than ever before. Was there a pre monition of coming evil in the feeling that made them cling to each other then?

The last farewells were said. Grace had hung upon her lover's neck in tear 3, in all the wretchedness of a first parting. Then came the pwift cour sing over the iron rails, the hurried greeting of summer-day friends, and she was plunged into all the gayeties of fashionable life at a modern summer resort.

' Miss Thornleigh, are you acquain ted with Mr Hildreth? Is it impossible that you have never met?'

That was Grace's introduction to the man who had ' forfeited the respect of all honest men by his infamy.' The announcement was so unexpected, that she with difficulty preserved countenance. She found herself bow ing to a man of most prepossessing exterior, and his subsequent conver sation and demeanor proved him in no degree lacking in gentlemanly polish. Mr Hildreth's intimacy with her friends brought Grace constantly into his company. Prom the first he bore himself toward her with that respect ful attention which was best calculated to disarm any prejudice against him. she found herself unconsciously treat ing him with less coldness than she had expected she would show to one who met with the disapprobation of her lorer, and blushed that she should question whether there were just grounds for Albert's condemnation of Mr Hildreth in its full extent.

One day the papei-s were full of an important suit, whose success was mainly due to the effective advocacy of Albert Holden. Grace's heart beat high with pride at the flattering tributes to her lover's abilities a3 a rising lawyer.

' I tell you what it is, sis/ said Guy Preston, tossing the paper into hie sister's lap. ' Holden has made a big hit. While drones like myself are spending their substance in riotous liv ing up here in the country, he is in town, carving out name-and fame, and all that sort of thing. I always erivy those iudustrious fellows, but am too constitutionally weary to emulate them.'

' How frank of you to acknowledge it Ino one would suspect it, other wise,' laughed his sister, looking up at him, as he languidly reclined in his chair, spearing the vine-leaves with his cane. 'By the way, G-uy, what was the trouble between Mr. Holden and Mr. Hildreth ? It seems to me that I remember hearing something about a misunderstanding.'

'I believe there was something of

the sort,' said Guy, not much interes ted, j ' What was it about ?' pursued his sister.

Grace threw her handkerchief over her face and leaned back in her chair, to prevent her countenance from be traying the interest she ielt in the answer.

'Keally can't say,' replied G-uy, carelessly. ' Never got at \he particu lars ; but believe there was a woman in the case—you know there always is. By the way, here comes Hildreth again. ' Talk of angels, etc' Grace was glad of the precautions she had taken, for the blood that sur ged up into her cheeks could hardly kave escaped notice. There was an unusual brightness in her e^es as she as she drew the handkerchief from her faoe when Mr. Hildreth came up, say ing:

1 Ah ! ' Sleepy Hollow.' May I share your retreat?'

Was it possible she held the key to Albert's dislike for Mr. Hildreth ? "She looked at him as he threw himself into a seat beside Miss Preston and began to fan himself with his hat. Grace was forced to acknowledge that he would be a formidable rival to any man for the favour of most women.

'Has the fame of the new hero reached you, Mr. Hildreth?' askecJ Miss Preston, who, for the nonce, let her love for the study of the human countenance under different emotions override the promptings of womanly delicacy. ' Yes,' replied Mr. Hildreth quietly, and added: ' I have considered Mr. Holden a gentleman of no little ability.'

That speecU won for the speaker a higher place in Grace's esteem, than any oilier single act could have done. She came to the mental conclusion that whatever had been the cause of quarrel between Mr. Hildreth and her lover, the former was not knowingly to blame.

That evening she heard voices be neath her window. Two gentlemen were having a quiet stroll and smoke. Guy Preston was speaking. ' By the way, Hildreth, how did you and Holden come to fall out ? He's a jolly fellow, ain't he ? Only a little strait-laced; don't hand round the bowl you know, and that sort of thing.' Grace waited with breathless inter est for the answer. It came after a moment's hesitation.

'Why, 1 believe he thought I diver ted the affection of a lady in whom he felt interested. Of course, it was wholly unpremeditated on my part, if the lady experienced a preference for me—'

In the spasm of pain that convulsed her heart the undercurrent of irony that ran through the gentleman's tone passed unobserved by Grace, aud as they passed 'round the corner of the building she did not hear the conclu sion of the sentence : ' which modesty forbids me to credit.' Had she heard it, the sneering sarcasm might have been a revelation to her of the speaker. Nor did she hear Guy chuckle and iterate:

' Of course, you injured innocence !'

'So that was why Albert was so bitter against this man. And he had told her that 'although he had bad friend ships with both men and women yet, until she had taught him, he had never known what it was to love.' She had not detected the equivocation in his words; but now she groaned in spirit as she repeated to herself, ' friendships with women!'

When next Mr Hildrebh met Grace, there was a change in her that made him open his languid eyes wider than was his wont. He began to study her closer. He analyzed her looks, her conversation* her manner, but could fasten upon nothing tangible. Still there was a charm about her that bad never impressed him before, finally he concluded that the change must be in himself; yet he felt surprised that this pearl could have lam so long under his eye unobserved.

Little by little they became more intimate, until ere long, almost uncon sciously to both, they were seldom out of each other's society. S rot that Grace remitted a jot of her loyalty to Albert. She would have been shocked at such a thought. She wrote to him even more regularfy than before j but

it never occurred to her to analyze the motive that prompted this. When she thought of the displeasure it would cause Albert to know of her intimacy with Mr Hildreth, she excused herself on the plea that Albert had certainly misjudged him ; then a dull pain would begin tugging at her heart, and would drive her from the solitude of her room to the incessant whirl of society, where she found Mr Bildreth ever waiting with an unexceptionable delicacy of attention. * Day by day she felt herself being drawn further into a maelstrom whose giddy vortex she dared not contem plate.

She longed far Albert, and one day went so far as to write a long, pleading letter begging him to ccwie to her. Then, in an agony of despair she tore it into a thousand pieces. If Albert answered he* summons how could ehe explain sp extraordinary a letter and how could she conduct h«raelf toward Mr Hildreth in the presence of her affianced husband? As ehe thought of it she began to dread Albert's com ing as much as she before desired it. The only refuge from herself and her wretched thoughts lay in what began to seem an inevitable fate.

She knew that she did not care a straw for this man, and yet—and yet— And at this point she lay back on her pillow with closed eyelids, through which the tears would force their way, and felt utterly miserable. It was" at this time that Mr Hildreth was one night walking the beach alone. He seemed unconscious of the wind that blew the salt spray into his tace with stinging force as the tide came in. He kept chewing the end of an unlit cigar, and spitting the tobacco from lliq jYioii^Vi Momofi'moa V\a frown ed and clenched his hand; and then the muscles would relax, the hard lines disappear from his face, and in their place would come a look of tenderness. ' I have always come off' unscathed until now,' he muttered. ' Curse them ! they have all tried to catch me hitherto.' And after a little, ' Money ! money!' And a bitter sneer curled his lip, and a cruel look gleamed in his eye. -Then he threw the fragment of the cigar impatiently from him, and strode off toward the hotel.

With all the professional laurels he had gained, there was a vague unhap piness stealing over Albert Holden One day he caught himself critically s udying trace's letters. Then a crimson blush of shame leaped to his brow, at the half-forned suspicion that there could be any change in her.

It was while he was in this mood that a friend called upon him. Albert remembered only ono item in his friend's budget of news from tho sea side; and that burned and seared itself into his brain so that it could never be effaced.

' By the way, Miss Thornleigh is in her old line of trade. She has Hil dreth on the string now; and the general impression seems to bo that it is about 'tother and which. You know he's an old stager.'

After his friend was gone, all un conscious of the mine he had set in train, Albert sat at his desk, a preter natural calm upon him, and only the ghastly pallor of his face, the clammy ooze that stood on brow and lip, and the stony glare of his eye telling of theconvulsion that was goingon within. For hours he sat thus, and then he took from a drawer a small silver mounted pistol, and having seen that all the chambers were loaded, thrust it into his breust-pocket.

In that long meditation Albert had before his mind the picture of a young life blighted by the selfish folly of a man He thought of a young girl whom his mother has brought up as her own, for whom he had felt a brotherly attachment —nothing more —and with whose affections « harles Hildreth had trifled for a summer's amusement. Then followed thoughts that tnrned his heart into a consuming fire and shut heaven and humanity out from his soul.

The crisis was come. Hildreth had led Grace out from the heated ball room to the cool retreat of a summer house. Then the tide of his emotions leaped its bounds. He threw hinjelf at her feet and poured into hei^ar the Btbity ~t hiss love. Thifc man ttho,

had visited all the allurements of beauty; who, until now, had seemed without a heart, was like some mouny tain reservoir that lies for years in placid tranquility, but. when tbe barriers are beaten down rushes forward, bearing death and destruction in its resistless torrent. Grace struggled in vain; she was borne a^ay in the rash of his passion, and before she could prevent it he held her in his arms and was raining kisses on her face. Then, as a shadow darkened the door-way, she tore herself from his embrace, and leaped to her feet with a piercing scream.

B ildreth turned to be confronted by a man with a face like that of a frown ing Nemesis. There was a horrible smile on that ghastly countenance The lips moved, and a voice that curdled the blood of his hearers, said :

' Do you remember asking me ' what if you should prove false to me ?' Behold!'

There was a ringing report, and Charles Hildreth fell without & moan.

'Are you answered? But that is not all,' said the man with an icy laugh, as he carried the weapon to ward his head.

There was a woman's scream that pierced every heart in the densely thronged ballroom and grounds.

'Bertie! Bertie!'

She sprang forward and caught his arm, but it was too late. The pistol exploded, and in the ghastly forms before her Grace Ihornleigh saw the cost of a flirtation.

Varieties.

Golden rule—Specie payments,

■£•» English judge has decided that you are liable in dama^us lor keeping a noisy rooster.

That writer does the most who gives hia reader the moat knowledge and takes from him the least time.

Rare bitß of colouring from the old masters —Black and blue spots on a schoolboy's back.

The man who is curious to see how the world could get along without him can find out by sticking a cambric needle into a mill pond and then withdrawing it and looking at the hole.

Mother Stewart, one of the mo3t prominent of the leaders in the ' temperance crusade' in Ohio, two years ago, has received an invita tion to begin a similar movement in England.

There is nothing like taking all you do at a moderate estimate ; it keeps mind and hody tranquil ; whereas grandiloquent notions are apt to hurry both into fever.

If tho Ark had been manned by a Mississippi steamboat c ptain, he would have been very unhappy duriDg the entire voyage, because there was no opposition Ark on tha river to race with.

It is said there are more lies told in the scnteuce 'I am glad to sea you,' than in any other six words in the English language.

It is a singular fact that all the unsuccess ful Arctic explorers record their faith in the future discovery and navigation of an open Polar Sea.

For a fit of idlenesa : Count the ticking of a clock ; do this for an hour, and you will be glad to pull off your coat the next one and goto work.

An exchange says that amid the general reduction of Wages in these times, there is one th'ng whose wages are not in the least reduced, and that is sin.

Be not triumphant, little flower, AVhen on her haughty heart you lie, But modestly enjoy your hour; She 11 weary of you by and by.

• 'The Intelligent Juror' made his appear ance again in a New York murder trial. Upon being asked if he had any ' conscien tious scruples on the subject of capital punishment,' he stated that he * was sick at the time, and did not read the papers,' and on further investigatian it was found that he did not know what capital punishment was. Many very good people are annoyed by sleepiness in church. The following remedy is recommended : Lift the foot seven inches from tbe floor, and hold it in suspense, with out support for the limb, and repeat the remedy if the attack returns.

A pretty young lady (lawyer of Chicago always declines divorce cases. Her argument on that score is short and sweet, viz : Every woman who accepts a husband should forever thereaf er during life be compelled to live with liim, whether ugly, shabby, good, bad or indifferent.

A scholastic professor, in explaining to a class of young ladies the theory according to which the body is entirely renewed every seven\years, said : * ' Thus. Miss 8., in seven years you will no longer be Miss B.'^ 'I really hope 1 shan't,' demurely responded the girl, modestly castipg down her eyes.

A. young lady about to be married insisted on having a certain clergyman to perform the ceremony, sa»iDg : 'he always throws so mush feeling into the thing ; and I wouldn't give a fig to bo married unless it could b$ dbhfe in a styte $ gushing rtiajfotidy,'