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"It rains--what lady loves a rainy day?

She loves a rainy day eeps the hearth,

And threads the busy needle, or applies

The scissors to the torn or threadbare sleeve;

And blesses God that she has friends and home"

ANON

"Mary, where is your cousin? I have not seen her since breakfast," inquired Mrs Carlton, as the two friends sat conversing in the chamber of the latter

"She laid aside her book just now, declaring it was so dark she could scarcely read This gloo-roo, Mary left the apartment

For two days the rain had fallen in torrents, and now on the third , the heavens were still overcast, and at intervals of every few ed themselves in copious showers The despondency induced by the unsettled tiloomy weather, and many an earnest as expressed that sunshine would soon s up and down the dining-room, Florence had stationed herself at the , and stood with her cheek pressed against the panes, gazing dreaed streets She was roused from her reverie by Mary's entrance

"Florry, I have co yourself here, all alone?"

"Cohts, as usual Here, Mary, stand besidemyself to discover how those Mexican wo themselves They seem distressed, yet every now and then chatter with most perfect unconcern There, they are both on their knees, with so on the fence before thee, excited hten me?"

Mary looked earnestly in the direction indicated by her cousin, and at length replied: "You will scarcely credit my explanation: yet I assure you I perfectly understand the pantomime Florry, look more particularly at the picture suspended in the rain What does it e of the Virgin! But I should suppose they considered it sacrilegious to expose it to the inclemencies of the weather"

"Look closely, Florry, there are praying to the Virgin, and i a cessation of the rain I once happened at Señor Gonzale's during a thunder-stor out all the paintings of saints they possessed I inquired the , and was told in answer, that the shoould soon pass over, as they had petitioned the ies to that effect Those women have repeated a certain nu you will see theh the same formula"