Weekly Trinity journal., 1874-07-04

hearty, l know, but l want to see you eat
something"
She smiled family as she replied:
" You know you don't let me work
any more, father, and can't ge; hungry
like you that are busy all day working
for me-"
" Yes, lamb, for you," ho repeated as
if the words gave him pleasure. "God
knows it's all for you, and he knows how
thankful | am to have you TO work for.
Folks talk about my lot ben' hard, but
that's all they know. wouldn't change
places with anybody. As long as He
leaves me you, III never doubt that God
loves mo-"
The girl sighed and look of white pain
quivered moment on her lips.
" Take me up, father" she said half
an hour after, as they sat before the bright
fire together. No mothers touch could
have been moro tender than that rough
mans as he lifted the little twisted form
into his arms and laid the sunny head
carefully against his breast. She rested
there for while silently, looking fondy
up into his face and now and thon touch
ing his checks gently with her thin fin
gers. AT last sho said with nm air of
oarnestnoss, yet slightly hositating:
" You do believe that God loves you,
don't you, father ?"
"Yes, lamb, yes; SO long os lTo leaves
me YOU"
But if He didn't leave me-" she per-
sisted, wouldn't you believe that, too, it
was because He loved you ?"
The mans face darkoncd with n sud
den, sickening terror.
Look here" said he, in n tone of pas
sionato ontreaty, "don't talk about that
don't! 1t couldn't be love no way, that
wouldn't leave you. You're all I've got,
child-all. God don't want to take away
all, does He? That amt love-"
The girl stretched her hand up and put
her arm around his neck, and mid her
face on his shoulder to hide the tears she
could not keep back, but she mnde no
answer. After n whilo he asked a sudden
question, breathlessly, as if suspicion
had pierced him with pNng too sharp to
be borno
" Has Dir. Peters been hero to.dayP"
She trembled a little, but sho answered
quietly, " Yes, father"
"And he says you're goin', does he, the
way your mother wont2 Child, don't
you believe him You shan't go; my
love will keep you alive. Hasn't it kept
you now, fourteen years Why the doc
tor said you wouldn't live, the first time
he laid you in my arms But you have
lived, and here you are and here III hold
you. Hasn't my love kept you so long ?"
Your love and Gods love, father.
But what if Ho thinks now, that it Is time
for me TO go home ?"
And thon they sat silent for long, still
hour; and the wood fire burned brightly,
and now and then a brand dropped on tho
hearth, and that and the storm without
were tho only sounds that broke the still
ness, save when once or twice great
gasping sob tore up from Shilling Dams
deep chest. At last no bent over and
turned his girls face toward him, and
looked in it with eager hungry oyes.
"It'll be n sorry world lamb, whom
you're not in it; when there's nobody
waitin' at the door and no light burnn'
in the windcr."
She looked up, her blue eyes full of
tears.
Father" she said gently, "don't you
know you've told me sometimes, how the
thought that | was waitin' made it easy
for you to get home, when the storms
drove ever so hard, and kept you from
wantin' to turn into store or tavern ?"
" Yes, lamb but what'll keep me on
my way when you arc gone ?" ho asked
| bitterly.
/ thought Of the times you'd said that
father, after DIR. Peters went away to-
day; and wondered if it wasn't Gods
love that was going to take me to the
heavenly home, SO as to make it easier
for you to come. I'll wait for you there,
father; and | won't be lame any more,
and III come TO meet you when you get
there, just ms sure as ever waited here p"
But the father said nothing. lie only
held her hand against his aching heart,
with grasp that almost hurt her, as If
to case his pain-hcld her till her bed
time came and then carried her to her
room and left her there with long, sad ,
silent kiss. Once alone, the passion of
his agony clutched lin in its grasp; but
he suffered no sound to escape him that
could reach her ears. Rigid as stone he
sat before the fire and never needed when
the room grew cold and the last brand
burned out and fell into gray ashes.
After that night he never referred to
the subject again. IIo saw that she failed
every day, bat he could not talk about it,
and she understood him too we'll to urge
him. Every day he went to his work
this was not the time to fail, when she
needed unwonted luxuries, and might
need them none knew how long. Every
night he came to her; his face pallid with
apprehension. At last she grew too weak
to sit up any more, and lay patiently on
her little bed, bearing without a moan
her torturing pain, and never forgetting
to have light put in the wndow-the
beacon light for the father coming home.
Just at the last there was time when
all knew that the end was near. That
week her father did not go to his work