Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1876-02-29

half, filled it again, and moved it to his
hand.
MY poor Katie" he said, and kept
repeating my name, "has it come 10
this-only one cup between US alp"
"And enough, too" answered.
smiling as gaily as could-"enough to
build a house and home on, if we trusted
to tea"
"What is your meaning2" he enquired.
II was almost afraid to say what |
meant but took courage, while trem.
bling. Il mean, darling" answered.
THAT il we could both be content with
the reireshment of tea we'd soon have
better and bliiher house than ever we
had"
i've been a bad father and bad
husband, he said-ior By this time he
had nearly come to himself-"but all is
gone. and it's too late to mend.n
made no answer, but just drew down
the blanket from the faces OF the sleeping
chidren-there never was anything
touched my husband like the little child.
"Is all gonc?" asked and with
tha. he crushed his face down on his
clasped hands as they lay on the table,
and burst into tears. knet down
beside him, and thanked Sod for the
tears, in my heart, but was so choked
| could not speak; and we stayed that
way ever so long, neither saying word.
Now Il is strange what turns the mind
will take. Even while his iacc was wet
with tears, my darling lifted 1t.
Katie" he said-and it may seem to
you nothing but Il fond old woman'5
fancy, but I've always thought there was
no music in the world ever so sweet as
the way my husband says "Katie' unto
this Iay-"K4tie" he says lets turn the
cup and SEQ what it reads. Like al!
Youngsters, believe, we had tossed
many a cup, in our boy and girl days,
iust for laughter. He took it up serious
like, and turned it, aud as he looked into
il he smiled There's clear road, v
he went on, land house a. the top, and
wonderful lot of planks; they can't be
ours, for there is not plank in or near
the pit now
But there will be, VI answered eager
ly.
at was only yesterday, down where
the spinney everhangs the pool, | met
Mrs. Grovely. She gave me bithe
good-morning, and asked if my goodman
was going to turn his Leaf soon. Tell
him to make haste, from me-" she said.
"for he's too good fellow to go much
longer as he's been going. There's good
in him"
Are YOU sure she said that ?" whis-
pered my husband.
So | told him indeed she did, and
more. She said she was waiting until
you'd resolved TO turn TO like man and
cut down the small lot of timber that's
waiting for your hatchet on the corner
farm. I'm determined, "she contin ued,
"no one bu, him shall fell those trees.
As shall want TO use the planks in the
spring. he has no time to lose" She
said something unpleasant about the
public house, but l could not let that
pass; so up and told her that it was
carelessness and neglect that turned you
from your own fireside."
"You should not have said that, Katie"
he answered. 1--WE been bad husband
and bad father, and | did not think
there was one in the place that would
trust me with a days work." aud his
voice shook and faltered, but he got it
out at last, Even if did take turn,
it's not likely you could forgive mel"
And then fell weeping at his feet,
and laid bare my heart, and repeated
that if had been what l ought to have
been. and kept the house ne put over me
fresh and clean. as ought 10 have kept
it, instead OF spending the morning oi
my days in vanity and idleness. we need
not have been two shivering sinners at
that hour. | repeated again and again
that it was my ways that drove him TO
find By the tap-room fire what he had
lost at home; and then / lifted up my
voice and called to my Savior to look
down and help US both. /, with my
voice full of tears, promised my husband
il he would try me-onlY try me-he
he would see what hoTe | would make
for him. He was always one for
little joke, and even then he said, and
twirled the cup. "A well llplenished
house is a tea.cup; one tea-cup between
US"
Yes" l said, "if nothing stronger
than tea flows into that cup. or vets our
lips out of that cup, we will build Our
house" We both kept long silence, and
the break of that blessed day, though it
showed me my husbands face pale and
haggard, and his hand trembling-so
trembling that he could not carry the
tea cup to his lips without spilling its
contents-b brought new life into our
shattered home.
Lucy, on that blessed day-this day
eighteen years ago-strength was given
US both TO keep our promise TO God and
- a,L... onJ son,abouv tbis taxI