Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1877-10-27

~ i'll ypu I - a. Estaer' rId yoa
lesv- ms s WI ynn no give me so n.
IL helped her t,spaaik AS she " shst IN.
There is higher claim upon my nfe,"
she SAIL. than any l could grant IL was
laid upon me years ago; bear IL willingly,
and nothing mus spute it in my art,
"YOu mean your brother; know, / a.
knowledge II; love you because of iJ." A al
thea he told her OF the strange sympathy he
felt for her in their accident al meeting; how
wonterful IL seemed that while ne shoild be
speaking of IL To his mother son that
he was, making her his cpnfidant stili-sha
had come 10 them for help, nov gla II y Il n ad
been given; how heavily be hal felt her a -
appointment; how interest aai sympathy
would snare her affection with ths wander
iBg boy.
II was very grateful to her, very Turing but
"My first duty is to Albert still - she sal A;
"my friend my true friend. I could not
rest, while he is bearing hariships and dan
| gers, aud your happiness must not wait u 20 4
my release. 1t would not be right to bind
| you To such adreary uncertainty"
But one memorable evening In the chilly
autumn the brood ing dependency triumphei
/ for u time. Doubts Of the goodness of h ar
Father in heaven-of His truth In answer
ing ner many prayers-of His very provi-
aenoe over ner NE, since He had wrested
/ from her the care for this erriug clil4, "A "a
abandoned him ID the soiling contact ani
/ degrading influences from which she ha 4
struggled to KEEP him; these m SCRABBLE m Ir-
| murlngs came between her q a 1.-The Ii ghL
! behind the cloud" which had so far led ner
on. She was sitting by the open wiudox,
late and chill as It was, only drs wing her
| shawl closer as she leaned her heal down
upon her hands. she did not even hear the
! approach ng footsteps that warned her of i'm b
| trusion; but hand was laid softly on her
| mead, ana she looked up to dni X chard
| Graham before her.
"On! why did you Gomez" she sail, bitterly.
Il did not expect Ihis,"
See! | have brought my welco ne with
mel" and he held up a letter in the cold moon
! light. MAY not come now"
He saw with foreboding how weak she still
was, Tor all her assurances To the contrary,
and he made her sit still, holding tna pre-
cious letter to be sure that IL was no drea a
while he found the light and set Ii down b.
fore her; but even when she nal broke 4 Tn e
seal she could not read line, and held IL
out to him, the only one in the worlt with
whom she could have shared IT, MY ow Il
precious sister. And these few woris
told her all that she most desired to know -
all that the letter could explain Of sha ue and
/ repentance and amendment; more of love
and devotion To herself than she askei or ex-
pected; for she did not seek reward, only his
, rescue from tngratitude and sin.
Afterward she dwelt upon the blotted
pages on which the proud, passionate boy
/ had poured out his very heart, with glad
Thanksgiving; but then she felt above all
else the reprOof TO her narrow wis ION as sue
listened 10 the story of the storm thai had
been Gods message to his heart, the hard
loneliness of the wide sea that had deepened
and strengthened good resolves, ani she
knew that Gods own hani hal re moved
him from her gentler lessons to the stsrner
teaching his wilfulne,s hal chosen
But he was not coming back to her, he
| said, until he had proved the sincerity of the
change Until can help take care of you,
Esther" the boy said, in his own proui way.
! "And l thank your friend, Mr. Graham for
| writing to the captain aud to the consi yuees,
which made them offer me the place. wish
l knew Mr.. Graham, for the letter was
splendid.-just as you talk, only with a
mans ideas,-and II did me good. / knew |
| deserved every word of it."
| "Are you going to wait his three years to
| see him again before you can be contentei
| Esther, cOntented To come back to us,
| meaD?'-Mr. Graham said, as he laid the
| letter down. "Shall 1 write to ask his COZ
| sent? rather think he would be disposed
! to give it, TO me-"
| And Esther smiled through her tears as
she was folded 10 the heart that echoed the
gladness of her own at this "good news fro n
ala country"