Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1881-03-31

Mary captured III IN DOtn ner own,
kissed it, and answered, laughingly-
Don't hush me, mother Pm not
child any longer, and | see my father
as | would see any other man. The
fact is, we have spoiled HIM, until his
habit Of finding fault with trihes, and
holding somebody responsible for all his
discomforts. is almost uncomfortable.
He isn't conscious of it, and if tonight
at meeting somebody should tell him
Dof 1t, he would be as much surprised as
anybody"
"And he would pray as earnestly as
anybody to be delivered from it," said
his wife.
Eyes, if they were successful in max
ing him believe he had any such fault"
laughed Mary; ''but We two, who love
him best, have never dared to let him
know We saw it, so he would not be
easily convinced.
'He's "A good man, Mary, a good
Christian man, honest as the light"
and cross as a bear, and"
MARY"
Mother" and Mays eyes twinkled.
81 never knew you to speak so Of
your father"
"But | wish | had spoken long ago
and I'm going to speak now. Pm go
ing to tell him what | think about it
all, Think what doleful, forlorn
Christmas we had
'But your father never kept Christ
mas. When he was young the people
thought more of the first day of the
New Year, and | doubt if he ever had
a present in his life; and when your
brother used to want to hang up bis
stocking, he would tell him what hard
times he had as child; that he was
glad to get enough to eat without ask
ing fol presents. OF course, even when
| had saved no few sixpenses to buy
the child gift, such a remark took the
pleasure out of it; SO as he grew older
we said nothing about it to his father,
but | used to manage to slip n new
handkerchief, or necktie, or a pair Of
mittens, into his drawe,."
eyes, | understand it, mother, for
even now, ii he looks at me when |
have on n new dress, feel suddenly
guilty and as if the old one ought to
have served another year"
"Well, he has a great many cares,
child, and he cannot help being angry
when he is in debt. He's growing old,
daughter, and we mustn't mind his
ways. Tonight he was especially anx-
ious to get off early, and everything
went wrong, You know lie is never
late to church, added the loyal wife,
anxious to say all possible good
"All that may be true, mother, and
out in the world he bears things like a
man and Christian. I've no doubt he
will give as good testimony to the mer-
cies of the past year as any one in the
meeting tonight, but he will fret Just
as quickly if the breakfast is two min
utes LAKE tomorrow morning. | don't
want his kind Of religion, mother. A
faith that won't help a man keep his
temper isn't worth having" And the
girls face flushed with the energy of
her words.
"Stop, stop, my child You don't
know what you are saying Your
brother Harry said that before he went
away. Don't let me hear it from another
child
There's no fault in the faith There's
no fault in the precious Christmas gift,
sent us from God. If we take so spar
ingly and use so blindly that we miss
the blesSedness that is every Christians
heritage, the fault is not in the Giver or
the gift. Your fathers faith is your
mothers, Mary, and she tells you it
has been her only strength and COM
fort and delight. You will come to
know it, some time, for yourself, and
believe my boy, if he lives, will come
to know it too"
Seeing her mothers agitation, the
girl said no more, but gently led her
on to talk of her brother who had left
home ut the age of sixteen, and had
never been heard of since. At the time
of his departure, Mary, now on the
verge of womanhood, was four years
of age, and all through her childhood
and youth her imagination had played
around her faint memories of HIM,
eagerly at whatever her mother
could tell Her father never spoke Of
him except to upbraid his desertion off
his parents and his duty. Whatever
had been his otlense, the deacon had |
not forgiven, but Mary knew how the
heart yearned and watched
and waited for her boy, and she under
stood what secret spring of sorrow was
draining her mothers strength. He |
had left them ON the last night of the
old wear; and as the years one after an
other crept onward Mary always felt
,hp feyerish faint hone in her mothers !