The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-09-20

"DrOli ? What do you mean, child p
"Well, dear, you know the other day,
when Harriet and Amy Seatnn were
here, we wanted little amusement, and
proposed that we should have mad
tea party, like they had in Alice in
Wonderland Amy waa the mad halter,
and lent her your high hat, on which
we put card. In this styie, los Cd.
Harriet was the dormUuse, and | was
the March hare. | wrote on alp of pa
per, Mad March hare and pinned it
Just under the collar Of your best coat
and-and quite forgot to take it off.
Well, as | looked at you going up the
room, | could see this; and, oh if you
knew how pinched my tingerT, trying
to keep from laughing, you would love
your little cousin 50 much"
But, Ivy" he exclaimed, in dire dis
may. what must the people have
thought"
"Oh, they couldn't read the writing.
Cousin Herbert-it was 80 badly writ
ten; but old Mira, Jones (who is very
short-sighted. you know said to me,
'LOr, miss parsons got new coat AZ
last, and he's forgotten to take off the
price -ticket.'"
| anu NY hhbt ht hi'huCu' ~"
you forget to take the card out of that
TOO? l noticed one or two persons look
at me in rather strange manner"
Il believe did. Oh, am 80 sorry !!
But, Frightening again, they know how
absent minded you are, and will he sure
To think it WAS some persons card where
you wanted to call.
How happy his home was now, how
merry Ivy's laughter how seldom those
melancholy visions Of past days ever
occupied his mind.
Ole evening, when he returned, he
found to his surprise that The house was
empty. Neither Ivy nor Sarah was to
be heard of.
At last, by dint OF p'rsevering iDqui-
rip, he learned that they had been s. Ell on
their way to the Smiths, whose youngest
child he knew but too well had been
seized with scarlet fever. Full of alarm,
he hurried OH, hoping to Oyertake them,
but as he passed the cottage window he
saw Ivy sitting by the bedside of the lit
tie boy, talking softly to him, and feed
ing him with grapcs, which the child
vas eating with feverish satisfaction.
fastening in, he met Sarah in the pas
sage.
"Sarah - he cried Indignantly, how
could you allow her to come here y
You may well say that, cir, said
Sarah, wringing her hands, but she's
that wiIlful l couldn't have kept her at
home by main force, She heard the
postman say to me that Mrs. Smith had
gone out to fetch Dick some medicine,
and that he had been crying for some
thing to cool his thirst"
"Ivy darling he said, entering the
ro m, chow could you come here p
"Because-because, she said hesita-
ting. you said last Sunday that little
child might become in reality minis
tering angel, and though | know | can't
be that,yet when heard little Dick was
all alone, and hot and miserable,
thought must come and try to comfort
him. And see" she added, smiling, "he
is looking better, is he not ?"
Without the loss of single moment,
Hel bert Evans hurried her away home,
hoping and praying, oh, so earnestly,
that no harm might have befallen her.
Alas next day her head ached, and
she was sickening for fever, and ere a
week had passed she was tossing to and
| fro in pain, for scarlet fever had deYel-
oped itself in all its intensity.
How he lived through those days he
never knew. Now, at last, he perceived
where all his joy and brightness came
| from.
He could not leave the bedside except
in cases of urgent necessity, for the
child's hand always sought hls, and her
moaning was hushed when she knew he
was near, whilst happy smile often
stole over her face as she looked up and
saw him beside her.
The crisis was at hand.
Can she pull through it ? he asked
the doctor with trembling lips, as he saw
her lying almost liteless, now that the
fever had run its course.
1--WE must hope and pray" said the
doctor, kindly but solemnly.
How serious the case was he then
knew, and with a half-stIfled groan he
fell on his knees and asked God to take
ANYTHING he possessed, but if it were his
will, to be merciful and spare that little
one to him, his only joy, the light OF his
existence. And as he prayed, feeling
Of resignation, full and complete, took
possession of him.
All must be for the best, whether it
ended in life or in death. And his pray
er grew from the feverlsh longing to the
inward peace which comes from entire
trust in the Heavenly Father.
The spiritual change IN his own mind
seemed to be reflected'in the condition
OF the child. She took nourishment,an and
best of all signs, slept calmly and peace
fully, whilst hope and conf 1ence dawn
ed with the morning on those who had
watched so long and anxiously.
And so, Cousin Hei bert, you are
really glad am better I" she asked, a
few weeks later, when they were sitting
together.
"My child, how can you ask me that"
he said, drawing her gently to him.
"WelI, you see," putting her little pale
face close 10 his, and kissing his cheeks
all over, Il thought when came what
a terrible trouble you must think me"
"Yes, but you have wound yourself
round and round my heart now, dar-
ling so that life would indeed be blank
without you"
mo, not quite so, cousin; but | cling
to you with all my strength, as the ivy
does to the firm support which gives 1t
power to grow up
Five years have past away-happy,
peaceful years for Herbert Evans and his
young charge. But now winter of un-
wonted severity had set in, and it griev-
ed his heart sorely to know of the real
distress which existed amongst his be-
loved flock. True he labored from day
to day bravely and devoutedly, exhort-
ing by word and example those who had
the means and power 10 give, to expert
ence the blessedness which Follows work
done and aims gwen in the name Of
Christ; comforting the needy in their
distress, cheering the faint-hearted, ever
the leader and promoter of good works.
And yet often his heart lnvoluntarily
sank within him, and he wondered how
the pressing need of his people could be
met from day TO day. The continued
strain was beginning to tell heavily upon
him, and one morning at breakfast he
was looking so pale and harrassed that
even Ivy's loving tenderness could not
altogether Danish care and anxiety from
his face. A letter had come for him,
addressed in handw Iting he could not
recall, and he opened it with some littlt
curiosity to discover that it was from an
old college fTiend-a soliCitOr-from
whom, indeed. he had last heard at the
death of his Cousin Annie, telling him
OF her latest request. The letter ran as
follows