Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1888-01-05
"Deares. YOU shall have a dozen

morbid fancies get hold of you-you
know you are not really strong yet"
So the child was not christened and
Eustace Vane's sarcasm hav NJ killed
the yearning in the mothers heart, shc
went i'm for her advanced ideas more
warmly than ever, and the green bay
tree tlourished greener and greener.
Truly, it did seem hard upon the M
pie folk who had so many troubles.
Upon one point every one was
agreed. and that was that when the
days of babyhood were passed, the
little heir of Vanedcne began to prove
himself wonder after all. Al five
years old he knew as much as child
of ten, or of twice ten for the matter OF
that; he could repeat poetry in three or
four languages by the page; could play
violin and piano; had written story,
printed by his parents, who were wiser
than their fathers had been, and
circulated among their friends; in
short he was an infant prodigy. fine,
handsome. healthy intelligent child.
forced far hey oud his years aud boyO
his strength.
No simple toys were his by day-no
simple prayers he said By night; in.
deed not one night out of seven did he
have the sound healthy sleep childhood
ought to have. No. his toys were
mechanical models of the most compli-
Gated description, and night after
night he was kept up till midnight ut
his mothers parties or ut circus.
theatre. concert and the like, until tho
handsome eyes would stay open no
longer, and he was carried off to bed,
worn out by fatigue. yet too thoroughly
excited to sleep.
No one, except his parents, was
surprised when little Willie fell i'll. as
he did one dull and dreary November
day, after being up till one III the
morning Mt child's fancy ball got up
for his pleasure. No one was surprised,
but his parents were filed with n
horrible agony OF fear. when the doc
tors who had been called in to attend
| him announced the case to be inflam-
nation of the brain and almost hope
less.
Quickly the news spread through
Vanedene till it reached tho rectory.
| Then, ut once. the rector sailed out
and took his way toward the Hall;
Mrs. Vane came to him.
as it truep' he asked.
"Oh! too true--too true" she sobbed.
'.Let me baptize him." said the good
man. taking her hand and looking nj
her with kindly pity.
at Will do no good, she cred. Oh,
my boy!'
"Oh! Mrs. Vane," he said earnestly.
"Why will you disregard the truthP 1t
is God who has sent this trouble upon
you. If the child is taken can you find
it in your heart to lay him over there
and leave him forever
"For ever" she echoed
"Can YOU bear the villagers, amongst
whom You have liven all your life
those who have loved the child us wei
almost as Yourself, TO say you have
buried him like dogP'
Like dog" she cried in an an
guished vo ce.
"Can you refuse for h m-your little
innocent child-thc glorious inheri
lance which your husband and yo,
have refused for yonrsclves?"
.'Oh! no, nor
Show me the way said the rector
drawing her toward the door.
She led him to the room where tn
child lay fighting his last struggle wit
the grim King of Terrors. Eustac
Vane stood by the bed, a very haggar'
and anxious Eustacc Vane, utterl
crushed by the blow even then fallin
upon him. The rector did not lose
moment. but even as he took the basi
of pure water. which was brought a
his request. there was sigh-a shive
"a sudden opening Of the blue eyes
surprised smile and murmer of "Motl
er!'-and then Mrs. Vanc sank upo
her knees with an exceeding bitter cry
TOO late-too latc!' and Eustac
Vane realized that they were childles'
Into his mind there came q remem
brance of q lovely summers day, wine
his wife had spoken of tile child's chri.
tening-of his own sarcastic words
the scarlet flush upon her cheek as sl
heard them-of his frequent boas
I'VE are wiser than our fathers"
And then there came TO him out {
the Book which he had despised mes
sage straight from the God whom !
had denied: Behold! your house
left unto you desolatc. "-London s.
ciety.
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