Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1890-02-17
Accounting for the Change.


uncle Henry's and did not enjoy
} much. The uncle was not very we
+ off, and his wife and children SCENE
| to be in perpetual clamor for thing
/ they did not and could not have
Even Cousin Faith, whom Roy rathe
liked, seemed to be affected by tn
contagion of discomfort. Altogethe
r the house was not very agreeabl
: place to visit, Still, Roy was in tn
city and Uncle Henry had to be visi
ted. So, with the worst possibl
grace, and with a supreme effort 70
! relationships sake, Roy went over t.
spend the day. This is the result a
told by Phoebe Field in the Herdl,
and Presbyter:
But Roy had reason to change hi
mind. 1t was not so discouraging a
his uncle's, after all. Uncle Henri,
himself appeared in better health anC
spirits than be had before in years
the children were less fretful an(
more content even Aunt Fannie was
better satisfied with the existing state
of things than ever before. There
seemed to have come a great change
over the entire household, and what
was the cause? Roy saw and pom
dered, and finally concluded it must
be Faith
1t was Faith who kept the house in
order, and helped with the other
work SO that they had no girl, which
lightened the household expenses and
made things more comfortable all
around; it was Faith who helped the
children off to school in the morning.
and assisted them with their lessons
at night. 1t was Faiths smile and
cheerful word that made their home
the pleasant place it was. The child
rem came to her with their joys and
sorrows, sure of sympathy and help ;
the mother grew cheered and encour-
aged with the loving help of a daugh-
ter, and the father seemed to find
home once more home and Roy
looked on and wondered as he con-
trasted her with the selfish, ease-lov-
| ing girl of year before.
''Faith," he said, one evening
when, the children safe in bed the
young girl came down stairs and
entered the pleasant sitting-room.
"Faith, have you given up the edu-
cation you used to think so much of p
''No, hope not" said Faith then
she added 81 had to stay at home
this year; that is, thought | ought
to, for we could not afford a girl,
and it seemed the only right way for
me to stay at home and help mamma. :"
$50 you will lose a whole year.
eyes," answered Faith, quietly :;
''but may have a chance to go to
school yet; if not, it will be right any,
way. Surely, what He sends is the
BEST" she added softly, as if to her.
self.
"Faith," said Roy abruptly, sis
that it?''
sis what it?' asked Faith, smiling.
Roy made no reply for moment,
then he asked earnestly:
"Faith, are you a Christian?'
81 hope So, answered the girl :;
81 believe So" K
''Then that accounts for it," ex-
claimed her cousin.
'Accounts for what?" asked Faith,
in puzzled tone. 'sWhat are you
talking a0out?"
'You," replied Roy; and that was
all she could get him to say.
1t was six months later, and Faith
Milton stood by the open window,
an open letter in her hand, which she
had just finished reading. 1t had
been a hard winter for the girl. She
sometimes grew so tired of the daily
round of duties, that were finished
one day only to be taken up again
the next.
"What is the good of it all p she
would think bitterly, ''and what am
| doing for the Master?"
That very morning she had been
so discouraged, so respondent, and
now had come this letter. The first
of it was filled with family news and
talk of school work and plans for the
future, but at the last came this; 81
cannot close this letter without speak
ing of one thing more. When | came
to your fathers house last fall | was
an unbeliever, and thought religion
merely a pretty, sentimental notion;
but when saw it shown forth in the
sweet usefulness of your daily life, l
could no longer refuse to believe. 1t
has been long, hard struggle, for l
had resisted too long for it to be easy
for me; but it is all right at last,
and from this time on the Master
you serve will be mine also and |
have you, dear Faith, to thank that it
is so.''
And Faith, as she read, rejoiced
and was glad. Suddenly the world
had grown bright again. She felt
the breath of spring in the air, and
somewhere in the trees a little bird
poured forth burst of melody.
In Faiths heart was melody and
the breath of reviving life. 81 will
never doubt again., - she cried, "but
oo ooalo