River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1890-04-03

that his prayer could not be answered So
he compromised by saying: We'll stay
a little while if you will be good boy
and GO when / ask you to-"
Dave assented cheerfully. He had
perfect faith that his prayer would be
answered and quickly, too
The children did not know it, but they
could not have left the church if they
had tried. The inner door had been
swung noiselessly to by the sexton, who
had not thought of looking in, then no
had locked the outside doors-the boys
we're alone in the church.
Dave gave one more look at the cross
of lilies and the Christ in the window,
then walked up the aisle little way
and went into one of the pews- First he
sat down and then he lay down, and SO
comfortable bed did the soft cushion
make for the tired child that he object
ed to being disturbed when Tom sug'
gested going. So Tom, who was tired.
too sat down on footstool and put his
head on the cushion beside Dave.
There was a rustic of skirts, low
hum of voices. A committee of ladies',
to whom had been assigned the chapel
decorations for the children's service
that afternoon, were discussing what
flowers could best be spared from within
the chancel.
Tom was wakencd, but Dave still
slept soundly.
A Young lady who had been detained
in the chapel came hurriedly up the
aisle to join the group, and though Tom
shrank closer in his corner, she saw him,
and her exclamation brought the half
dozen ladies to her side.
Dave slept On, and pretty picture he
made, the gold of his hair brought out
against the deep red of the pew cushion.
Tom was frightened, but they were
such kind faces he looked into that be
was not afraid TO tell his story-and
very simply and directly he told it
The young lady who had discovered
the boys had a business-like air, and a
brisk way of saying things that spoke
volumes for her executive ability.
Now here is mission work" she
cried. ''What are we going to do for
these boys? Homes must be found for
then. Suppose we adopt them as pro-
teges 0: the Mission Society and make a
monthly assessment to pay some one to
care for them? How many of you will
vote to-
A slender, sweet-faced woman, dressed
in mourning-the only one who had
been silent-interrupted her. Her
voiced was broken, but she tried 70 con-
troll it.
perhaps you will think me wild"
she said, ''but don't you see where these
boys are? They are in my pew, where
my boys used TO sit. ] am alone in the
world; they are alone. Why should they
not be my boys? / come here with
empty arms, longing for the sound of
boyish voices forever hushed, and here.
lust where they used to sit in the church
hallowed to me by so many memories
where 1 was married, where my chill
dren were baptized find these mother
less, homeless boys. And on Easter
Sunday, too. 1t seems like resurrec-
ton of hopes / had thought forever
dead. Why should not take these boys.
care for tn I'm, educate them, make them
my boys? Does it not seem that God
has sent them TO me?"
There was silence for moment Then
the brisk young lady said, with little
laugh, to hide some real emotion: "At
least, Mrs. Sanborn, 1t will be saving
for the missionary society"
Mrs Sanborn passed into t, pew and
bent over sleeping Dave, and as she did
so the child opened his eyes, a glad light
crept into them and he stretched out his
arms.
Mother he cried, II asked Jesus to
send you back"
This Easter prayer was granted Tom
and Dave were no longer homeless, no
longer notherless, and above the cross
of snowy lilies the pictured Christ
seemed TO look down in blessing upon
them.-Mrs Eta Z. Martin, in Boston
Globe.
A FRENCH student who has been en-
gagged in translating a German novel
into French has received warning from
the police that he is looked upon as q