Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1892-03-18

so queruously, SO weakly, in little quick
drawn breaths, Mary took him into her
own arms, but nothing she did could still
his cries.
~ guess he's just cold she said at last
81 don't believe he's hungry. ! brought
mothers shawl, and I'll wrap him up in
it,"
She gave the baby the benefit of every
square inch OF the worn old shawl. and
held him close. She reached one hand
out in the darkness and felt towards Katy
Eve got something to eat said She
The refuse of the free lunch made such
a supper as Mary and Katy had not eaten
for many days. And when 1t was swal-
lowed to the last crumb, Mary proposed
that they lie down, one Oh each side of the
baby, to keep him warm. Katy assented,
and the three little bits of humanity lay
so close together that one human arm
might have encircled them all. But there
was no arm; even the other jewellers in
the house seemed to have forgotten them.
And the very tears shed by angels weeping
over their misery turned to snow-hakes
that tluttered through the room, and lay
cold against the sisters cheeks.
By-and-by Mary stirred. She had been
asleep. She awoke Katy. The baby was
quiet. 81 guess he's cried himself out, ="
sBid Mary.
Eyes, he's asleep" said Katy
Then they lay down and slept again. 1t
was morning when they next awoke. They
jumped up, and the snow fell from their
thin little dresses and thin little legs on
the floor. They looked at the baby, lying
there half-covered with snow
GLOW sound he sleeps said Katy.
col al s Il.
somebody" And directly she brought in
woman of the house" "The baby cried
till he cried himself out" said Mary,
land then he slept. But he sleeps so stillr'
The woman was a good creature, and
possessed an unfortunate sympathetic tenn
Notwithstanding sadly out of place
in a tenement-house. Instantly she di-
vined the case. YES, yes, he's cried him
self out, and he's gone to sleep. Yes, yes.
He wont wake up, dearie. He isn't cold,
or hungry, or anything. He's just sound
very sOund-asleep.'
Then others of the house-mon and
vomen-came in to look upon one who had
escaped their own hard fate. And they
looked at the baby form. wrapped in a
shawl. covered so lightly with the whitest
snow, and said softly. Lucky little chap
And they looked at Mary and Katy. alone,
cold, forsaken, and said, still more gently,
Poor little girls -
\ young man, educated, refined, who is
living on the east side and trying to better
the condition of these people, climbed four
awful flights of stairs and came upon the
group. There lay the baby's body. Good
has taken him. said the young man.
Don talk of God in a tenement-housew
said one of the group bitterly 1--WE come
into the world without choice, and we drag
through it without choice, starving, freez-
ing, all the way He's got no use for us
It's only rich folks that can afford to have
God and believe in one.'
The young man was troubled. Il don't
wonder your faith weakens,' said he
ut don't weaken was the reply
There isn't any. Faith is dead-as dead
as that baby
For one short moment the young man
sought a reply. 1t was no time for argu-
ment, and silence would mean defeat
Look said he, and his eyes
shone with the consciousness of good
victory won. Death means life Like a
seed that must lie in the dark ground be-
fore it can fulfil its mission of leaves and
flowers and fruits. Your faith may be
there now, but its day of birth comes.
Then to the sisters: Little ones, you
shall come with me and learn to live"
1t may have been his words. or the
earnest simplicity of his manner, or his ca
ressingly protective way towards the little
girls, that wrought the work. But Just
then the bitter one went up to him and
grasped his hand.
There are lots of men, said he, land
a few brothers, but you-you are a man
and brother. | can have faith in YOU
and to believe that your were sent into this
helfs kingdom for good work"
Now said the young man, gladly,
1.-THE seed of your faith has put forth a
shoot. - George l. Putnam il, Harper'S
Weekly.