The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-02-11

to get II or Tor us DESTINATION 'iio''
"And now. ladies'" the president added
tive ,nust get some comfortable clothes
for the new baby of the Humphreys
No wonder YOU smile at my suggestion.
hut we are commanded to clotne the
naked, feed the hungry and care LOT the
sick. you know, and Christ makes ho
limitations on account OF shlItIesshess
or unappreciated labors.
And thus. once more, the good Christian
women Of Wellingtonville made the
Humphrey family comfortable.
The winter slipped away as quickly as
all winters do and IL was spring time.
The Humphreys had been showed out Oh
the highways towards the village loI
weeks. so nobody went to the old brown
house in the hollow. Not ray OF sun
shine could penetrate through the pahes Oh
glass, often thick with the frost LOT uhys
at n time. Jed Humphrey bestirred MN
self enough to get into the woods ana
hiring home some firewood. but he TOOK
good care to sit down and see II all nearly
burned out before he ventured TO go INTO
the cold again to replenish MS PIE. Inc
baby had grown old enough to be ued III
the one-armed high chair by the taDle'
and TO amuse itself pounding on II win
an old rusty iron spoon The chlldreh
had about worn out their conn ,Il 'aDie
clothes that came when the new DaDy
did and the barrel of flour was almost
gone. and there was only one lonely piece
of salt pork left in the cellar.
One night Dr. Simmonds, the only phy-
stefan in the village, was awakened by
loud ring at his bell. He had just fallen
asleep, having left a patient dangerously
I'll only an hour before He put MS head
out of the window. but it was so dark he
could not see the little figure OF boy on
the steps.
UNI a.. tLorao ba called ont
"Jt's me-" said the boy. "Our baby's
awful sick, and mother wants you to
come as quick as you can.
"Whose baby?' asked the doctor in a
gruff voice . -.
our baby. Don't you know? Jed
Humphreys.
The doctor hesitated a few moments,
and then said: What is the matter? Per
haps / can send some medicine. have
lust got in, and am very tired, and l
don't want to go down TO the hollow TO-
night unless it is necessary.
"Oh. please do come, doctor, the baby
is awful sick. I'm so afraid 1t will die.
and it's so cunning and cute. The baby
is all the fun we've had this whole win
ter"
The boys voice was choked with tears.
The doctor dressed and put on his heavy
ulster. which hung in the hall, and went
out with him.
'T can't do anything to help that baby,
led" he said. as he saw the little one
living so silently in its mothers arms
half hour later.
cant you do nothing. doctor-nothing
for the little critter? 1t seems like as II
we couldn't stay here no how If the baby
dies"
The doctor shook his head. ut is past
all human help, Jed" he said. Tine baby
is dead"
"Our lives was just bound up In that
baby" walled the poor mother.
The physician did not speak as tenderly
as he usually did when a patient had
passed away. What mercy, he
thought, that this child has passed out
Of this miserable homer
The tears that fell from this stricken
family as they stood around the little
body seemed mysterious TO him. Why
should they mourn for that baby? But
when he heard the mother say. as he
was passing out of he door, ooh, Jed,
what shall we do now?" and saw her lean
her head on the arm of the husband. who
had been so remiss in trying TO provide
for his family, he was touched.
Cant you pray, Mary?" Jed asked.
Mother used to pray, but 1 haven't
prayed in so long. / couldn't say nothing
the Lord would want to hear"
L
comfort u.s. Jed; that's all I can say. I
haven't said prayer for 50 long. jed l
forgot all about the Lord, and that's why
He's took our baby. We've never been so
near to Heaven before, Jed; the angels
have been in this old house tonight and
took our baby; Jesus has got her in His
arms. Don't you remmeber that picture
in the book the children got in Sunday
school, of the Good Shepherd with little
lamb in His arms? That's the way He
gets the mother sheep TO follow Him. He
takes their lambs"
tits amazing strange, Mary, how lit
tie critter like that will take hold If
your heart strings, and how like tearin'
'em to pieces it seems when it's took
away"
The next day everybody in the village
had heard of the dead baby at the
Humphreys One after another of
Christ's messengers went TO help and COM
fort the sorrowing ones. The little coffin.
the flowers. the necessary garments for
the family, and the decent clearing up IF
the shiftiess-looking home. together with
the kindly words the minister said TO
them about the Saviopr's love for little
children. appealed TO the hearts of Jed
and Mary as nothing ever had before.
1--WE all want TO go where the baby is"
said Jed. "every one on us. and we must
go TO church now, Mary. and take our
children. and try TO bring 'em up better
than we did before, and we must be bet
ter ourselves"
THE Lords ways are past finding out"
said one of the directors of the Sewing
Circle the next season. 1--WE have not had
anything to do for the Humphreys this
year. Jed has worked so steady ever
since that baby died, and Mary has en-
couraged him by taking good care that his
wages are well spent and that things are
taken care Of. That new baby, after all,
had a mission TO perform during it's brief
stay. and nobody in town needed such a
Heavenly little guest as much as they did
down at Jed Humphreys. Sure enough,
what short-sighted mortais we are"
Who Was st. Valentine?
ST. Valentine was an Italian priest who
suffered martyrdom at Rome In go. or
at Terni In 300. writes Florerce Wilson
In the February Ladies' Home Journal
Historians differ as to the date. Legend
amplifes by dwelling on the virtues of
his life and the manner Of his death. and
tells how he was brought before the