Year: 1863




at was the third day after my husbands fune-
ral," said the widow, sand l was so stunned by
the sudden death tnat l could do nothing but sit
and think over it, and try to realize how it could
be so. Only the Sunday before, he had been sit
ting with me, watching the baby, as he sat in the
sunshine, laughing and clappling his little hands
as the shadows of the trees were flung across the
bare floor, and moved by the passing breeze
Now the child was sitting in the same spot, the
warm October sun streaming in on his bright curls,
and making him look SO pretty-so like picture;
but the father was gone from us forever.


at seemed to me l must see his dear face once
more-that he would surely lift the latch and
come in, and take our child up, and say, as he so
often dd-"M other, what would you take for this
brother P'


Even the baby missed him, and would
come and stand at my knee, calling Papa papa ?
until I thought my poor heart would break, The
two oldest children were at schools the rest were
out playing, so that was quite alone. By and
by the baby was tired of his play, and got up into
my lap.


Mamma cry P-mamma mustn't he lisped
out, and wiped my wet face with bis little chubby
hands but could only hold him closer to me-,
and then cry more bitterly"


"Just then, Mr.. and Mrs Lorrimer drove up in
their handsome carriage They lived not far off,
and were our richest neighbors. When had in
yed them in, and had dried my tears little, they
seemed at loss how to begin the conversation,
but Charlie had slid away from my side, and went
and stood at the lady's knee, and pointing TO her
heavy gold bracelet, said-'Pretty, pretty ? in his
childish way. She took it off, and gave it to him
saying


"'Wont you come and be my little boy,
Charlie p"


"My mothers heart took fright at once. They
had no children, and 1 seemed to feel as plainly
as if they had told me, that they had come to
ask me for one of mine.


"'No, no mother couldn't spare him. said
quickly snatching him away, almost rudely,
fear"


"'My dear woman, began Mr.. Lorrimer, have
you thought seriously of the impossibty of your
getting along with five children, under twelve
years of ageP 1t has required all your husbands
efforts to make living for you-how can you
hope to do it without him p"


"'We offer,' joined in his wife, 'to take the
most helpless of your little ones-to give him all
the advantages we would our own child; and sure
ly you must see that Gods hand is in it-that
through us He intends to help you.'"


81 need not tell you how long wthstood all
their arguments But at last, overcome by their
entreaties, | consented to consider the matter In
two days they came for my answer. Inever men
Toned their visit to any of the children, and had
changed my mind almost every hour since had
seen them. At last, convinced that it was for the
childs good, consented 70 give him up. When
went to dress him to go, my resolution almost
failed me. l fingered over every article put on
him, and made every dear curl over and over be-
fore l could get it to please me and kissed the
little white shoulders until they were all rosy
But at length he was ready and 1 thought he
never looked so pretty. He was full of anima-
ton, for he was old enough to know what it
meant to go riding, and he clapped his hands
and laughed aloud at the horses, as they we're
driven up.


handed him to his new mother, Ghe children
supposed that he was to come back soon,) and he
never even looked at me- Oh, how jealous was
my aching heart !"


"When came back into the house, the first
thing my eyes fell on was his cradle. could only
throw myself on it, and sob aloud. Then came
lie trial OF telling the whole truth to the children
None of them seemed reconced, and felt that
the worst was to come when the two oldest should
come from school. 1 almost dreaded to meet
them, especially Willie; he was like his father, so
quiet and calm, outwardly, but hiding beneath
his apparent GOODNESS the strongest deepest feel
ings But the others went to meet them as they
came home, and was pleasantly disappointed in
the way the oldest took it. He seemed to feel
that had done it for the best, and that he must
hide his own sorrow for my sake. He was more
thoughtful for my comfort-gentler than ever,
only very still and grave.


''The day ended, as the longest will at last, and
it came time to go bed. 1 had taken Willie to
sleep down stairs near me. Since his fathers
death, the other children slept above u.s. Well
when l came to lie down, there was the empty
pilIOw Baby had always laid his little rosy face
as close to mine as he could get it, aud slept with
one little warm hand on my neck All my grief
broke out afresh when l thought of him. Willie
raised up at last, and sad earnestly"


"Mother, it's Charlie you are crying for
isn't it P'


"Yes, answered, 4 know it is for the best;
but oh it's so hard to give him up"


"'Mother, continued the child when father
died, we knew it was all for the best because God