Year: 1864




"Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou
shalt find it after many days"


~ wonder what that means?" said Hamilton
Brent. half aloud, as he sat looking into the
bright anthracite, blazing with such a pleasant
! light before him. ~ IN quite sure that under
! stand what the man means, when, he stopped
me, and asked for work, and looking at his rags
| | gave him something to do in the lumber yard,
more for humanitys sake than for the work he
took my warmly gloyed hand in Ihis cold one,
and repeated the Scripture proverb that my
mother has so often taught I'm sure was not
casting bread in the sense have thought of it,
Had given child a quarter, or a poor man
some meat, it would have been a parallel case
to this Both might have remembered me
for a while, but, with numberless changes, the
mere es Ofmy charity never have returned to bless
me. The man may not come to work, or if he
does, only stay until he gets a little money and
then go to his friends, if he has any, and that
may end any relation we may at present or for
any time sustain to each other"


Thus in the heart of the employer the matter
was laid to rest; but in pair of other caes the
promise of work boding of many good things yet
in store, kept hope from growing feeble and sick
and then dying in despair. From the house of
Giles Davis-a home rendered cheerless now by
want and suffering-went up many blessings
for him who in the darkest hour had befriended
them; and doubt whether the intelligence of
great fortune would have made that young wife
heart lighter than did the announcement of her
husband


"To-morrow, Ellen, will have work-O if
tomorrow were but here"


Dreams, pleasanter than those for weeks had
visited their pillow, came to them that night and
before half of his laborers were thinking oftheir
daily task, Giles presented himself at the office
door of Hamilton Brent, to receive his share of
the duties that fell to the lot of the lumber deal
er


Brent met him at the door. His punctuality,
or rather extra punctuality very pleasantly i'm
pressed his employer, himself a man of hard
work, always first, and inyaribly last, around
the yard and in the office.


"Ah, my man, I'm glad you have come. l
didn't know but you would forget the number
or something of that sort. What is your manner"


g Giles Davis"


In moment it stood on the day book and led
ger, in the great round letters for which Hamil-
ton had been praised when a school boy.


'Now, go with me-"


AT this juncture Porter came in, the formal
'hand of hands, " and to his less tender mercies
the new conner was given over After thew had
gone into the yard Giles set at his skassigned
him, and Porter had returned to the office, Mr..
Brent said to him:


'Do not allow Davis to work too hard; I guess
the poor fellow has seen hard times"


~ shouldn't wonder, was the reply, "but he
works as if he meant to do his duty"


hope he will; like a man thoroughly in ear
nest in whatever he undertakes and there is an
expression in Davis eye that like. I believe
can rely on man that owns such pair of eyes
as he does, " and at a hint to Porter to busy
himself, Brent turned to his books.


During the day his mind did not revert to the
'charity hand, his foreman called Davis
but when at night he went to look about the
yard, he found him hard at work piling some
oak timber which he had promised to have meas
ured and delivered early next morning.


Chow is ths?" said the careful merchant to
himself. "ShOuld he be waiting to steal or burn
must see the last of him before IIeayen and so |
be came up to his new hand, with distrustin the
heart where confidence had reigned in themor
ing. Thus quickly do the hour and the impulse |
make sadhavocamong our natures highest and |
holiest qualities.


"Why have you not quit, Davis ?' The 9TH
er men have gone home long time"


'Mr. Porter wished me to pile this timber and |
| staid to do it SIR


II believe hired yOu to work from seven un-
til six, didn't IY'


ayes sir?'


"Then you have no business here after that