Year: 1863

Where they ilyed. that from the bountle
he had been blessed with Giles Davis
home might Yet be happier and pleas
anter. The next morning he did no
forget to ask Giles where he lived, ant
after dark the housekeeper and her sol
paid St. Nicholas visit to the room
designated, leaving their basket upol
tie platform in front of the door. Will
nothing to show from whence it came
but the two letters ''H. b. burned up
on the handle.


Early and late was Giles Davis a
work, and the ragged charity hand, :
that at first the men in the yard hat
Stunned, grew to be respected by all
from his employer down to Tip, the lit
tie fellow who made fires and did tht
errands of the office. The old house.
keeper, after being caught in her second
visit la St. Nicholas, used to 90 il
and chat with the little woman whose
hand life grew marvelously strong as the
better time coming cleaned upon her.


Hope on her its heavenly radiance shed,


And waved its silver pinions o'er her head"


The winter went by, and March came
the month Of winds and snow of halls
and rains-of days that are cherries,
and nights that are gloomy even to the
gayest heart, and still master and man
stood as firm and as high in each other
confidence as ever. Often, as he sat
alone, Hamilton Brent conceived an i'm
perfect knowledge of his proverb shin
ing upon him, in the kind efforts of
Giles Davis, but the full time had not
yet come for him to see "after many
days" the wealth of its promise.


Upon one of those stormy days you
and | have seen in March, came an or
der for ship timber, which Brent must
attend to himself. All day long he
stood in that drenching, chilling storm.
That night his walk home seemed long
than usual-the house colder-the mat
ronly housekeeper ''crusty." His great
visions were sad ones-his dreams more
like spiritual visitationS than like Wis
ions that We love to think linger around
and above us in our sleeping moments.


The next day at his office passed sad
ly and drearily, until it grew nearly
night, when heart and flesh failed him,
and he fell fainting to the foer. In the
hour of excitement that followed, Giles
Davis stepped into the position of coun-
seller and nurse.


Every one in and around the Office
gladly followed his directions or asked
his advice. He it was who they agreed
should support Brent home and stay
with him. During the illness of many
weeks that followed this rash exposure,
Giles strong arm was the one on which
the good old housekeeper leaned for
help and guidance. The quiet little
woman was brought from her humble
home to the greater one of her husbands
employer, to assist in the onreous duties
of nurse. The sick man whose friends
with the exceptions of an invalid aunt,
who lived with her daughter in Maiue,)
had all gone to the "spirit land," look
ed, in moments Of consciousness, the
gratitude he could not speak. every day
as Giles would go to the Office to consult
with Porter and report favorably to his
employer.


Itwas not until "April showers" had
brought "May flowers" that Hamilton
Brent took his old seat in the office, and
Giles his accustomed place in the lum-
Der yard. But the strongest tie that
can hind humanity together, united
their hearts, and he never forgot that
under God, he owed his after prosperity
to the ''charity hand" During the
summer evenings, when his bachelor
home grew silent, he would think, with
a lingering regret, of a pleasanter one
in quiet street, and devise some plan
to insure that one as part of his own
Itwas not until Christmas that his plans
were perfected. Tnen, when the other
hands received the slip of paper with a
merry Christmas" written On it, and
dollar note pinned to it, Giles received