Year: 1866

I
] often feared that Maggie was neglected-of-
ten troubled himself on her account-but a
suspicion of cruelty like this never came
into his imagination as possible.


Mr.. Frazier was profoundly disturbed
but even In bis passion he was calm.
Jane, he said sternly, % wish you to
| leave the house immediately"
Mr. Frazier rang the bell, and to the
waiter who answered it, said


See that Jane leaves the house at once.
| have discharged her. Send her trunk
wherever she may wish it. Here is the
money that is due. 1 must see her again"


AS the waiter left the room Mr.. Frazier
hugged his child tightly to his breast again,
| and kissed her with an eagerness Of manner
that was unusual with him. He was fond
but quiet In his caresses Now the sleeping
impulses of strong heart were all awaken
ed alive.


In a small back chamber sat a pale, sweet
faced patient looking woman, reading let
ter which had just been left her by the post
man.


Thank God" she said when she finished
reading it, and her soft brown eyes were
lifted upward 1t looked very dark" she
murmered, but the morning has broken
again"


A light quick step was heard on the stairs
and the door was hastily pushed open.


Charles, dear"


The boy entered with excited countenance.


I'm going to get q place, mother" he
cried to her, the moment his feet were in
side the door


The pale woman smiled, and held out her
hand to her boy. He came to her side.


There is no necessity of your getting a
place now, Charles. We shall 90 back to
England"


Oh, mother" The boys face was all
scF i-vV- vrrrfH cr7T1h ho0


Here is a letter from a gentleman in
New York who says he is directed by your
uncle Wilton to pay our passage to England
if we will return. God is good my SON. Let
US be thankful"


Charles now drew from his pocket the
note which Mr.. Frazier had given him, and
handed it to his mother


What Is this " she 9sked


Z. The gentleman who promised to get me
place told me to give it to you"


The woman broke the seal. There were
three bank bills of ten dollars each, enclosed,
and this brief sentence written on q sheet
of paper


(" God sent your son to a true friend
Take courage. Let him come to me to-mor-
row.


I" Who gave you this ?" she asked, her
pale face growing warm with excitement.


A gentleman. But / don't know who
he was ] went into a great many stores to
ask if they didn't want a boy, and at last
came to the one where the gentleman was
who sent you the letter He spoke roughly
to me at first, and then called me back and
asked me who ] was and about my mother.
told him your name and how father died.
and you were sick Them he sat a good
while and dindt say anything, and then
wrote the note, and he told me he would get
me place. He was a kind looking man. if
he did speak roughly at first


Did you see what name There was on
the sign


q never thought to look, >" replied the boy.
" / was glad when 1 came away. But can
90 straight to the place"


l viii write the gentleman a note thank
ing him for his kindness, and you must give
it to him in the morning How Heht it
makes my heart feel to know we are going
to dear old England again. God is good to
US, my son, and we must be obedient and
thankful" D"


Just a little before evening twilight fell,
word came up to the woman that gentle
man had called and wished to see her.


Go and see who it is Charles, she said
to her son.


Oh, motberl it's the gentleman who sent
you the note exclaimed Charles, IN an
unGGe~tOne, returnidg quickly. " And he
wants to see you Can he come up ?"


There was hasty glance Of the woman's
ewes around the room to see.if everything
was in order, then a few slight changes in
attire


Tell him to come up, my son" she said,
and Charles went down stairs again.


A mans firm trea1 approaches the door
1t was opened, and the boy S mother and his
new found friend locked into each others
arms.


Oh Edward " fell from her lips in a
quick surprised voice, and she started from
her chair, and stood before him. He ad-
vanced, not speaking until he had taken her
hand


" Florence I never thought to see you
! thus, ne said in a calm, clear, evenly mod
ulated voice, but her ears were finely enough
! chOFded to perceive the deep emotion that
/ lay beneath. He said it looking down into
the soft, tender, brown eyes But there
/ is G Providence in our meeting" he added
They sat down and conversed long to-
J gether-talked over the things gone by, and
/ of the causes that separated them, while
/ their hearts beat only for each other-of the
! weary years that had passed for both Of
them since then-Of the actual present in
/ their lives


/ " have a motherless child" he said at
/ last" a tender little thing that / love, and
/ to-day find her body purple with bruises
/ from the cruel hand Of a servant You
have a noble boy who is fatherless, let me be
/ to him a father Oh Florence There has
/ been a great void In our lives A dark and
| impossible river has flowed between as for
! years. But we stand at last together, and IF
the old love fills your heart as it fills mine,
there are golden days for US in the future"


And so It proved. The lady and her son
did not return to England, bat passed to the
merchants stately residence-she becoming
its mistress and finding home there and
the boy a truer father than the one he had
! in former years called by that name
" Do good as you have opportunity" On
" a week before the lads application to the
merchant bad this injunction been urged in
his hearing by an eloquent preacher, and
the words coming TO his thoughts led him TO
recall the boy, after his cold, almost unkind d
response.


Many times he thought Of the incident af-
terward, and the small event on which such
lifelong issues hung, almost trembling IN
a st-.A N,4 ia h1~s hr4 hot