Year: 1874

knows it's all for you, and he knows how
thankful am to have you to work for.
Folks talk about my lot bein hard, but
that's all they know. | would change
places with no man. So long as He
leaves me you, I'll never doubt that God
loves me-


The girl sighed and a look of white
pain quivered moment about her lips


Take me up, father she said halt an
hour after, as they sat before the bright
fire together. No mothers touch could
have been more tender than that rough
mans as be lifted the little twisted form
into his arms and laid the sunny head
carefully against his bosom. She rested
there tor while silently looking tondly
up into his face, and now and then touch.
ins his checks gently with her thin fngels
At last she said, with an air earnestly,
yet slightly hositating; 'You do believe
God loves you, don't you father? p


Yes. lamb, yes SO long as he leaves
me you


But if He didn't leave me, she persist.
ed, wouldn't you believe that too, was
because be loved your


The mans face darkcned with sud.
den, sick terror


Look here said ne. in voice of pas.
sionate entreaty, do t talk about that.
don't 1t couldn't be love, noway, that
wouldn't leave you. You're all I've got
ohid-all God don't want to take all
away, docs He ? That amt love-


The grl stretched her hand up and
drew it around his neck, and laid her
face on his shoulder to hide the tears
she could not keep back. But she made
no answer, After u while he asked a
sudden question, breathlessly, as if a
suspicion had pierced him with papg
too sharp too be borne


Has DR.. Peters been here to-day,
Eunice p


She trembled ltitlo, but she answered
quietly, Yes, father.


And he says you're goin' does he, the
way your mother went? Child, ut you
believe him You shant 60. My love
will keep you alive. Hasn't it kept you
now, fourteen years Why, the doctor
said you wouldn't live the first time he
laid you on my arms But you have lived
and here you are, and here Iii hold YOU
Hasn't my love kept you so long p


Your love and Gods love, father
But what ii he thinks, now. that's time
for me to 90 home 2


And then they sat ou silently, for q
long, still hour, and the wood fire burned
brightly, aud now and then n brand
dropped on the hearth, and that and the
storm outside were the only sound which
broke the Stiffness, save when, once or
twice, great grasping sob tore up from
Shuttlng Dams deep chest. At last he
bent over, and turned his girls face tow.
ard him,and looked in it with euger, hun
cry eyes.


It'il be sorry world, lamb he said, ,
when you're not in it--when there's no
body wa'ln' at the door aud 10 light
burnn' in the wiudcr


she looked up, her blue eyes iull OF
tears.


Father she said gently, don't you
know you've told me, sometime, how the
thought that | was waltin made it easy
lor you TO get home, when the storms
drove ever 80 hard, and kept you from
wantln' to turn into store or tavern p


Yes, lamb, but what'l keep me on my
way when you're gone :? he asked bitter.
ly.


Il thought OF the times you'd said that
father, after Dr. Peters went away, to.
day; and | wondered if it wasn't Gods
love that was going to take me to the
heavenly home, so AS to make it easier
Tor you to come Iii .a!t for you there
father and | won't be lame any more,
aud I'll come to meet you when y ou get
Oh tha. thrcshod-as | never could here
strong aud free. Won't it make it
ea'y for yon to come on in spite OF storm-,
aud not turn aside by the way when you
know I'm waitin' there, just as sure as
ever | waited here {?


But the father said nothing lie only
held her hand against his aching heart,
with grasp that almost hurt her, as if
to case his pain-held bcr till bed time
caino, and then carried her to her room,
and left her there with long, sad, silent
kiss. Once alone, the passion of his
agouy clutched him in its grasp; but he
suffered no sound to escape him which
should reach her ears, Rigid as stone
he sat before the fire, and never needed
when the room grew cold, and the last
brand burned out and fell into gray
ashes.


Alter that night, he never returned
again to the subject. He saw that she
failed every day, but he could not talk
about him, and she understood him too
well to urge him. Every day he went
to his work now was not the time to
fail, when she needed unwonted luxuries
and might need them no one knew how
long Every night he came to her his
face pallid with apprehonsions. At last
she grew too weak to sit up any more,
and lay patiently on her little bed, bear.
ing without moan her torturiug pain,
and never forgetting at night to have a
lamp put in the window-the beacon
light for the father coming home.


Just at the last, there was Il time when
all knew that the end was near. That
week her father did not 90 to his work.
There was money enough for all she
would ever need in this, aud more. So,
motionless, except when he could do
something for her comiort, he sat all day
long by her pillow, and watched her,
save when sometimes his agony grew too
mighty TO be borne, and he had to rush
away from her, out Of the madness of his
woe to the pitiless heavens. Euuice
watched him, too, in her turn, with low.
ing, anxious, searching gaze, but she saw
no hope in his face She knew that he
was hardening his heart. There came a
ught. at length, when be was with her
alone A woman who had come to watch
had fallen asleep in the other room. Dan
would not wake her-he was greedy of
every moment in which he could have his
uirl tn himself Go he sat a. n.u,I Loot