Year: 1866

BY MRS. n. NJ CONOUGHIs


"Oh, how wish I could stay and share
your watch to-day, said the young man
/ as he bent over the pillow of his boy
But dare not be five minutes too late,
or that iTOn-hearted miser would turn me
of, and then where will the bread come
from? Oh, it would be easy to serve a
ran with soul, or fraction of heart.
Keep up your courage, Mary, dear. L
! will be home the instant [ can get away.
Get Ruby everything he wants or needs.
l will pawn my coat before he shall ask
for a luxury he cannot have"


on can pray, Harry, wherever you
are, said the wife, and oh, pray that
God will spare our only treasure. L can
not lose him, and she laid her head upon
her husbands already over -burdened
heart, with burst Of anguish which only
a mother heart can know. He tried 70
speak words of comfort, and then after a
hasty attempt to eat the food she had
provided, he drew on his oyercoat and


-Four minutes behind time" said a
severe voice, as the eye glanced up to the
hard face of the relentless looking clock
on the wall -'PunctUality is my motto,
Mr.. Graham, and if you cannot conform
to it, you had better seek employment
elsewhere.


Il am very sorry, sir, but my child is
extremely i'll, and [ have been up all
night watching him"


"Of course its easy to make an excuse, y
said the other coldly, as he lowered his
| iron grey head, stiff1y. But let no more
time be lost; we have busy work for all
to-day"


And there was busy work for twice the
force that Mr.. Flint employed. His plan
was to keep all hands to work on the
high pressure principle; no rest, no re-
taxation, no encouraging words, from the
least to the greatest Continual rebuke
was the continual watchword Of his es-
tablishment The youngest was the hard
est worked of all He was poor orphan,
bound out" to Mr.. Flint, and was feed
in the kitchen from such scraps as his
master allowed. Many a time had Harry
Graham slipped a couple of buiscaIt into
his hand on the sly, or an apple or cake,
which kind-hearted Mary bad sent him,
and the boys famished way Of deVOurlng
them showed very plainly how he Jared.
The poor orphans heart was bound to
him with cords Of gratitude and affection,
and there was no service in his power he
would not render him. The weary day
dragged on. To the anxious father the
hours seemed like days in length, and the
old clock for once seemed to have forgot
ten his duty altogether. MONDAY had
passed, and the long, lingering finger Of
the time keeper pointed to one o'clock
A little messenger came up the broad stone
steps and asked for Mr.. Graham.


''There he is, said the errand boy, and
he listened anxiously to hear the message,
for had not Harry said to him that very
morning, My little Ruby is very sick
Hugh. and may not live till I come back p"


1T was indeed worth great deal to
have the sympathy of that poor oppressed
child so near him all day.


THE doctor says Ruby cannot live long
and his mother wants you to come" said
the child


With groan he put down his pen and
walked to the private office. There sat
Mr.. Flint, deep over his papers, with his
whole soul wrapped up IN stocks and bales
of merchandise. He was just then driv-
ing a sharp trade with the MaDdarins,
and was impatient at being brought back
so uueeremoniOusly to his native shore.


''What has happened now? Is the
street on fre?" he asked, sharply. Zone
might think so from your looks.


MY child is dying, and L must go
home"


"You must not 60. You know it is
impossible to spare you an hour on such
busy day. All the weeks duties must
I be thrown into confusion. No, Mr. Gra-
ham, go back to your desk and don speak
of leaving until those invoices are made
out. It may take a few minutes over
hours tonight"


"I must GO, Mr.. Flint. Have you no
compassion 2" The words were rung
from him by his agony, but they only
served to harden the iron heart more than
ever.


IF you do go, wish you to remember
that your services are no longer wanted
here. Your last months wages are still
In my hands. Good afternoon, and with
another stiff bow he shut the door in his
face.


"All humbug about his sick child, I
dare say" said the man, as he turned TO
his papers again.