Year: 1879

eye" feared the the brute's voice ant
the trampling of the horses feet woulc
have disturbed her," Gilbert held the
letter hesitatingly in his hand, as if afraiC
TO read it at length he said aloud to the
surgeon: You know that l am pool
man, and debt Justly incurred, and pune
tually paid when due, is no dishonor.'
Both his hand and his voice shook slightly
as he spoke; but he opened the letter from
the lawyer and read it in silence. At this
moment his wife came from her child {
bedside, and looking anxiously at hel
husband, told him mot to mind The
money, that no man, who knew him
would arrest his goods, or put him into
prison. Though, dear me, it is cruel to
be put to it thus, when our bairn is dying,
and when, if so it be the Lords will, she
should have decent burial, poor innocent,
like them that went before her." Gilbert
continued reading the letter with face
on which no emotion could be- discovered
and then, folding it up, he gave it to bis
wife, told her she might read it if she
chose, and then put it into his desk in the
room beside the poor dear BARN. She took
it from him, and without reading it, crush
ed it into her bosom; for she turned her
ear toward her child, and, thinking she
heard it stir, ran hastily to its bedside.


Another hoGr of trial past, and the child
was still swimming for its life. The very
dogs knew there was grief in the house,
and lay without stirring, rs if hiding
themselves, below the long table at the
window. One sister sal with an unfinished
gown on her knees, that she had been sew
ing for the dear child, and still continued
at the hopeless work, she scarcely knew
why; and often, putting up her hand to
wipe away a tear. "What is thatp" said
the old man TO his eldest daughter: "What
is that you are laying on the shelfP' She
could scarcely reply that it was riband
and an ivory comb that she had bought
for little Margaret, the night of the dane
ing school hall. And, at these words, the
father could not restrain long, deep and
bitter groan; at which the boy, nearest in
age to his dying sister, looked up weeping
in his face, and letting the tattered book
of old ballads which he had been poring
on, but not reading, fall out of his hands,
he rose from his seat, and, going into his
fathers bosom, kissed him, and asked God
to bless him; and the old man, as he en-
braced him, felt that, in his innocence and
simplicity, he was indeed a comforter.
" The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh
away said the old man; " Blessed is the
name of the Lord"


The outer door gently opened, and he
whose presence had in former years
brought peace and resignation hither,
when their hearts had been tried, even as
they now were tried, stood before them.
Soornolvr npp1l Eilhart ,o,N1,, T,,,rt
question about his child, when the surgeon
came from the bedroom, and said, "Mar-
garet seems lifted up by Gods hand above
death and the grave; think she will re-
cover. She has fallen asleep; and when
she wakes, | hope-I beieve-that the
danger will be past, and that your child
will live"


They were all prepared for death; but
now they were found unprepared for life.
One wept that had till then locked up all
her tears within her heart; another gave u
short, papilaling shrek; and the tender
hearted Isabel, who had nursed the child
when it was a baby, tainted away. The
youngest brother gave way to gladstone
smiles; and calling out his dog Hector,
who used to sport with him and his little
sister on the moor, he told the tidings to
the dumb, irrational creature, whose eyes,
it is certain, sparkled with sort of Joy.
The clock for some days had been pre-
vented from striking the hours; but the
silent finger pointed to the hour of nine;
and that, in the cottage of Gilbert Ainslie,
was the stated hour OF family worship.
His own honored minister took the book.


A chapter was read-a prayer said-and
SO, too, was sung a psalm; but it was
sung low, and with suppressed voices,
lest the childs saving sleep might be
broken; and now and then the female
voices trembled, or some one of them
ceased altogether; for there had been
tribulation and anguish, and now hope
and faith were tried in the JOY of thanks
giving.


The child still slept, and its sleep SEEM
ed mole sound and deep. 1t appeared
almost certain that the crisis was over,
and that the flower was not 10 fade.
q" Children, said Gilbert, "Our happiness
is in the love we bear to one another, and
our duty is in submitting to and serving
God. Gracious indeed has He been to us
Is not the recovery of our little darling,
dancing, singing Margaret, worth all the
gold that ever was mined? If we had had
thousands OF thousands, would we not
have filed up her grave with the worth
less dross of gold, rather than she should
have gone down there with her sweet face
and all her rosy smileso" There was no
reply but Il joyful sobbing over the room.


Never mind the letter, or the debt,
father" said the eldest daughter, " we
have all some little thing of our own-a
few pounds-and we shall be able to raise
us much us will keep arrest and prison at
distance. Or, if they do take our furni-
ture out OF the house, all except Margaret S
bed, who cares? We will sleep on the
floor; and there are potatoes in the cellar,
and clear water in the spring. We need
fear nothing-blessed be God for all His
merces."


Gilbert went into the sick room and got
the letter from his wife, who was sitting
ut the head Of the bed, watching with II
heart blessed beyond all bliss, The calm
and regular breathings of her child. This
letter." said he, mildly, " is not from II
hard creditor. Come with me while |
read it aloud to our children" The letter
was read aloud, and it was well fitted TO
diff'use pleasure and satisfaction through
lne uWclllnS ol poverty. ~ was iioih "i
executor to the will of II distant relative,
who had left Gilbert Ainslie I'll 800. The
sum-" said Gilbert, sis n large one to folks
like us. but not, hope, large enough to
turn our heads, or make us think ourselves
all lords and ladies. 1t will do moro, far
more than put me fairly before the world
at last. believe that with it | may buy
this very farm on which my forefathers
have toiled. But God, whose providence
has sent this temporal blessing, may He
send us wisdom and prudence how to use
it; also humble and grateful hearts"


- You will be able to send me TO school
I'LL the year round now, father, said the
youngest boy. And you may leave the
ilail 10 your sons now, father" said the
eldest " You may hold the plow still, for
you draw straighter furrow than any OF
us but hard work for young sinews, and
you may sit now oftener in your armchair
by the inge. You will not need to rise
now in the dark. cold, snowy winter
mornings, and keep Ihrashing corn in the
barn for hours by candle-lght, before the
late dawning."


There was silence, gladness and sorrow
and but little sleep in Moss-side between
~ ..;,;,,r anil cottino of the stars tha