Year: 1877

 to hear him. He raised his hands. clasped firmly together, toward the pulpit, and in wild. frantic tone he muttered,---

 "Oh, sir, have heard you preach to- day such truths as l know are of God, and hope they are not mere idle say ings here. Oh, pardon me, and listen. 1 mean no wrong--I only ask you, as you love your God, to hear me-" Here he turned toward the astonisbed people, and his voice had now become more calm and clear You, many of you, knew my father; you know he is dead. But blame him as you will, you can not blame my mother or myself. Wewere not to blame that he became low and degraded; we were not to blame that he became vic tim of the fell destroyer. My mother prayed for him on her knees, and never, never, in his most degraded moments, was she cold or harsh. He died, and he left us poor--very poor. My mother has been sick---sick even unto the shadow of death. and I her only nurse. would work if I could leave my mother, but I can not. I can beg-.I have begged---I have begged the food that has sustained us. Last night man came to turn us from the house we occupied he would have turned my mother out into the cold, chill, wintry air, had I not, boy as I am, made him afraid to do the deed. But we can not live there always so. We owe our landlord twelve dollars for rent, and he has sworn with an oath that he would turn JUS out of doors by force of arms if we do not leave. 'Twould kill my mother to be moved now. Do this, and so may God bless youl" as we have written it, but at spasmodic intervals, broken by sobs and weeping. The effect was electrical. Never before had such thing been heard of, and yet few seemed to think it utof place. Most of them were too much moved to think ofanything but the story they had heard. That same boy might have told them his simple story in the street. and they would have passed him idly by but now it came home to their hearts. It seemed almost test sent by God to try their faith in the doctrine they had that day heard. Only Mir. Notworth seemed angry; but though every eye had been turned upon him, yet he dared not speak.

 Ere long the minister came down, and placed his hand upon the boys head and then. in clear, impressive tone. he said.---

 "' Inasmuch as ye have done it until the least ofone of these, have ye done it unto me- My friends, let us all take counsel together after we are dismissed" ."

 He then pronounced the benediction but only David Notworth left the house. What was done in that meeting can be judged by the results That very night a doctor came to the widows cot, and with him came nurse who was to re- main. On the next day large sum of money, and many articles of comfort, were sent in. Ere long Paul was taken into the family of wealthy mechanic as an adopted son; and ere the snows of winter were gone the widowed mother was well again, and was gladly taken into the same family with her son, where she passed the bappiest hours of her woman's life.

 It is simple story, but where will you find braver boy than was Paul Lavere7 Think you he was brave when he faced those two men for his mothers protection So he was. But that re- quired not moiety of the stern, calm heroism, which sent him, pale, feeble boy, into that sacred temple, there to face the multitude, and, in defiance of all precedent, to pour cut the story of his mothers's suferings. But his soul was strong with filial love. and he conquered. People honored him for this strange i'm dependence, and as he grew up noble, steady, virtuous youth and man. he was respected by all who knew him. Yet the smile and the loving embrace of his mother, with her fearful blessings upon him, were by far the dearest return he met for his work.

 Of Mir. Notworth we will only say he died uuwept and unmourned, and a spendthrift son quickly squandered his property.